Beatles great shows no signs of slowing down at Rupp concert
By John Flannagan
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Very few artists today can play an awe-inspiring set that clocks in at nearly three hours, but that’s precisely what Paul McCartney delivers every time he steps onstage. The legendary former Beatle, who is in great shape and seemingly has barely aged, was looking particularly youthful on the night of Saturday, June 1, just a week shy of his 77th birthday. And if you think Sir Paul at some point will rest on his laurels and just go through the motions, you’re sadly mistaken.
On this evening, McCartney brought his “Freshen Up” tour to Rupp Arena, a venue he hasn’t played in nearly two decades, where he delivered an unforgettable, 37-song performance that was heavy on Beatles songs, some Wings cuts and even a selection from The Quarrymen, McCartney’s pre-Beatles band. He also sprinkled some of his solo work into a career-spanning set that had fans of all ages smiling, dancing and singing along throughout an evening filled with happiness and unity.
McCartney set the tone early by opening with the classic “A Hard Day’s Night” and flawlessly alternating between Beatles and Wings material before playing the masterful Wings tune “Let Me Roll It” and “I’ve Got a Feeling” back to back, both of which found the musician’s underrated guitar chops on full display. One surprise during this segment included his horn section being dispatched into the lower section of the arena during “Letting Go,” much to the delight of the audience. From there, an acoustic guitar was brought out for the next several tunes.
If you thought McCartney were going to slow down for what could be perceived as a midpoint lull in the show, you would be mistaken. The Quarrymen’s “In Spite of All the Danger” was the standout track amongst this section of tunes, along with “Blackbird,” a song about race relations that was written in 1968 at the height of the civil rights movement in the U.S. that sadly holds the same weight today.
The final portion of the set appropriately read like a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame resume of hit singles, as McCartney and his stellar backing band led by percussionist extraordinaire Abe Laboriel Jr. perfectly blended infectious smiles and harmonies while jamming expertly. The band was rounded out by veteran guitarists Rusty Anderson and Brian Ray and keyboardist Paul “Wix” Wickens, all of whom have been with Sir Paul for the past 15 years. The music was extremely tight as a result; the last five songs the group poured through before the encore break were stunning and alone were worth the price of admission. They were, in order, “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,” “Back in the U.S.S.R.,” “Let it Be,” “Live and Let Die” and “Hey Jude.”
McCartney took time out to read a few of the signs people held up during the set, which provided delightful interactive moments with the capacity crowd. People squealed gleefully as Paul read off some of their quote; one of the funnier signs read, “My grandma will buy me a car if you read this and bring me onstage.” This didn’t happen, of course, but at least it received acknowledgment.
Overall, it’s hard to imagine what more any fan could’ve asked for, as the entire evening, coordinated by the greatest living maestro of modern music, brimmed with love and merriment. “Legend” is a term that’s bandied about far too liberally these days (as are adjectives such as “epic,” “amazing” and “unbelievable”). In this case, though, all apply and are just. As the masses emptied Rupp, it was hard not to notice scores of faces exuding sheer elation at having just witnessed the best music-history lesson one can experience.
Setlist
- “A Hard Day’s Night”
- “Junior’s Farm”
- “Can’t Buy Me Love”
- “Letting Go”
- “Who Cares”
- “Got to Get You Into My Life”
- “Come on to Me”
- “Let Me Roll It”
- “I’ve Got a Feeling”
- “Let ‘Em In”
- “My Valentine”
- “Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five”
- “Maybe I’m Amazed”
- “I’ve Just Seen a Face”
- “In Spite of All the Danger”
- “From Me to You”
- “Dance Tonight”
- “Love Me Do”
- “Blackbird”
- “Here Today”
- “Queenie Eye”
- “Lady Madonna”
- “Eleanor Rigby”
- “Fuh You”
- “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!”
- “Something”
- “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da”
- “Back in the U.S.S.R.”
- “Let It Be”
- “Live and Let Die”
- “Hey Jude”
Encore
- “Birthday”
- “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)”
- “Helter Skelter”
- “Golden Slumbers”
- “Carry That Weight”
- “The End”
