www.bostonherald.com
Sir Paul McCartney belts a home run at Fenway Park
Jed Gottlieb for Boston Herald
Monday, July 18, 2016
Paul McCartney plays Fenway Park in Boston.
Credit: Nicolaus Czarnecki
OK, Paul now you’re showing off.
Thankfully, we love it when you show off.
At Paul McCartney’s first Fenway Park show — back in 2009 when Macca was a mere 67 — he played 34 songs. Last night at the packed park, the icon performed 39 (not including the “Foxy Lady” jam that followed “Let Me Roll It”) over nearly three hours. To add to the epic, he had Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir guest on (yup) “Hi Hi Hi” and Rob Gronkowski dance to “Helter Skelter,” well, I guess you could call that dancing.
Sir Paul and his ace band did obvious Beatles classics and Fab Four songs I’d almost forgotten (the lonely, pretty “And I Love Her”). They did the same for his Wings catalog — the nearly lost track being a sleazy, in-the-groove “Letting Go” (sadly without the horns). He reached back to do a Quarrymen nugget with “In Spite of All the Danger” and turned his tune with Rihanna and Kanye, the deservingly-ubiquitous “FourFiveSeconds,” into a tender, jangly gem which felt strangely perfect next to “Eleanor Rigby.”
The man has had his hand in about near a hundred Top 40 hits, but many of the best moments came when he ignored songs we all know by heart.
He played three from 2013’s “New” and delivered them with tremendous energy and a modern and retro touch — The Strokes haven’t written a new new wave number like Paul’s “Save Us” in a dozen years. I could have had more. I say skip “You Won’t See Me” and add the winsome “Early Days.”
Of course the big cheers came for the anthems, the massive, world-changing anthems.
He had a rasp and rawness to his voice. Some might complain, but I think imperfections help inoculate against what can run the risk of being pure nostalgia. “A Hard Day’s Night,” “I’ve Got a Feeling” and “Maybe I’m Amazed” and had a manic, almost punk energy.
Even with pipes that have clearly been singing through six decades, his awesome tunefulness and talent remains as he constantly swapped instruments: bass, piano, acoustic and electric guitars (and ukulele for George Harrison’s “Something”). Nobody writes or performs with the same joy for harmony — see “Band on the Run,” “Let It Be,” “Yesterday” and 36 more. Nobody pairs meaning with melody like McCartney — civil rights tune “Blackbird” had a sad relevance to ongoing social injustice problems with Paul noting things are “not that much better now.”
McCartney has sold out Fenway Park four times in seven years. I’m guessing he could fill the place another four in the same span. So, see you all in 2023? McCartney will be 81. Honestly, I think he could do it — even if he has to pare back to 34 songs.
GALLERY
Paul McCartney plays Fenway Park in Boston.
(Boston, MA 07/17/16) Paul McCartney plays Fenway Park in Boston on Sunday, July 17, 2016. Staff photo by Nicolaus Czarnecki
www.masslive.com
Paul McCartney rocks Fenway Park with a little help from Rob Gronkowski, Bob Weir (review, photos)
By Ray Kelly
July 17, 2016
Paul McCartney greets the crowd at Fenway Park, where he stopped as part of his One on One tour on July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
BOSTON – It has been a half century since The Beatles rocked Suffolk Downs, but the passage of time has not slowed down Paul McCartney, who gave a marathon performance at Fenway Park on Sunday night.
Unlike the Fab Four's brief show at the east Boston racetrack in 1966, McCartney delivered an impressive two–hour and 45-minute, 39-song overview of his storied career with a mix of solo material, Wings hits and Beatle favorites.
Oh yeah, and there were two surprise guests to boot – Rob Gronksowki of the New England Patriots and Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir.
The concert was a decades-spanning study of McCartney's work with songs ranging from "In Spite of All the Danger," a tune a 16-year-old Macca co-wrote for The Quarrymen skiffle group in 1958, to "FourFiveSeconds," his 2015 collaboration with hip hop stars Kanye West and Rihanna.
"We have some old songs, some new songs and some in between – so let's go," McCartney said at the start of the night.
McCartney and his finely tuned four-piece touring band kicked off the evening with "A Hard Days Night." Its iconic opening chord crackled and echoed throughout the ballpark, bringing more than 30,000 cheering fans to their feet.
He followed with songs that reflected various phases of his recording career: "Save Us" from his most recent studio album, "New;" The Beatles No. 1 hit "Can't Buy Me Love" from 1964; and "Letting Go," a Wings track he recorded a decade later.
Let's be honest, McCartney is rock 'n' roll royalty and fans at Fenway would be thrilled no matter how he sounded or how hard he played.
But McCartney, 74, will never be accused of phoning it in.
Chatty and charming, he gave an engaging and energetic performance. Obviously, McCartney's voice has aged since the days of Beatlemania, but he still can still tackle songs like "I've Got a Feeling" and "Maybe I'm Amazed."
McCartney knows the crowd demands the classics – "Eleanor Rigby," "Hey Jude" and "Band on the Run" – and he delivered, but he also tossed in some pretty impressive deep cuts.
The goofy synthesizer driven "Temporary Secretary" from 1980's "McCartney II" album and "You Won't See Me," a 1965 Beatles tune that the Fab Four never got around to playing live were dusted off for this tour.
Other seldom played live gems included The Beatles' first single, "Love Me Do," and "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" off the "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album. The latter showcased McCartney's melodic bass playing.
As he has in past tours, McCartney acknowledged the passing of two of his former bandmates with the moving "Here Today," which he wrote after John Lennon's murder in 1980, and a charming performance of "Something," written by the late George Harrison. Strumming the opening on a ukulele, McCartney's performance was as close to creating an intimate atmosphere as an artist can accomplish in a major league ballpark.
Seated at a piano, McCartney ended the set with the James Bond theme song from "Live and Let Die," accompanied by an impressive, post-Fourth of July pyrotechnics display above Fenway, and an audience sing-along of "Hey Jude."
Minutes later, waving an American flag, McCartney returned to the stage for a stellar – and star-studded – encore.
After playing his signature song "Yesterday," Weir was brought out on stage to jam on Wings' once-banned hit "Hi Hi Hi."
Then, to thunderous applause, McCartney brought out Gronk, who, along with Weir, joined in on two "White Album" rockers, "Helter Skelter" and "Birthday." Gronk may not have a future as a rock 'n' roller, but he looked to be having a grand old time.
McCartney capped a memorable night with the haunting closing medley from "Abbey Road."
The legend once accused of penning silly love songs, ended the night with the lyrics from "The End" – "And in the end / The love you take / Is equal to the love you make."
Rob Gronkowski, Paul McCartney and Bob Weir perform "Helter Skelter" at Fenway Park.
Ray Kelly | rkelly@repub.com
SETLIST
7.17.2016
A Hard Day's Night
Save Us
Can't Buy Me Love
Letting Go
Temporary Secretary
Let Me Roll It
I've Got a Feeling
My Valentine
Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five
Here, There and Everywhere
Maybe I'm Amazed
We Can Work It Out
In Spite of All the Danger
You Won't See Me
Love Me Do
And I Love Her
Blackbird
Here Today
Queenie Eye
New
The Fool on the Hill
Lady Madonna
FourFiveSeconds
Eleanor Rigby
Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!
Something
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
Band on the Run
Back in the U.S.S.R.
Let It Be
Live and Let Die
Hey Jude
encore
Yesterday
Hi, Hi, Hi
Helter Skelter
Birthday
Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight / The End
GALLERY
Photos: Paul McCartney Rocks Fenway Park as part of his One on One Tour
Paul McCartney performs at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of his One on One tour on July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Paul McCartney performs at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of his One on One tour on July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
One of the many merchandise booths for Paul McCartney's One on One tour, which stopped at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma on July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Paul McCartney and his band perform at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of his One on One tour, on July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Brian Ray, one of Paul McCartney's guitarists performing at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of the One on One tour on July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Paul McCartney took the stage at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of his One on One tour on Sunday July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Paul McCartney and guitarist Brian Ray perform at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of the One on One tour on July 17th.
Paul McCartney performs at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of his One on One tour on July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Paul McCartney greets the crowd at Fenway Park, where he stopped as part of his One on One tour on July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Paul McCartney performs at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of his One on One tour on July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Brian Ray, one of Paul McCartney's guitarists performing at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of the One on One tour on July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Paul McCartney performs at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of his One on One tour on July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Rusty Anderson, one of Paul McCartney's guitarists performing at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of the One on One tour on July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Paul McCartney and guitarist Rusty Anderson perform at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of the One on One tour on July 17th.
Paul McCartney performs at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of his One on One tour on July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Paul McCartney performs at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of his One on One tour on July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Paul McCartney took the stage at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of his One on One tour on Sunday July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Paul McCartney took the stage at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of his One on One tour on Sunday July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Paul McCartney performs at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of his One on One tour on July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Rusty Anderson, one of Paul McCartney's guitarists performing at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of the One on One tour on July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Paul McCartney took the stage at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of his One on One tour on Sunday July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Rusty Anderson, one of Paul McCartney's guitarists performing at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of the One on One tour on July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Brian Ray, one of Paul McCartney's guitarists performing at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of the One on One tour on July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Paul McCartney performs at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of his One on One tour on July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Paul McCartney and guitarist Rusty Anderson perform at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of the One on One tour on July 17th
Paul McCartney performs at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of his One on One tour on July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Paul McCartney took the stage at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of his One on One tour on Sunday July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Rusty Anderson, one of Paul McCartney's guitarists performing at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of the One on One tour on July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Paul McCartney performs at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of his One on One tour on July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Paul McCartney performs at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of his One on One tour on July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Paul McCartney performs at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of his One on One tour on July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
Paul McCartney performs at Fenway Park in Boston, Ma as part of his One on One tour on July 17th. (Shawn Costa/The Republican)
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