Folk legend Art Garfunkel stormed offstage during a recent concert in New York after becoming annoyed by a gig-goer who was fiddling with his cell phone.

The singer/songwriter was performing an intimate show for specially-invited guests at the Great Neck Arts Center in Long Island earlier this month (Jun13), when he spotted local official Jon Kaiman playing with his mobile while sitting in the front row.

A source tells the New York Post's Page Six column, "Art stormed offstage, only to return 10 minutes later to finish his set when Jon apologised."

Confirming the story, a representative for Kaiman, the Town of North Hempstead Supervisor, says, "Art Garfunkel was brilliant and gracious, and his music sounds better without a buzzing cell phone."

The phone drama wasn't the only interruption Garfunkel had to endure during the 7 June (13) concert - one woman passed out during the gig and had to be wheeled out on a stretcher.

The 71 year old has been playing low-key shows to rebuild his confidence as he battles voice problems following a bout of vocal paresis in 2010, which forced him to embark on a lengthy silence and pull out of a Simon & Garfunkel tour with Paul Simon.