Well it's been just over a week since I went to see Sir Paul McCartney and it has taken me this long to soak it all in and consider how awesomely fantastic the show was. Yep. That long.The McCartney concert was my first huge name concert and, thinking about it, you can't get much bigger than Sir Paul McCartney. Seeing him was something that I'd always dreamt of and to finally see him was amazing. In the space of two years I've managed to see the two musicians that I desperately wanted to. I was able to see Elvis Costello last year at Massey Hall in Toronto and that was also mind blowing. In the back of my head I was hoping he might make a surprise appearance with Sir Paul but unfortunately that didn't eventuate.
Regardless of my indifferent attitude throughout the day I teeming with butterflies in my stomach. I just didn't know how else to react until we were outside the Sommet Centre on Broadway in Nashville. Up until that night I had no idea what 20,000 people in one spot looked like but I'm sure it was a sold out show. The only criticism I have of the show was the fact that the souvenirs/t-shirt stand and the beer kiosks upstairs were in bothersome spots. However I doubt that Paul had anything to do with that.
As my blog doesn't even remotely resemble a music review (he is though - check it out) I won't bore you with most of details of the set list or which instruments he played. Had I known that those sort of details were available on Wikipedia I probably would have been less enthusiastic about going or, at least, I would have kept turning to Chelsea and saying 'This is going to be [song x]. Pretty annoying. Instead Paul and his band really, genuinely surprised me. They opened with Venus and Mars/Rock Show which was awesome because I don't think too many people expected that. I've just had a gander at the set list again and he ended up playing 20 Beatles songs which which is odd because it didn't seem like that many. Two other unusual songs he played were 'Letting Go' and 'Ram On'. Apparently there were some people down the front with requests for it. If I knew that worked I would have asked for 'In Spite of All the Danger' or, as Chelsea reminded me seconds ago, 'Calico Skies'. There were a couple of acoustic breaks where I thought he'd give it a bash. What he played was fantastic though.
The crowd was certainly enthusiastic and I couldn't smell any pot. Surprisingly. I think it was pretty equal parts older folks to younger kids. In fact I was sat behind a teenage wunderkind who hooted and hollered at every single song. At first it mostly annoyed me but then I realised I was doing the same thing after the song so we ended up meeting eye to eye on the noise level. The dance fuel alcohol made a less than suprising appearance in the crowd but no one embarrassed themselves. I hate to say it but Monday night was indeed just one of those feel good times.
To complete the surprising night Paul noticed a sign down the front that said "I want to play a song with you". It belonged to a young Mexican kid. Paul, in his playful mood, said "Do you really want to play a song with us? Pressure's on man!". After a couple of seconds Paul invited him up on stage and then said to the band "I wonder what he's going to play?". He asked the dad "Hey Dad, what does he play? Guitar?
Anything? I don't know!". Getting no answer and upon finding out the boy was Mexican Paul said told him to dance while the band played. In his very best Spanish of course. The band jumps straight in to 'Get Back' and the kid does indeed start dancing. This is no ordinary dance though. It looked as if he was stuck in the first stage of the chicken dance - arms tucked in the side, knees together and swinging the hips from side to side. I don't think he cared though. He was rocking out. He took the opportunity on stage to sing with Paul. The kid went from being unknown Mexican boy to schoolyard famous in under 30 seconds. I did wonder if the little guy went back stage later on.Paul also signed the back of a young lady in the audience who had a Hofner bass tattoo. It was becoming the Paul McCartney Show and it was certainly entertaining. He thought it was a pretty decent tattoo and, when she turned around for him to sign, said he could get in to a lot of trouble for this. As he went in to sign he leant towards the microphone and said "Jimmy... Buffett". Tricky, Paul. Tricky and mean. They finished off with 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club' and 'The End'. What impressed me about 'The End' is they didn't play note for note off of the album. Instead all three guitarists got to show off their chops off and it was awesome. Amazingly, fantastically, wonderfully, awesome. Everything was as it was meant to be.
I will admit I cried a couple of times during the show. It was good though. Definitely not a saddened cry but one like so many people before me have shed. While I was crying I kept thinking of all the teenage girls in the 60s (many of were probably watching Paul now) screaming, shouting, crying and baying for more Beatles. I used to think how stupid it was that they were crying over something so joyous. Now I'm aware of why they did.
If I get another chance to see Sir Paul McCartney then that would be all shades of brilliant. If I don't then I'm more than happy I got once chance to do so.
