Paul McCartney, Glasgow, live review

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Paul McCartney, Glasgow, live review: Universal appeal from Beatles genius Over almost three hours, this exhaustive set was a joy to watch
by Chris Green
Saturday December 15th 2018


Sir Paul McCartney performed for almost three hours (Photo: Getty)

Paul McCartney SSE Hydro, Glasgow ★★★★★
“We can tell when you guys are enjoying a song, you know – your phones all light up and it’s like a galaxy of stars,” says Paul McCartney as he sits at his piano gazing out into the crowd. 

Then, in deadpan Liverpudlian, he adds: “When we do a new one, it’s like a black hole.” 

Young or old, and whether they held their phones to the heavens or not, over the course of this exceptional performance in Glasgow the 76-year-old reminded every member of the crowd of the universal quality of his music. As if we had forgotten. 

During the only Scottish date of his first UK tour for three years, McCartney delved into the back catalogue of a career that has already spanned six decades, from his time with the Quarrymen all the way through to his most recent solo album, Egypt Station, which was released in September. 

Opening the set with “A Hard Day’s Night” and playing almost non-stop for nearly three hours, he swapped his usual bass guitar for pianos, mandolins and even a ukulele for a stripped back intro to “Something”, in a tribute to the late George Harrison. 

Intimate 
The gig was full of you-had-to-be-there moments, from the intense stage pyrotechnics that accompanied “Live And Let Die” to the festive rendition of “Wonderful Christmas Time”, which saw him joined on stage by a choir of young pupils from Paisley Grammar School. 

Yet as so often in stadium-style shows, it was in the quieter moments that the crowd were given the clearest window into McCartney’s songwriting genius, such as his acoustic version of “Blackbird”, played as he stood on a small stage jutting out into the crowd that slowly rose towards the roof. 

This had the effect of drawing the cavernous room in, as did his habit of telling Beatles anecdotes in between songs.

From his reminiscences of watching Jimi Hendrix perform to recording “Love Me Do” at Abbey Road, McCartney’s relaxed storytelling leant the show a more intimate atmosphere.

A word must also go to his army of international fans, who apparently follow McCartney everywhere and filled the front rows, waving hand written signs and screaming “I love you!” in a slightly more civilised version of Beatlemania.

One man in the front row showed his devotion to seeing McCartney perform by holding up a sign that read simply “120 times”, prompting the slightly weary response: “He must be loaded”.

But can you blame him, Paul?





www.dailymail.co.uk
Paul McCartney looks dapper as he rocks out on-stage in Glasgow... days after Beatles star's £10million home was burgled
By MAILONLINE REPORTER
UPDATED: 15 December 2018

His £10million home was recently broken into just days before his homecoming gig in Liverpool.

Yet Paul McCartney put the drama of the past few days behind him as he pulled off an electric performance alongside Abe Laboriel Jr at Glasgow's SSE Hydro on Friday.

The Beatles icon,  76, was in good spirits as he took to the stage for thousands of excited fans to perform some of his greatest hits and new tracks.

He's back: Paul McCartney put the drama of the past few days behind him as he pulled off an electric performance alongside Abe Laboriel Jr at Glasgow's SSE Hydro on Friday

The Hey Jude hitmaker looked dapper in a powder blue shirt, paired with a navy denim jacket and black trousers for the performance.

His salt and pepper locks were styled in a trendy side-part as the youthful star played his electric guitar with aplomb. 

Looking in high spirits as he addressed the crowd, the star gave no indication of the turbulent few days he had endured. 

Iconic: The Beatles icon, 76, was in good spirits as he took to the stage for thousands of excited fans to perform some of his greatest hits and new tracks

Trio: The Hey Jude hitmaker looked dapper in a powder blue shirt, paired with a navy denim jacket and black trousers for the performance (above with Abe and Rusty Anderson)

Performance: Looking in high spirits as he addressed the crowd, the star gave no indication of the turbulent few days he had endured

It has been a busy few days for the star who attended Mick Jagger's Christmas party in London on Thursday night.

Paul's appearance comes after it was revealed that police are investigating after thieves broke into his £10million London home just days before his homecoming gig in Liverpool.   

'There were blue flashing lights and police everywhere — four or five cars,' a local told the Daily Mail. 'All the lights were on in the house. The police were all over it.'

Jam packed: It has been a busy few days for the star who attended Mick Jagger's Christmas party in London on Thursday night

Thieves: Paul's appearance comes after it was revealed that police are investigating after thieves broke into his £10million London home just days before his homecoming gig in Liverpool

A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed that officers responded to a break-in at 6.20pm last Friday. 'We attended and identified signs of forced entry,' he said.

Paul's spokesman declines to say whether the singer or his third wife, Nancy Shevell, were in London at the time the intruders struck.

The Metropolitan Police say that no arrests have been made and their inquiries continue. 

Rock on: His salt and pepper locks were styled in a trendy side-part as the youthful star played his electric guitar with aplomb