Iconic singer-songwriter Paul Simon has announced he’ll perform two Hawaiian charity concerts in Maui to support local environmental organizations.
Simon will take the stage at Maui Arts & Cultural Center’s A&B Amphitheater and Yokouchi Pavilion on August 13 and 14, respectively. All proceeds from the back-to-back shows will go to the Auwahi Forest Restoration Project and Kua‘āina Ulu ‘Auamo, or KUA. Both organizations put Hawaiian nature and conservation efforts at their forefront, with the former dedicated to preserving species inhabiting the Auwahi Forest, while the latter is a grassroots movement focused on protecting the island’s vast natural resources.
The multi-Grammy winner officially retired from touring last fall, but hinted that he’d return to the stage for special charity shows much like his Maui gigs.
“I anticipate doing the occasional performance in a (hopefully) acoustically pristine hall and to donate those earnings to various philanthropic organizations, particularly those whose objective is to save the planet ecologically,” he told Variety last year.
The August shows mark his first-ever gigs in Maui and first Hawaiian show in over half a century, having previously performed a Simon & Garfunkel show in Honolulu in 1968. Simon will precede the shows with a headlining slot at San Francisco’s Outside Lands Festival on August 11, with net proceeds from that performance going towards the San Francisco Parks Alliance and Friends of the Urban Forest.
Over the course of his career, Paul Simon has become known equally for both his music and philanthropy. He co-founded of the Children’s Health Fund over 30 years ago, which works to bring adequate health care to low-income children and families across the U.S. In addition, he has been involved with Little Kids Rock, an organization that promotes music education for children.
Tickets for the upcoming Hawaiian Paul Simon concerts go on sale Saturday, June 22. Find tickets via Ticket Club here.
