Following the album’s tour of arenas in North America and Europe, Simon wanted to bring the music back to Africa. He chose Harare, Zimbabwe — independent since 1980 — rather than South Africa, to respect the boycott. The venue was Rufaro Stadium, a soccer stadium with a makeshift stage.
The concert is remembered as a "political rally" as much as a musical event, with an audience that was approximately 80% black. It featured several groundbreaking performances: Los Angeles Times Hugh Masekela Paul Simon Graceland The African Concert Torrent
In 2012, on the 25th anniversary, Paul Simon returned to South Africa and Zimbabwe to perform with many of the original musicians. That tour, too, was filmed. But the 1987 Harare concert remains the raw, joyous heartbeat of the Graceland project. Following the album’s tour of arenas in North