Paul McCartney knows how to rock. The 71-year-old has not missed a beat and can amp up a crowd like no one else. His outdoor concert courtesy of Guinness & Co. and Jimmy Kimmel Live! Monday night was epic, extraordinary and downright emotional.
The night started with Kimmel doing his
show and proving once again that he belongs in the ranks of respected late
night show hosts. He has an easy charm that lets him tease both the audience
during commercial breaks and legends like McCartney during the show.
As a guest, McCartney was his normal
cheeky self, confirming that there are Beatles recordings that haven’t been
released. “But you wouldn’t want to hear them,” he joked. He also spoke about
his upcoming record, New, which is available October 15th. The album was
made with four producers, including Paul Epworth, and features original
compositions from McCartney.
Also included in Monday’s show was a
hilarious segment of Guillermo at the Emmys and then a brief chat between
Kimmel and Patrick Dempsey. After that it was finally time for the main event:
Paul McCartney live and in concert.
The performance was particularly
nostalgic since next year marks the 50th anniversary of the first time The
Beatles ever performed in LA. In 1964 and 1965, they played the Hollywood Bowl,
less than a mile from where McCartney performed Monday night.
The former Beatle remains an immortal
rock god capable of transporting men, women and children of all ages into a
musical landscape different from anything they have ever experienced. Everyone
bounced, swayed and sang along as McCartney did a selection his songs including
tracks from New. The latter tunes were a perfect blend Beatles-esq rock
with a little extra jauntiness thrown in. Unlike other musicians who randomly
toss in their new songs with their well-known ones, McCartney latest
compositions fit in seamlessly with the classic songs everyone loves. He made
us love New as much as anything he’s ever done.
But it is the classics that we all came
for and he delivered. There were tears during both “Let it Be” and “Hey Jude”
but plenty of fist pumping during “Band on the Run.” It is the kind of
emotional rollercoaster only someone like McCartney can conjure during an
hour-long concert on Hollywood Blvd. Listening to “Lady Madonna,” “Back in the
USSR,” “Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da” and many others will forever be changed for those of
us who heard McCartney sing them live.
As the concert came to a close, every
single person in the crowd that stretched from Hollywood and Highland back to a
mile or more belted out “Hey Jude.” We were all under McCartney’s spell and we
all knew it was something special.
If you missed the fun on Hollywood Blvd,
you can still see the whole concert right here.
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