Sgt. Pepper's Band On The Run (McCartney review)

Cafe Society
1

I went to the Paul McCartney concert in Milwaukee Saturday night September 21 (anniversary present for Mrs. Algernon). It was the band’s first stop on the second phase of the Back In The USA tour (the first phase was last April and May).

The show was awesome…

a) Paul knows what the crowd wanted to hear
[ul]It was as close to a Beatles concert as anyone can get; 3/4 of the songs were Beatles songs.[/ul]b) the video screens behind the stage enhanced rather than detracted from the music
[ul]While the main center screen usually had a close-up of Paul or other members of the band, there were a total of 50 or so screens, sometimes showing computer generated background, but more often showing video clips and photo stills
(for example, photos of George Harrison while Paul played Something as a tribute, or photos of Paris and the Moulin Rouge during Michelle, or Russian images during Back In The USSR, or pictures of famous women throughout history during Lady Madonna)[/ul]c) the show rocked
[ul]Especially the drummer… I have rarely seen anyone put so much joy and energy into a show; McCartney himself looked great, he was clearly enjoying himself; great pyrotechnics during Live And Let Die; ending with the arena filled with red, white and blue confetti at the end of the show.[/ul]
If you get a chance, I highly recommend the show. It’s more than worth the money.

Here is the review out of the local paper.

Here is the set list…

  1. “Hello Goodbye”
  2. “Jet”
  3. “All My Loving”
  4. “Getting Better”
  5. “Coming Up”
  6. “Let Me Roll It”
  7. “Lonely Road”
  8. “Driving Rain”
  9. “Your Loving Flame”
  10. “Blackbird”
  11. “Every Night”
  12. “We Can Work It Out”
  13. “Carry That Weight”
  14. “Fool on the Hill”
  15. "Here Today
  16. “Something”
  17. “Eleanor Rigby”
  18. “Michelle”
  19. “Here, There and Everywhere”
  20. “Band on the Run”
  21. “Back in the U.S.S.R.”
  22. “Maybe I’m Amazed”
  23. “Let 'Em In”
  24. “My Love”
  25. “She’s Leaving Home”
  26. “Can’t Buy Me Love”
  27. “Freedom”
  28. “Live and Let Die”
  29. “Let It Be”
  30. “Hey Jude”
    First encores:
  31. “The Long and Winding Road”
  32. “Lady Madonna”
  33. “I Saw Her Standing There”
    Second encores:
  34. “Yesterday”
  35. “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”
  36. “The End”
2

We saw the first show of the first phase of the tour (Oakland, CA) and my wife loved it as well.

Me, I could hardly care less about the music or Paul McCartney, but I still had a reasonably good time.

3

I’m chiming in as someone who saw one of the shows in Las Vegas.

I went in feeling much the same as obfusciatrist - I was going because my boyfriend LOVES Paul. Me, I like the Beatles, but that’s about it.

I absolutely LOVED the show. And so did my SO.

4

We saw the show in DC last April. I totally agree with your review, and I was also quite impressed with the drummer.

I really hope he goes on tour again. I’ve seen many concerts over the past 20 years, and none of them can compare to McCartney.

Sheri

5

Interestingly enough, I too went into the arena with low expectations. I haven’t liked much of what he’s done since the Beatles broke up.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I loved the show. Of course, I guess that stands to reason since most of the music was Beatles music.

6

Can I just say I’m incredibly jealous??