July 31, 2004: Art Garfunkel Ends the Old Friends Tour with Simon & Garfunkel in Rome
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On July 31, 2004, the Old Friends Tour 2003–2004 came to an end with an extraordinary concert in Rome – marking the final joint tour of Simon & Garfunkel.
For Art Garfunkel, this evening represented a significant milestone in a career that had already been making music history for decades.
The Old Friends Tour began in 2003 and took Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon across North America and Europe with numerous sold-out concerts. Millions of fans experienced the legendary duo live and celebrated songs that continue to accompany generations of people around the world.
The tour concluded with a free open-air concert on July 31, 2004, in front of the impressive backdrop of the Colosseum in Rome. Around 600,000 spectators gathered to experience Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon together one final time as part of a joint tour. The unique atmosphere, the historic setting, and the enthusiasm of the audience made this evening one of the most remarkable concert events of their shared career.
As the first notes of classics such as The Sound of Silence, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Mrs. Robinson, and The Boxer filled the air, Rome transformed into a huge open-air concert hall. Hundreds of thousands sang along, prolonged applause filled the summer night, and the special connection between the artists and their audience was felt in every moment. For many attendees, it was an emotional farewell to a tour that had become a part of music history.
The original backstage pass from the Old Friends Tour 2003–2004 shown here comes from the personal collection of a family member of Art Garfunkel. As an authentic historical keepsake, it documents an extraordinary concert journey whose memorable conclusion on that summer evening in Rome remains unforgettable to this day.
