You are in the Special Features section

Digger reviews Paul McCartney's Earl's Court gig and the album taken from this Back In The World tour

If we have inadvertently used any image on this web site which is in copyright and for which we, or our retailers on our behalf, do not have permission for use, please contact us so that we can rectify the situation immediately. Images in this article are, to the best of our knowledge, either in the public domain or copyrighted where indicated. Photos from the retrosellers archives from original press stills.

Going to see a Paul McCartney concert is, in my experience, different from going to see other performers because there is a level of expectation and a familiarity which other musicians just can't generate, at least not for me. You have grown up with The Beatles, loved their music, their wit and wisdom, collectively and individually. You know that the material will be good. You can assume that the band will be first-rate. You can expect some great moments. There might even be one or two surprises. But you also subconsciously hope that your illusions won't be shattered. After all, Paul is not getting any younger.

I am pleased to report that the concert fulfilled all expectations. I must admit to some confusion, and almost boredom, with the opening entertainment sequences before the band made an appearance. Strongmen, ladies in period costume, balancing acts and jugglers - what was that all about, then?! But McCartney's silhouette appears on the backdrop and everything starts getting much, much better (I have to admit!) The band was first class, McCartney's voice was crisp and clear and no band in the world could draw on such an amazing play list. McCartney has an uncanny ability to make a huge hall seem like an intimate affair and his anecdotes as though you are privy to a rarely-told secret. Not unexpectedly, there were tributes to John, George and Linda, as well as cheerful mentions of Paul's new love Heather. Any concert that makes you laugh out loud and shed tears has got to be a cracker, and Paul's reminiscences of George's rather eccentric love of George Formby and Paul's affectionate execution of George's 'Something' and tribute to John 'Here Today' triggered both emotions in me.

The concert lasted for over two and a half hours, with McCartney in attendance throughout this time. No starry costume changes or comfort breaks for him. This was a magnificent effort from the whole band - playing some numbers not previously played outside of a studio and filling the hall with a large slice of forty years of rock history. Democracy seems very evident as each band member was given their share of the limelight and a chance to tell a tale - was it the acoustics, my inability to understand the band's strong American accents or their lack of experience at 'public speaking', but, whatever it was, I couldn't follow their chat although I think I caught every word from McCartney.

The album suitably reflects the playlist at the concert. Not generally a fan of live albums, this one nevertheless brings together McCartney's work in a unique format and is worth having, particularly if you are looking for a worthwhile memento of the concert. Surely fans have given enough already without having to fork out £15 for a tour programme, which I, for one, refused to do.

I am uncomfortable with Paul's decision to 're-credit' the Lennon & McCartney compositions as by Paul McCartney & John Lennon. It is like attributing some delicious packet meal  to Spencer & Marks. It just isn't a necessary re-write of history. People who don't know or care who wrote which Beatles songs will be none the wiser as a result. The rest of us are all too aware of who was the dominant, or even sole, contributor on particular Beatles tracks, and are, more importantly, also aware that it was the sum of the parts which made the Beatles collaboration (and, yes, competition too) so very special, leading to the most incredible repertoire of diverse songs in musical history.

The Back In The World tour continues into Europe and the album is available on Capitol/Parlophone. More information at www.paulmccartney.com

Track listing/set list:


Images © copyright and courtesy of www.strato.co.uk


This page layout and content  is the intellectual property of www.retrosellers.com and cannot be reproduced without express permission.

If we have inadvertently used any image on this web site which is in copyright and for which we, or our retailers on our behalf, do not have permission for use, please contact us so that we can rectify the situation immediately. Images in this article are, to the best of our knowledge, either in the public domain or copyrighted where indicated. Photos from the retrosellers archives from original press stills.