Sir Paul played until a few minutes before midnight. For some reason we in the stadium were never told, he never came out until 9 10, even though tickets stated starting time at 7 30. They brought out a mind-numbing duo of techno DJs called Thievery Corporation at 7 45, and they “played” – put techno CDs on and stood and bopped with headphones around their necks, while drinking something and nodding to each other how cool they were. One had on a leisure suit. They finally sent them off at 8 15 or so, and all the stage change required was their table be moved, so we figured Sir Paul by 8 30. By 9, people were chanting WE WANT PAUL, and rumors were flying that something was wrong.
I never did hear what happened, except that on the way home, the traffic guy on the radio said the concert was just letting out, having started and hour and 40 minutes late, “and those of you who were trying to get there know why.” But he didn’t say! People coming in were saying traffic was hosed up and it was taking 2 hours to get into the lot. Is THAT why they held up the show – because some people couldn’t be bothered to leave in order to get there on time? Lots of people were in their seats at 6 45. 60,000 others couldn’t manage? And on game days, we have 92,000 get there pretty much on time with no trouble.
But – the concert…once he came out, WOW! His voice hasn’t lost anything. He rocked. He looked great, slim and energetic, and his hair was blowing in the very welcome breeze all night. He still has a nice head full of it. The sound was great. As loud as it was (and it was loud) we weren’t left with the fuzzy ears after. He has a crack band, and they all have a lot of personality on stage. They aren’t just the backup band. I just love the drummer. He looks like a bouncer or a prison gang leader or maybe a wrestler ;-) But he comes off like a big teddy bear and he plays divinely and has a nice voice.
There were maybe only 2 songs I didn’t know every word to, and they were off the new album. I was never a real big Wings fan, but I knew all the Wings stuff he did, and he did all the ones I liked best. Here is the setlist:
Drive My Car
Jet
Only Mama Knows
Flaming Pie
Got To Get You In To My Life
Let Me Roll It
Foxy Lady (instrumental)
Highway
The Long and Winding Road
My Love (dedicated to Linda)
Blackbird
Michelle (for Mrs Obama)
Here Today (dedicated to John)
Dance Tonight
Calico Skies
Mrs Vanderbilt
Eleanor Rigby
Sing the Changes
Band on the Run
Back in the U.S.S.R.
I'm Down
Something (for George, on a ukulele George gave him)
I've Got a Feeling
Paperback Writer
A Day in the Life / Give Peace A Chance
Let It Be
Live and Let Die (fireworks)
Hey Jude (singalong - now just the boys! now just the girls!now just the people in the back!)
1st Encore
Day Tripper
Lady Madonna
I Saw Her Standing There (STILL hits those high notes!!!)
2nd Encore
Yesterday
Helter Skelter
Get Back
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)
The End
Paul was quickly forgiven for his tardiness, and he didn’t shortchange us. There was no intermission in the 2 hour and 40 minute show. He was chatty and told stories and dropped names… He dedicated Michelle to Mrs Obama. He talked about Jimi, and his friends John and George, he explained certain things about songs, and of course, gave the crowd ample time to adore him. There was a lot of video behind the band, and much of it Beatle history.
The only big complaint I have is the crowd. The rest of them may have been great, but the people in my section should not be let out unsupervised. Something I have never seen before, I saw directly in front of me, and to my left. These people were taking endless phone video, and then they’d sit in their seats and WATCH on the phone screen what they had already recorded!!! Completely ignoring whatever was going on on the stage for the next 30 seconds or a minute…then they’d leap up, record another segment, sit and watch it…I do NOT get this.
The late start also gave time for more beer to flow. The couple to my left came and went continually to the bathrooms and to buy more beer during the show, and each time, the woman pushed and shoved her way past the entire line, knocking people into their seats. The man was steadier on his feet, as he trampled mine. They also hailed the beer seller every time he came, whether they had beer already, or not, anticipating needing more. The row of fans had to pass money to the seller, and beer to the drinkers, interrupting the show. We tried ignoring them, and they would tap us, with money in hand. It was either that, or they’d barge out of the row to get it. They said they had hired a limo so they could get plastered. The woman warbled along to several songs she couldn’t sing the words to, so she just made a lot of loud noise instead of shutting up and letting people listen. The couple to my husband's right carried on drunken conversation through the entire show. The woman kept disappearing, and when she reappeared, she would loudly recount every detail of whatever had happened while she was gone, and he would respond. They also had video going the whole time. I managed to have a good time in spite of them, but I’m certain the place was full of such types. They couldn’t all be in my section. Concert manners need work. There was a very nice family with 2 boys about 9 or 10 behind us who had come from Mexico for the show. We spent a lot of the pre-show time chatting with them.
There were impressive fireworks during Live and Let Die…and huge flames shooting from the stage that cast so much heat we felt the blast of it in row 13. And at the end, right before the Sgt Pepper reprise and The End, he said comes a time when inevitably, we have to go home…and that coincides, oddly enough, with the time YOU have to go home. After 2 encores of 8 songs, he knows he will still be called back, so he caused a distraction. Right at the end of The End, they all came out and bowed and waved, and as they disappeared off stage, confetti started shooting up out of the stage into the sky and falling on us all. Every surface was covered, and like little kids, we all forgot about him, and played in the confetti. Hehe…smart man.
So, that’s that!
