Watching Paul Simon perform was like getting a live childhood wake-up call.

While I was growing up, my mom would play her favorite 1960s record of the moment in place of an alarm clock. Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel became regular guests in our house most mornings.

BBookendsC and BScarborough Fair,C although beautiful, didn?t prove the most rousing choices; BKodachromeC and BMrs. Robinson,C on the other hand, were definite get-up-and-dance-to-the-kitchen selections.

Simon?s concert at the California Mid-State Fair on Saturday mirrored those early morning experiences: Some segments lulled you to sleep; others spurred you to dance.

Through it all, I didn?t want to miss a moment hearing that iconic voice. Neither did the audience, as they brought out Simon for three encores.

Simon, appearing in jeans, T-shirt and baseball hat, started his concert with the more mellow 8 a couple of songs off his new album, BSurprise,C along with old favorites BSlip Slidin? AwayC and a toned-down version of BBoy in the Bubble.C

Simon?s voice was as rich as ever, perfectly in tune and in sync with his talented backup musicians, who accompanied Simon?s masterful guitar playing with a host of instruments from the accordion to the penny whistle.

The audience watched from their seats until BMe and Julio Down By the School Yard.C

Then, they were up on their feet.

The upbeat number gave audience members the opportunity they were looking for 8 the chance to cut loose in a happy, ?60s kind of way, singing, dancing and even waving handkerchiefs.

BJulioC grabbed the attention of my 2-year-old son, Owen, who immediately staked out space to dance. With BMrs. RobinsonC coming on the heels of BJulio,C Owen was officially enamored, and I felt I had done my duty in introducing my son to a musical legend.

My concert guest was, of course, my mom, who had never seen Simon in concert and seemed equally enamored with one of her musical favorites.

I became excited when he pulled out songs from BGraceland,C the album I had worn out during high school. Up to that point in my life, Simon was just another one of the ?60s musicians my mom was trying to BsellC my brothers and me.

We listened dutifully to the eight-track cassettes in our 1960s Ford Falcon and then went inside and laughed at the bellbottom pants the crooners sported on the album covers.

I had to eat my words when I, myself, purchased BGracelandC and had to admit Simon was OK.

Plenty of people danced along to the BThat Was Your MotherC and BDiamonds on the Soles of her Shoes,C taking a break when Simon slowed the tempo with new songs and the mellow oldie BStill Crazy After All These Years.C

Interestingly, Simon offered no commentary between his songs but, then again, how are you going to introduce songs that really need no introduction? BHere?s a little song I wrote about a bridge and some water; you might have heard itC just wouldn?t seem right.

A foot-stomping version of BCeciliaC was the last number of the set, followed by three encores and the final song, BBridge Over Troubled Water.C As the crowd sang out every word, I was reminded of the universality of music and, also, the ability of one musician to span generation gaps so he can just keep singing.