Sir Paul is drifting.
It had started off innocently enough.
Paul was introducing “Another Day” by mentioning it was produced in New York City by the recently departed Phil Ramone. Paul plays the song and then reminisces about Phil visiting Paul in the Scottish countryside. Phil was wearing a ten gallon cowboy hat around the village, scaring the natives and a playful policeman asked Phil if he had a license for that thing and and starts to write a license for it and… the story has stalled…. “I think Phil sent him the Policeman a hat when…,” Paul continues, before stopping himself mid-statement. “Yes, I am rambling, I know. So what?,” he shouts and counts off the next song.
We call that a Senior Moment and at 70 years of age Sir Paul McCartney is allowed one, right? I mention this because if you, like me, catch Paulie whenever he’s in town, even if it means skipping Kings Of Leon and Guns N Roses, you might be excused for taking our greatest living pop song writer for granted, and we shouldn’t. I remember when I saw Ramones play around town a coupla times a month minimum and where are they now? Paul belongs to the ages ALREADY and should be seen and appreciated even at $120 for the nosebleeds. Anyway, It is always an honor to watch the man in concert and Saturday night’s show was no exception. His voice was a little scratchy here and there and he has so many great songs that a couple of favorites will always be missed. Paul added some songs he hasn’t played in concert before this tour. “Lovely Rita” worked fine; “Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite,” not so much.
But that’s degrees of greatness. Look at it this way: McCartney isn’t a nostalgia act the way the Who and the Stones are; he is more like the purveyor of a classic repertoire. imagine the New York Philharmonic playing a Mozart Piano Concerto? That isn’t nostalgia, right? Now imagine Mozart playing with them. That’s the position you are in when watching Paul McCartney. This isn’t hyperbole or exaggeration. The Lennon-McCartney repertoire is timeless; it is as great as the greatest musical achievements.
Having said that, this was an average McCartney show, except that he rocked harder than usual and it really affected his slower numbers, which had extra punch. In one of the few changes to the setlist he has been playing on the “Out There” tour, he replaced “Things We Said Today” with “I’ve Just Seen A Face” and that added to the 38 song set’s punch.
The highlight was a beautiful “Blackbird” played alone on acoustic, standing on an elevated stage with waterfalls and moons projected on the stage floor and LED screens. One of Paulie’s less successful moments, the lachrymose “Here Today” is better solo and between the two, I wish he’d just tour places like the Beacon Theater: a man and his guitar. I have never heard “The Long And Winding Road” better, with Paul gliding over the verses and and improvising to get him to the break.
A powerful “Hi, Hi, Hi” is a highlight, oddly because it has always been pure chewing gum. He is giving everything muscle tonight. An overwhelming “Something” which moves from ukulele to a full band blow out, is another highlight.
Complaints? With the exception of “All My Loving,” he didn’t play the first Beatles albums, and only “Eleanor Rigby” off Revolver, so that was a bit of a bummer. Oh, and “My Valentine” is terrible. Otherwise, it was three hours of one of the greatest songwriters of all time playing his songs. What’s not to like?
Grade: A
(but on a McCartney only curve? B+)