Art Garfunkel to join Aviv Geffen on stage in Israel at end of month
Legendary singer of Simon & Garfunkel to perform four songs at annual ‘Rock Prom’ in Tel Aviv, making him first major international artist to perform in country since start of war
Art Garfunkel will perform in Israel at the end of May, the legendary singer confirmed in an interview aired on Wednesday on Channel 12, making him the first major international artist to play in the country since war broke out on October 7, 2023.
Garfunkel will take the stage with Aviv Geffen at the Israeli singer’s annual “Rock Prom (Neshef Rock)” at HaYarkon Park in Tel Aviv.
The 83-year-old Jewish American last performed in Tel Aviv in June 2015. “It’s been years since I was there,” he told Channel 12 in an interview alongside Geffen. “I feel excited. Israel gets greener all the time.”
When asked if he hesitated upon receiving the invitation from Geffen, Garfunkel said: “I just took my best shot… I worry about the safety factor. My impression here is that you never know, it’s a volatile thing.”
It remains unclear what songs Garfunkel will perform in Tel Aviv. “I can’t wait to talk to you about what we do together,” he told Geffen during the interview. “There will be four songs, and one of them is us. Do you have a notion as to what the one song is?”
“Whatever you want,” Geffen replied. Garfunkel said the song that “flies into my mind before I even think about it is ‘The Boxer.'”
The Channel 12 interviewer also asked the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer what made him and Paul Simon, the second half of the Simon & Garfunkel duo, so successful.
“Less is more. Two voices and a guitar. If you’re good enough, that’ll carry it,” he said.
Garfunkel reflected on the duo’s visit to Israel in 1983, saying: “I remember the press was very aggressive toward me. I had dinner with my parents at the King David Hotel, and the press was there in the window looking at me. I tried to leave the table to avoid the camera, and they came inside the hotel. I went to the bathroom to escape them. They came into the bathroom to shoot me, and there I was in the stall, hiding my head from the camera, and they were shooting [photos] still.”
However, Garfunkel remembers the concert itself in Ramat Gan fondly. “Aside from America, Israel was the next best audience, more than any place in the world. Israel was extremely warm to Simon & Garfunkel.”
In 2015, Garfunkel slammed Simon in an interview, saying he “created a monster” and that Simon had a “Napoleon complex.”
The two recently made amends at a dinner, however, with Garfunkel recalling to Channel 12: “He was very nice to me. The night went beautifully. There were hugs. I was able to say ‘I’m sorry.’ When you feel like you’ve hurt someone, and I admitted and said to Paul, ‘I know I made a mistake.’ Tears came to me. The tears were followed by a big hug. The fact is, I miss him.”
Garfunkel revealed to Channel 12 that a final reunion concert with Simon is being discussed. “What else is life for? We’ll see what he says.”
Channel 12 also asked Garfunkel how he feels about anti-Israel protests in the US, particularly at his alma mater, Columbia. “Final exams must be coming up there,” he said.
The Times of Israel Community.