Last Wednesday, October 16, 2024, I had the pleasure of attending Sir Paul McCartney's 38th performance in Brazil, better known as Beatle Paul (or Paulinho to those closest to him).
The show was, as always, impressive and very exciting. It was his 13th performance in São Paulo, his 10th at Allianz Parque (some say Paul greets the Allianz employees by name, asks about their families, children, etc., but of course that's just a joke).
The show starts promptly at 8:30 PM, after a nearly 1-hour DJ set by Chris Holmes , who plays versions of Beatles songs, remixes of Wings like "Love is Strange," and "Temporary Secretary" from the McCartney II album. Half an hour before the show begins, a video is shown on the screens that goes through all the phases of Paul's life, warming up the audience for what's to come: another show on the Got Back , the third that I've had the immense pleasure of attending.
Nothing in the show is new, except for the performance of "Now And Then," the Beatles' "new" song, another super special moment, even for those who had already seen the show. In fact, there are many special moments in the almost 3-hour show, especially because this time I watched it practically from the front row. Special thanks to my daughter Laura, who insisted we arrive early to secure a spot right at the front. Thank you, Laura!
Tuesday's show began with "Can't Buy Me Love," unlike the previous one which started with "A Hard Day's Night." Paul then interspersed songs from all phases of his career, including "Junior's Farm" and "Letting Go" from Wings, the former being the A-side of the 1974 single, and the latter from the album Venus and Mars released in 1976.
Next up was one of the best songs from the Beatles' early years, "All My Loving," and the killer "Got to Get You Into My Life" from the 1976 album Revolver , one of my favorites from the show (special mention to the brass section, the Hot City Horns , who have been with Paul since 2018 – previously the brass arrangements were done by keyboardist Wix Wickens, who has been with Paul for over 35 years).
Next, he plays “Come on to Me,” from the 2018 Egypt Station Band on the Run from 1973. The wonderful “Getting Better,” from the 1967 Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Wings at the Speed of Sound from '76, and “My Valentine,” dedicated to his wife Nancy Shevell, who was watching the show.
“Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five,” also from Band on the Run , and “Maybe I'm Amazed,” from McCartney's , written for his late first wife, Linda , were some of the highlights of the show (at this point tears were already starting to stream down the faces of some fans, including mine, of course).
Next up is the magnificent “I've Just Seen a Face” from Help (1965), featuring excellent backing vocals from Paul's longtime band: the fantastic drummer Abe Laboriel Jr. and the talented Brian Ray (guitar and bass) and Rusty Anderson (guitar). Following this, the musicians move to the front of the stage and, acoustically, play the Beatles' first two recordings, “In Spite of All the Danger” and “Love Me Do”.
"Dance Tonight" from the album Memory Almost Full , released as a single on Paul's 65th birthday in 2007, the perfect "Blackbird" from the 1968 White Album John Lennon , "Here Today" from the 1982 album Tug of War , one of the best albums of Paul's solo career, produced by George Martin. More tears.
The thing is, more than an hour of the show has already passed, and Paul, an 82-year-old man, still hasn't taken a sip of water.
Now Paul decides to get the crowd going with “Now and Then,” the new Beatles song released in 2023, the excellent “NEW,” from the great self-titled 2013 studio album, “Lady Madonna,” one of the show's highlights, released as a single in '68. Following that is the lively “JET,” also from Band on the Run , “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite” from Sgt. Pepper's (I always thought this song was by John Lennon), the tribute to George Harrison , “Something” (more tears, obviously), one of the most wonderful songs of all time. “O-Bla-Di, O-Bla-Da,” from the White Album, Let it Be , released in 1970.
Two hours of the show have already passed and Paul still hasn't had a glass of water.
The last three songs of this part of the show are enough to make anyone burst with emotion: “Let it Be,” “Live and Let Die,” released in 1973 as part of the James Bond film soundtrack of the same name, with the now-traditional pyrotechnic show. And to close the first part of the show, “Hey Jude” (tears and more tears…). The show pauses for a few (very few) minutes; I think Paul, after two hours, finally gets a glass of water backstage.
The band returns for an encore, with "I've Got a Feeling" from the album Let it Be , and featuring a duet with John Lennon, it's one of the show's highlights. "Day Tripper," a 1966 single and one of the most perfect guitar riffs in history, replaces "Birthday," played the previous day. A reprise of Sgt. Pepper's is perfect for preparing the 50,000 attendees for the show, which (unfortunately) has to end eventually.
Then comes the heaviest song of the show, “Helter Skelter” (how can he still sing in such high notes after another two and a half hours of performing?????). Then the ending is enough to kill anyone, one of my favorites, “Golden Slumbers” from Abbey Road , followed by “Carry That Weight” and the sensational “The End,” the show's closing and the end of the Beatles' career, “and in the end the love you make is equal to the love… you make.” Tears, tears and more tears, the lights come on, we try to hide our emotion, but it's difficult, our eyes are already red. What softens the blow is that when you look around you realize it's not just yours.
Paul McCartney is impressive for his energy, his friendliness, his charisma, his competence, his elegance, his talent, his musicality, but mainly for his love for his music and his audience. And the audience reciprocates with great affection: there's a lot of love involved. Songs from a career spanning more than 60 years, a man who has already achieved everything in life, continues to bring and show his show, his art, his music to his fans – it can only be a lot of love involved. Thank you Paul, thank you Bonus Track for bringing Paul McCartney to Brazil since 1990 (I was there!!!), thank you, thank you, thank you. And, in Paul McCartney's own words: UNTIL NEXT TIME!
