Macca the master, back to where he still belongs
AS homecomings go, this was always going to be emotional.
Returning to the city of his birth to launch the UK leg of his Freshen Up tour, Paul McCartney rolled back the years to deliver a pre-Christmas masterclass.
There was a cheer as he walked on stage – his Hofner bass slung low across his waist, fist-bumping the air and shrugging in mock surprise – and an even louder one to greet the iconic opening chord of A Hard Day’s Night, the first song of the evening and a mighty way to kickstart any tour.
From there on, it was a matter of celebrating shared memories while appreciating a man who is still curating his legacy with respect and affection.
‘We’ve got old songs, new songs and inbetween songs,’ he said. ‘It’s so great to be here and always great to be bringing it all home. I could spend the whole evening just chatting to you.’
This wasn’t the first time McCartney has been to Liverpool this year – he played two small club shows in the summer – but it was the first time since 2015 that he had delivered a full, 38-song package with a surprisingly even spread of Fab Four, Wings and solo hits. He even snuck in a number, In Spite Of All The Danger, by his old pre-Beatles band The Quarrymen.
He is regarded differently here. In some cities, the mere presence of a former Beatle can leave a crowd awestruck. On Merseyside, he is one of their own – a singer to be relished rather than just revered. And, boy, did 11,000 of his fellow Liverpudlians, plus some from much further afield, enjoy this show.
Although fans had come primarily to hear the hits, McCartney, 76, showed he isn’t just a human jukebox by featuring some lesserknown Wings tunes, with a raucous Junior’s Farm and Let Me Roll It bringing fans to their feet, and some surprises from his solo back catalogue, including a tender My Valentine from his 2012 jazz album Kisses On The Bottom. There were also songs from this year’s Egypt Station, an album which took him to the top of the American charts for the first time in 36 years. Who Cares, an anti-bullying number inspired by Taylor Swift’s sisterly bond with her fans, arrived early on, with the singer telling fans: ‘If anyone has been bullied, this song will let them know we care.’ The lively Come On To Me, again from his new album, followed shortly afterwards.
But it was the more familiar hits and classic Beatles tracks which won the most enthusiastic response. Got To Get You Into My Life was a highlight, while All My Loving was rapturously received. A hard day’s night and a hugely enjoyable one.