UPDATE: 4:00 PM 8/7/09 --
All I can say is that should you ever get an opportunity to go and see Paul McCartney in concert, I wouldn't hesitate. This guy's 67 years old, yet he showed no signs of slowing down. He played for over two hours straight (not taking a swig of water the whole time), then came back for two encores.
Playing a mix of Beatles, Wings, and solo music, Macca was a joy to watch. He had a great rapport with the audience, telling little anecdotes in between songs. He certainly hadn't lost any of his well-known charm as the middle-aged women all around me were seen smiling and swooning over the guy.
He kept things simple -- he had a drummer, keyboardist, bass player, guitarist, and himself. The stage was flanked by two large vertical rectangular screens which showed live video of the concert (so we could actually see facial expressions). There was also a large rectangular video screen behind him, but from my position, I couldn't see the screen very well. Despite the stadium setting (the show was held at FedEx Field in Washington, D.C.), the show was kept low-key...with the exception of some fireworks during the kick-ass "Live and Let Die," it was all about the music...nothing flashy.
In terms of music, I obviously was most familiar with the Beatles tunes. He started out with "Drive My Car" and hearing the crowd go "Beep Beep, Beep Beep, Yeah!" was a hoot. I enjoyed the acoustic start to "Something," which then got kicked up a notch when the second verse came around. Along with the rocked-up version of "Paperback Writer," my other favorite was the Wings classic "Live and Let Die." That cheesy song is always a winner in my book. His use of pyrotechnics, the video screen rapidly flashing between pictures, Macca on the piano...something I'll never forget.
The place was electric. I certainly haven't been to many shows, but I wonder whether I'll be able to see anything that will match the "feeling" that was generated in this stadium. Thousands upon thousands of people singing "Hey Jude" may seem incredibly corny, but it really was awesome.
So, Happy Anniversary to my parents (my dad surprised my mom with tickets for their anniversary), and thanks for letting my brothers and I tag along with you. It was certainly something that I will always remember.
UPDATE: 3:40 AM -- 8/2/09 -- Sir Paul kicked ass...update forthcoming later this week, but suffice it to say, I'm not sure any future concert I attend will be able compare with this...
ORIGINALLY POSTED: 8/1/09 -- I'll be in the presence of (rock) royalty this evening. I'll update upon my return...I gotta say, I'm moderately excited about seeing honorary knight Paul McCartney in concert. I mean, like or dislike the Beatles, there's no denying their effect on music. Admittedly, I fell into the "the Beatles are overrated" category for a long time, but I've grown to appreciate them much more in the past few years.
Here's a little taste of Sir Paul, singing his Oscar-nominated James Bond tune, "Live and Let Die" (see, I'm trying to keep it movie-related here). The song is incredibly cheesy and feels like three different songs mashed together into one, but I love it for some unknown reason.
Anyone wanna place bets as to whether they think they'll be the requisite Michael Jackson tribute with a little "Say, Say, Say"?
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