Last night’s Paul McCartney show at the Wells Fargo Center in Philly was a real treat for first-timers and fans like me who catch him every time he’s in town. He played close to 40 songs over an almost three hour set that included Beatles’ songs, some Wings’ numbers, and a few tracks off his new album, New. As someone who regularly goes to see him, I was pleasantly surprised to see him perform a few songs that I’ve never seen him play – “All Together Now,” which was fun for young and old alike, and “Temporary Secretary,” which he had never before performed live. I particularly enjoyed “Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite” and “Lovely Rita,” both off of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, too. Some other highlights of the night included the fire explosions during “Live and Let Die,” his tributes to John Lennon and George Harrison, and of course, the crowd sing-a-long of “Hey Jude.”
Paul’s voice was in fine form. My daughter commented that he sounded like an angel and I’d have to agree. My friend noticed that he didn’t even take a drink all night which I found hard to believe. I, on the other hand, was constantly popping Tic Tacs in my mouth to moisten it from all my singing and cheering. McCartney is such a huge talent you might think that musicians playing with him might not be able to perform up to par but that’s not the case with his band. Paul Wickens (keyboard), Brian Ray (bass/guitar), Rusty Anderson (guitar), and Abe Laboriel Jr. (drums) did a fabulous job keeping up with the always energetic, playful and entertaining McCartney.
Some people ask how I could go see Paul time after time, and for me the answer is simple. Even though I obviously don’t know him, I feel like he’s an old friend. For 35 years, his music has touched my heart and soul and given me such joy. I think he feels the same way about me, about us, his fans. Sir James Paul McCartney always puts on one hell of a show and I always want to be there to thank him for that. May God bless him and may he keep on rockin!
