McCartney plays concert at NY’s Grand Central
Commuters with tickets to ride out of New York’s Grand Central Terminal heard a special serenade on Friday evening, with Paul McCartney taking over a corner of the majestic hub for a concert. Only invited guests, including Jon Bon Jovi, Meryl Streep and Steve Buscemi, were let behind black curtains to see the stage, but everyone could hear a 24-song set that spanned more than 50 years of music.
It was a stunt to promote a new album called “Egypt Station.” McCartney said he wondered “what’s the coolest station we could think of?” and settled on the Manhattan landmark. The band set up under a chandelier and in front of a giant clock, just off the 42nd Street entrance. The 76-year-old former Beatle was in fighting trim. He performed familiar hits such as “Let it Be,” “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Lady Madonna.” He also dug deeper into his songbook for “I’ve Got a Feeling,” “Hi Hi Hi” and “1985.” Some members of the Beatles’ extended family were on hand. Sean Lennon, the son of McCartney’s late partner, was in the audience.
So was McCartney’s wife, Nancy Shevell, and he dedicated the song “My Valentine” to her. Giles Martin, the son of longtime Beatles producer George Martin, was handling the concert’s sound.
For a new song about bullying, McCartney invited two women from the audience to tell their stories about being treated poorly. “I got made fun of for being a Beatles fan,” one of them said. That earned her a Beatle hug.