Listening to the entire Paul McCartney concert at Glendale's arena, recorded just a little over a month ago, on March 28, 2010.
If you didn't get to go (who could afford the tickets?), and don't mind stepping over to the Internet's dark side to download the torrent from a peer-to-peer site (**cough**, demonoid.com, thepiratebay.org, **cough**), it's worth the time and effort.
The entire audio of the concert is being distributed online now (a video culled from YouTube clips is also floating around, I'm told), and dang, if the old guy didn't deliver nearly three hours of incredible performances. The middle section, where he gives props to his Bach jams with George as the inspiration for "Blackbird," delivers his Lennon tribute, "Here Today," as atonement for his famous "it's a drag" comment (how many of us can now relate to saying a lame thing after a friend's death?), and then effortlessly dives into the 2000's with his iTunes hit, "Dance Tonight," is brilliant in its cohesion. A few songs later, he plays "Something" on the ukelele gifted him by Harrison — and the audience beautifully sings along.
I regretted missing the concert because, who knows if McCartney will do another one? He is choosing songs, recasting arrangements and adding personal dialog between songs in a way that could be purposely sealing his legacy.
On the other hand, he just sounds so good (his voice only falters once, on "My Love" — who can fault him for choking on his greatest Linda love song, after his disastrous last marriage?) that it's easy to imagine him going on another decade or two.
Eclectic song list, too (click on the above pic to read it). Why is he doing "Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five" in 2010? But man, I forgot how cool that piano riff is. Go Paul.
2 comments:
Liz took her two teenage daughters as a gift to herself for her birthday. She said it was the best birthday she ever had, being there arm in arm with the kids, singing and swaying to "Hey Jude" How's that for a super cool mom?!?
Saw McCartney and Wings in the mid 80's at ASU Stadium. He was great then too. It was sweet to see Linda in the band and she didn't take anything away from the performance at all. I liked that he had her in the band with them. After all, if John could involve Yoko, shouldn't Paul get a pass on Linda? At least Linda could play a bit and sing in tune! LOL.
McCartney got a terrible and unfair review in the Republic (you know, when newspapers had actual arts columnists!) and reportedly said he would never again perform in the Valley. So glad he changed his mind. Wish I could have seen him again. So glad you posted this, Jimmy. Thank you!
BTW we had friend in Tucson who lived in the same area as the McCartney's ranch (since sold)
They told us the whole family was a joy, not a hint of rock and roll pretense, just a family. That's pretty cool for a legacy on its own for a rock and roll legend, don't you think/
ooh, I love me dem torrents...yassuh. Got a long drive to Houston next week. sumpin tells me i'll be grinning! Thanx for the heads up:)
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