Last July, Paul McCartney played three nights at Citi Field in Queens, N.Y., performing crowd-pleasing sets that included an abundance of Beatles tracks such as “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” “Hey Jude,” and “Helter Skelter.” Certainly, my colleague Simon Vozick-Levinson had few complaints when he reviewed the show over at the Music Mix. Though I’m less of a Beatlemaniac, it’s hard to dislike much about the new 2 CD/1 DVD set, Good Evening New York City which documents that event (and at considerable length: the DVD is a full 150 minutes in length).
Okay, I would argue that maybe it is impossible for any rock band, even one led by Macca himself, to do full live justice to “A Day in the Life.” Also, I think I may have watched way too many episodes of 30 Rock to take Alec Baldwin’s portentous, bookending, voice over (“…And with that the show ends!”) seriously. However, fans should get a real kick out of a set that also features numbers from McCartney’s solo career as well as his Wings years. The more casually interested, meanwhile, might care to raise their eyes above that mountain of turkey sandwiches and watch an hour-long version of Good Evening New York City tonight at 10/9c on ABC.
Were you at the Citi Field shows? What’s your favorite McCartney song? And how do you rate your chances of actually still being conscious by 10 tonight? Let us know!
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I was at the show at Fed Ex Field. My favorite moments, believe it or not, were mostly the non-Beatles tunes: Dance Tonight had everyone in the stadium bopping, and so did Let Me Roll It, Mrs. Vanderbilt, and Sing the Changes. Mostly, though, he and his band were just so much damn fun.
I can’t wait to see this – he played his first show of that tour here in Halifax, NS and was fantastic!
Oh I can’t wait to see him!!! Love you Paul! i agree with miche, I like his non-Beatle tunes better than the Beatle songs…
I am looking forward to seeing this show!! Saw Paul on the Wings Across America tour in ‘76 and several more times during the 90’s and 00’s in the Miami Ft Laud area. His Wings music is always great, but if your as old as I am, the Beatles tunes still rock. Love dancing to Saw Her Standing There.
I was at the Fedex Field concert. My favorite part of the show was “I saw her standing there”. Paul ROCKED the stadium! “live and let die” was also pretty awesome. Paul lived up to his legendary status. can’t wait to see him again!
I was at the Piedmont Park show and I have to say it was the best concert of my life!! He was amazing live and there was so much energy! gotta love live and let die!
I was at the Piedmont Park show as well and I believe this was the best concert ever!!! As for Macca’s “A day in the life” rendition well… we should not be so strict you know… John is no longer with us and Paul’s performance may be the most emotional and close to the original one… I mean, it’s one of the few post65 songs where they actually collaborated in a song so… if the guy co-wrote the damm thing, he’s entitled to singing it and making crowds remember those days and start to cry… Attending those concerts may be our only chance to see our 20thC Mozart’s performing live!!!
I was at Citifield and had a great time. The Best moments were the solo and Wings songs. He really shines when he sings them. The Beatles songs seemed tired and rather boring. Calico Skies was brilliant.