PAUL ON THE RUN: Paul McCartney plays 3 hours of The Beatles, Wings and more in Detroit

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Paul McCartney plays 3 hours of The Beatles, Wings and more in Detroit
By Edward Pevos
Posted on October 2, 2017

DETROIT, MI - His music is timeless. His live performances are ageless. Paul McCartney played for a whopping three hours straight at Little Caesars Arena on October 1, 2017. The first of two concerts on consecutive nights at the new arena.

The 75 year old former member of The Beatles played hit after hit with only small pauses between songs to give a little music history or to tell a quick joke. "That is the only wardrobe change of the whole evening," McCartney told the sold-out crowd as he took off his sport coat a few songs into the show.

The concert opened with the unmistakable chords of "A Hard Day's Night." This is the first concert tour McCartney has performed it live since he was with The Beatles in the 1960s.

That hit was just the beginning for fans of the Fab Four as McCartney made sure to perform plenty of familiar songs from his time with John, George and Ringo, as well as Wings hits and songs from his solo career. A career that spans more than 50 years. McCartney acknowledged that fans don't always want to hear the new stuff.

"We know which songs you like. We can tell from here because when we do a Beatles favorite, the place lights up. Your phones are like a galaxy of stars. Then, when we do a new number, it's like a black hole. But, we don't care. We're gonna do them anyway."

With that said, McCartney only made the crowd "endure" a couple of new songs among the nearly 40 he performed which included The Beatles hits: "Can't Buy Me Love," "All My Loving," "We Can Work It Out," "Love Me Do," "And I Love Her," "Blackbird," "Lady Madonna," "Eleanor Rigby," "A Day in the Life," "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da," "Back in the U.S.S.R.," "Let it Be," and "Hey Jude." He also performed "Here Today" in honor of John Lennon and "Something" as a tribute to George Harrison.

Wings hits included: "Junior's Farm," "Jet," "Let Me Roll It," "Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five," "Band on the Run" and "Live and Let Die."

Yes, all of these songs were performed at just one concert. But wait, there's more. McCartney performed numerous other songs including "Maybe I'm Amazed," "My Valentine" (Who he wrote for his wife who he said was in the crowd), and his first song ever, "In Spite of All The Danger," when he, George and John were with The Quarrymen.

Don't go anywhere before the encore, which featured seven songs: "Let It Be," "St. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)," "Helter Skelter," "Golden Slumbers," "Carry That Weight," "The End," and "Birthday" which he dedicated to a super fan's daughter who was celebrating her 15th birthday. McCartney brought the two from Frankenmuth on stage for a hug, kiss and a few tears from mom.

At 75, McCartney continues to perform with the energy of... well, he simply doesn't age when he's on stage. There aren't many people no matter how old they are who will play live for three hours straight. Yes, his voice isn't the same as it was in the 60s and 70s. Who cares! Music lovers are fortunate and blessed that McCartney still tours and gives generations of people a chance to see the music of The Beatles performed live.

He brings along one of the best bands in the music industry with him to play the songs just as fans remember. This isn't just a concert. It's an experience. Every tour could be his last. Enjoy seeing him live while you can. However, if the way he performed tonight is any indication, there's no stopping McCartney anytime soon.

"Thank you Detroit, you were fantastic. We'll see you next time."

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Gallery: Paul McCartney at Little Caesars Arena-Oct. 1, 2017
Posted on October 1, 2017