WERS 88.9 fm - Performance Wrap-Up: Paul McCartney

 August 11th, 2009

Fenway's doors opened at 5, but the moment the sold-out crowd had been waiting for didn't come until 8.  MGMT warmed up the audience well with their heavy, arena-appropriate set.  The speakers and video screens then teased it with a seemingly never-ending mega-mix of images and songs from the headliner's lengthy, legendary career.  But around 8, the lights dimmed, and the people made a noise only a Beatle could provoke.

Sir Paul McCartney and his band walked onstage to a standing ovation before launching into pitch-perfect renditions of "Drive My Car," and "Jet," that kept them out of their chairs.  The show had its first moment of relative calm when they played the less familiar, recent tunes "Only Mama Knows," and "Flaming Pie."  But sparks were in the air once again when keyboard wiz Paul "Wix" Wickens sounded the horns of "Got to Get You Into My Life." 

Paul's lengthy set had bits and pieces of his five decade career, but focused on old favorites.  For casual and obsessed fans alike, it was a thrill to sing along to showstoppers like "Band on the Run," and "Back in the U.S.S.R."  The lighters and phones waved to the five anthems that closed his set, "A Day in the Life," late partner John Lennon's "Give Peace a Chance," "Let It Be," "Live and Let Die," and "Hey Jude,"

But of course the crowd would demand an encore, or in this case, two of them, and Paul brought out even more big guns from the Beatle days.  They never stopped going wild to rockers like "Day Tripper," "Lady Madonna," and "I Saw Her Standing There," and the energy didn't even cease for the mellow "Yesterday."  Paul's old band was certainly there in spirit, between huge hits like "Eleanor Rigby," "Get Back," and "The Long and Winding Road," to the somewhat obscure moments like "I'm Down," and "I've Got a Feeling."

There were standing ovations for the late Lennon and Harrison, whom Paul paid tribute to with "Here Today," and "Something" respectively.  He also played a ballad for his late wife Linda, which he also dedicated to all the lovers in the audience, "My Love."  But while Paul may be a relic of the past, he certainly remains relevant.  "Blackbird" is still a civil rights anthem, and his new song "Sing the Changes," was performed with President Obama's picture on the screen.  Paul may be 67, but he performed with the same vigor of his younger days, backed by a tight, versatile band capable of spanning his famous catalog.  Even with a huge crowd of fans old and young, casual and fanatic, a splendid time was had by all.

-Benjamin Tan