Introduction
On October 29, 2009, Madison Square Garden in New York City buzzed with anticipation as Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel stepped onstage together for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s 25th-anniversary concert series. After a brief three-song reunion at Beacon Theatre earlier that year, the duo returned to the Garden for a five-song set that evening.
Opening with the haunting chords of “The Sound of Silence,” Simon & Garfunkel instantly transported fans back to 1966, when the song first shot to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Midway through, they delighted the crowd with a playful medley of “Mrs. Robinson” and Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away,” showcasing their enduring chemistry. When the piano intro of “The Boxer” resonated through the arena, you could almost hear a collective sigh of nostalgia from the packed house.
The emotional crescendo arrived with “Bridge over Troubled Water,” as Art Garfunkel’s soaring vocals earned tears and cheers in equal measure. They closed their set with the upbeat “Cecilia,” leaving the audience both uplifted and wistful over what might be their final reunion in full.
Simon & Garfunkel were just one segment in an all-star lineup that included Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Metallica, U2 and more—each artist paying homage to the Hall of Fame’s rich legacy. Fans even recounted they’d never seen so many icons on a single stage—one reviewer called it “the big mother of all rock concerts”.
This Garden performance followed their Beacon Theatre reunion earlier in February and preceded a challenging period when Garfunkel developed vocal-cord paresis in January 2010—an incident that added profound poignancy to this October night. While HBO broadcast a four-hour special on November 29, 2009, and the concert later appeared on DVD, Blu-ray and a 4-CD box set, few recordings truly capture the electric intimacy experienced by those in the crowd.
Eyewitnesses recalled fans weeping during those early harmonies—one Tumblr post described nearby concertgoers “crying as Art’s voice sliced through the silence”. To this day, that Garden reunion remains a testament to why Simon & Garfunkel’s harmonies still feel as fresh and heartfelt nearly five decades after their debut