The Funkels, Simon and Gar, Returning to the Concert Stage

As much as I enjoy Paul Simon as a solo artist, especially his classic first album (“Me and Julio,” “Mother and Child,” um um good), There Goes Rhymin’ Simon, and Graceland, he has never accomplished anything quite as sublime as the primal pairing of the tall skinny one with the stupid hair, and the short squatty one (with or without hair) with the guitar. Unless they pop gaskets again, Simon and Garfunkel are hitting the road – together:

The former duo has reserved dates at concert arenas across the country, said Gary Bongiovanni, editor of Pollstar, a concert industry trade publication. And they were scheduled to make a “very special announcement” at a New York nightclub on Tuesday, publicists said.

There has been talk of a tour since Simon & Garfunkel performed together to open the Grammy Awards ceremony in February, and they’ve done the logistical groundwork, Bongiovanni said.

“Everyone’s been expecting it,” he said. “It was still in the speculative stages, because you never know when Artie and Paul will get in a fight and call the whole thing off.”

The mega-selling folk-rock duo broke up more than three decades ago and they’ve had a fractious relationship since. They put their arms around each other after singing “The Sound of Silence” at the Grammys. [AP]

That one was a little rough, you might recall.

With a little time to prepare, I’m sure they’ll be swell.