(After trouncing Paul McCartney in 2009 for a lacklustre live show, I went back for another viewing in 2011 and was knocked on my ass. I say it here and I’ve said it often, when it comes to big musical stars you lose nothing when you tell the truth. If you didn’t write that Surfer Blood’s Python was a bummer, what could I say about 1000 Palms, for you to trust me that it is a goodie. I’ve seen McCartney a couple of times since this show, but this one was the masterpiece -IL)
A great one man show depends upon a great one man, and the difference between Paul McCartney at Citifield in 2009 and at Yankee Stadium in 2011, is in 2011 he is one. I wrote here in 2009: “everything is perfect but unimportant” about the set. A friend of my friend is Paul’s hair colorist and the friend’s friend said that Paul was a mess the day before the show, handling calls before throwing up his arms and shouting “DIVORCE”. Maybe it effected Paul that night. Maybe he wasn’t 100%.
Whatever.
On Friday night, in a 38 song performance almost solely playing his Beatles and Wings/Solo hits from the 1960s and 1970s, Paul was on fire. In shiny blue jacket matching his blue contacts, perfect coifed colored brown hair, suspenders, Paul looked great for a 35 year old, let alone somebody twice that age, and he performed with a tremendous amount of energy.
But then again he always does.
But he seemed more deeply committed this night. The Chuck Berry steal “Back In The USSR”, which is easy to sound perfunctory upon, compared to, say, “A Day In The Life”, is a first rate rave up with guitarist Rusty Anderson coming into his own.and drummer Abe Lagorel, who looks like Hagrid without the hair, pounding the shit out of the drums. When his band are that good it is because Paulie is in the mood.
On the quieter acoustic numbers, a devastating “Blackbird” (“How many of you have tried to learn to play this?” Sir Paul asked. “Me as well” he nodded) and “I Will” , he brought a still beauty to the proceedings and on piano based ballads “Let It Be” and “The Long Winding Road” he played them more forcefully than in the past -I’ve never been a big fan of either song, but I liked them fine this night. “Live And Let Die” had its usual pyrotechnics but was powerful and and the Lennon and Harrison set pieces are what they always are now though the “A Day In The Life” “Give Peace A chance” segue is pretty damn smart. A first time ever live “The Night Before” was a thrill and a Hendrixy coda to “Let Me Roll It’ lead to his story about Clapton refusing to tune Hendrix guitar at a concert.
And some of the moments are looser, McCartney reads the signs dotting the audience a la Bruce Springsteen (who actually collects audience requests!): “Hey Paul, my name is Jude” reads one, “Hey Jude” Paulie replies.”Will I sign your butt? Let’s see it”. Playful, amused and still a bt bemused by the huge adoration. Later he tells of a Socvet apparachik leaning English through Beatle songs: “Hello goodbye” he says.
The highlight of the night was a simply terrific “Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five” -maybe the words of passion were ringing true, considering his recent engagement; it is a real good McCartney song, for once the silliness doesn’t come close to the sexiness.
Indeed, the only misstep I noted was a speeded up “Paperback Writer” -any time where the back up singing is important, the song doesn’t gel as well.
The entire evening was a tribute not just to the Beatles, or Wings, or even McCartney, but to the idea that a rock band -Macca, plus guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and that’s it, can blow away a 50,000 strong Stadium. There were no set pieces, no wardrobe changes, no 360 degree stage, just close circuit TV and video in the background.
Despite recently re-releasing McCartney I and II, between the two albums he only plays “Maybe, I’m Amazed” (The White Album gets three) . For me, that isn’t necessarily a plus. I am a big time Macca fan and find his ignoring of some of his great but lesser known albums, Flaming Pie, Flowers In The Dirt, Run Devil Run, Chaos And Creation In the Backyard… even Venus And Mars, a pity though understandable. From the get go, no opening act thank god, we would have never made it home, this is an almost entirely hitsville Macca set and audience pleaser. McCartney seems pleased with the surroundings and more affable than his always affable self, cracking that Jeter has more hits than he has. Maybe, but not today. There is “Sun Is Shining”, “Dance Tonight” and the godawful sacrosanct and false “Here Today” and the other 35 songs are HITS! It is actually a bit astounding, “Hello, Goodbye” followed by “Junior’s Farm” followed by “All My Loving” followed by “Jet” followed by “DriveMy Car”. THE FIRST FIVE SONGS. That is vaguely ridiculous. How is it possible one man can roll off one smash hit after another after another. Any complaints? Yeah, the back up harmonies on “Drive My Car” could have been better.
I hold my heroes cheaply. The best thing I can give Sir Paul, is an honest appraisal of his work and grade him on a curve. Which is why I had no problem slamming his performance at Citifield. But this is preposterous. This is ridiculous. 38 song set? THIRTY EIGHT SONG SET and I could rattle off 38 hits he missed right now. From “The End” to “Ob La Di Ob La Da” Sir Paul McCartney invested his immense catalog with passion and joy
Grade: A+
