Seeing Paul McCartney live is the closest thing to the Beatles that you’re going to get (with an actual Beatle).
If there’s anyone who can transport a crowd of almost 50,000 back in time, Paul McCartney certainly was the man to do so. After opening with a few crowd favourite Beatles and Wings songs like “A Hard Days Night” and “Jet,” the crowd was sufficiently warmed up and didn’t stop cheering the rest of the night.
McCartney, who possesses one of the largest music catalogues in history, reiterated that he knows what the crowd favourites are and tries to include as many as possible. He did however insist he play “New” and “Queenie Eye” from his most recent album, which is better than people give him credit for.
The musical genius dazzled the crowd while playing bass, guitar, piano or ukulele for almost three hours straight. Only a five-minute break between the main set and encore was needed for McCartney to refuel. Let me remind you this man is 75 years old.
Of course, there were instances where his voice cracked in the upper register, but he never sounds strained thanks to help from his band. Guitarists Brian Ray and Rusty Anderson, drummer Abe Laboriel, Jr. and keyboardist Wix Wickens all also sing backup.
Not a dry eye was seen throughout the audience during tributes to the late Beatles, John Lennon and George Harrison, and including the likes of George Martin and Jimi Hendrix. McCartney’s ensured their friendship be remembered by not only him, but the audience as well. He began by speaking highly of his friends and personalized his songs based on his varying relationships with each man.
For McCartney’s tribute to John, he performed the song “Here Today,” which he wrote about a fictional conversation between the two of them that they never got to have. With just Paul, his guitar and a single spotlight, you could tell he missed his best friend. Paul took only George’s best interests to heart when he played the ukulele, singing “Something” while pictures of the two of them flashed across the screen.
Lastly, for Jimi, Paul finished the Wings hit “Let Me Roll It” and added a guitar solo the late guitar God would approve of. He also paid tribute to his wife, Nancy Shevell with “My Valentine” and his late wife Linda McCartney with “Maybe I’m Amazed.”
The excessive heat in the Carrier Dome almost became too much with the pyrotechnics show during “Live and Let Die.” Blazes of fire along with fireworks shot from the stage in every direction that only added to the high-intensity banger. But the heat didn’t stop the excitement that generated throughout the night in the stadium.
After nearly every song McCartney spoke to the audience by telling them a story or doing a little dance to let them know he was as in the moment as they were. He seemed like he was “just Paul” and not Paul McCartney, one of the most successful musicians of all time. He has this aura about him that keeps you interested and afraid you’ll miss something if you blink.
Seeing McCartney live is the closest thing to the Beatles that you’re going to get (with an actual Beatle). Performing songs that the Beatles never could’ve played live with the technology they had. He even finished his set off with a few songs from the Abbey Road medley (ending appropriately with “The End”).
