I must admit, I feel a little silly reviewing Sir Paul McCartney. After all, the Beatles are the most commercially successful, critically acclaimed, musically influential, and culturally significant band of all time. With a career spanning over 50 years, Paul has consistently proven that he deserves every bit the praise he receives. From the Beatles to Wings to his solo endeavors, few even come close to his level of success. Paul's music, lyrics, and voice are legendary and it is astonishing to think that one man could have so much talent. But if you are a fan of the Beatles then you probably know all of this already, so I'll get to the show itself.
The venue (Scottrade Center in St. Louis) was very nice and the seats were pretty good for the price. The show lasted about three hours and Paul played around 36 songs, which is a lot. Paul is 70 years old and he has as much life and energy as he did back in the 1960s. Most of today's younger musicians simply could not play shows like that. The setlist was great and he played all of his major hits as one would expect. His band is phenomenal as well-- probably the best band he's toured with since the Beatles and Wings.
Of course the entire show was amazing, so it's hard to pick a favorite moment. His tribute to George Harrison is nothing short of incredible. He begins by playing a soft melodic version of 'Something' on a ukulele given to him by George, and after he runs through it once, his band comes in with a powerful performance as the screen displays a slideshow of George photos. Other highlights included Jet, Maybe I'm Amazed, My Valentine, Blackbird, Here Today, A Day in the Life/Give Peace a Chance, Let It Be, Live and Let Die, Hey Jude, Lady Madonna, Yesterday, and the Abbey Road finale.
It really was an unforgettable experience. I'm only 23 years old and it's hard to believe that when I'm 64 I will be able to tell my grandchildren that I saw a Beatle in concert. Truly, the only thing that could have made the show any better is if John, George, and Ringo had been up on stage with him.