Beatle gets back to spiritual home
LONDON — Tens of thousands of fans will flock to giant stadiums later this year to watch pop icon Paul McCartney in his latest tour.
For a small group of devotees of the former member of the Beatles pop band, Thursday turned out to be a magical and unforgettable experience, watching the 76-year-old singer perform live at a “secret gig”.
Just 175 fans were given free tickets for a performance when McCartney returned to the famous Cavern Club in Liverpool, hailed as the birth place of Beatlemania that swept the world in the 1960s.
It was the first time McCartney had been to the club for 20 years, and as word spread around Liverpool that “Macca” was in town, thousands headed for Mathew Street in scenes not witnessed since those early days.
On social media later McCartney said of his quicklyarranged gig: “It was fabulous and brought back loads of beautiful memories and reminded me of where we started.”
The lucky fans heard the legend perform a 28-song set, ranging from Beatles classics to a number of songs from his new solo album.
“Imagine this for me — all these years ago when we played the Cavern we didn’t know if we’d have any future. But we did OK,” McCartney told his audience.
Beatles fan Tom Gilchrist, 28, from Liverpool, told local media he started waiting outside the Cavern after hearing rumors of the gig.
When it was announced the tickets were being handed out at the Echo Arena, almost a kilometer away, he jumped in a taxi. Many other fans ran on foot to the arena box office.
One woman was seen to faint in the process. “It was like Beatlemania all over again,” Gilchrist said.
James Jardine said: “He’s still got it. To get so close to someone who’s so famous and iconic is unbelievable.”
Later this year, McCartney will play to a packed Echo Arena in Liverpool as part of his “Freshen Up” tour, showcasing Egypt Station, his first new album in four years. Tickets for the Liverpool concert sold out within hours, with some already being offered on websites at high prices.