Those of you who know me know I've been a guitar player since I was a kid, and I've been in the same band ever since. And our band, like every other band at the time, was influenced..., no, necessitated by the presence of The Beatles.
John and George left us way too early. I did go to see Ringo and his all Starr Band a few years back, so after tomorrow night I guess I'll be able to say I saw half of The Beatles. I envy my friend Bobby Carlson who did get to see them all at Forrest Hills Tennis Stadium in 1964, although I remember him saying there was an awful lot of screaming.
But, Paul McCartney... I really am jittery tonight thinking about how I will feel when this icon takes the stage tomorrow night, and at age 67, rocks the DNA out of the audience. He's incomparable. I suppose he is to music what Nicholson, and Pacino and DeNiro are to film. What if you got to see them in a live stage play? That's what tomorrow will be like for music fans... and for me.
People have asked me this week, "what songs do you want to hear him do?" I really didn't have an answer to that. But sitting here now and thinking about it, these come to mind. "I Saw Her Standing There (Ed Sullivan-esque)," "Penny Lane," "Blackbird," and "Yesterday." In less than 24 hours I will be sitting (probably standing, and hopefully not squealing like a schoolgirl), watching and listening to Paul sing these songs. Holy shit.
I have good seats in the lower level, but not on the floor. The last time I had floor seats for a show, a Manute Bol like person had the seat in front of me. I'm close enough that I'm not even bringing my binoculars. Most of the time people are borrowing them from you anyway. I've always wanted to bring them and do the shoe polish on the eye-rings gag, but tomorrow's not the night for that. What if I did it and the person got pissed at me as the band was doing, "All You Need Is Love." That just wouldn't be right.
Cameras ARE Allowed, and I know a few of my friends will be getting phone calls during the show so they can hear some of the music, even though it will sound very distorted as most music tends to be when it's being directed into a microphone the diameter of a human hair.
This is the opening night for this tour and it's supposed to be the most elaborate one yet. I read it takes 31 semi-trucks to haul the show around. That includes lighting and no less than 90 speakers for the indoor shows on the tour (138 speakers for the outdoor venues). This is going to be awesome! The last time my band played in May we used 8 speakers and did just fine. McCartney... always trying to outdo The Counts.
What a show off!!!
So, maybe I won't sleep well tonight because of the anticipation, and then again, maybe I'll sleep the sleep of angels.
I watched John, Paul, George and Ringo on the Ed Sullivan show on Febraury 9, 1964, like most of the boomers who are reading this did. It was 46 years ago, but what few other happy events in your life, do you remember better?
Like everything else you wait for, it will be here and gone in no time at all, but I know already, I will take the memory to my grave of the night Sir Paul McCartney and I spent an evening in the same room together.
From "Blackbird" on the White Album
"... take these broken wings and learn to fly. All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arise."
The Beatles
Tim, I saw the Beatles a SHEA. Yup, I just saw the Beatles at Shea. Never heard a note. Luckily I got to see George at th concert for Bangla Desh and john Lennon At the garden with "The Plastic Ono band. I also got to meet Lennon at his bar "HOME" in NYC. The Beatles influenced my life profoundly. To me they reinvented and took bit from all styles of Music and made it work, made me think. I saw McCartney twice now and was totally blown away. i close my eyes and the Beatles might as well been on stage singing everything every sng they did after they stopped touring. Tomorrow will be special for you! The hair will stand on the back of your neck and the smile won't leave your face for 2 days. I know it's over now but I'm sure you will never forget it! the Beatles hold a place of their own. There are some GREAT tribute shows.... "1964 , A Tribute' catch that if it comes by you, and "Imagine" is now in Vegas and you will think Lennon is right there with you.
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No follow up on how the show was etc, BOOOOOO
ReplyDeleteFOLLOW UP: Sir Paul McCartney, age 67, was onstage literally non-stop for 2:45. I guess someone can say they have had a long and successful career when they do a 31 song set, and then follow with a 6 song encore which included Day Tripper, Lady Madonna, Get Back, Helter Skelter, Yesterday and Sgt. Peppers Reprise. Name another individual or band where everyone of every age age sings every word to every song. I can now say "Paul McCartney sat in front of me and sang "Yesterday." I'm a very lucky boy. What else do I need to say?
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