© Reuters
Saturday night at Glastonbury and Paul McCartney was the headline act on the main stage. I watched his entire set live courtesy of the BBC. It lasted for over two and a half hours. He was introduced by presenter Jo Whiley as "a living legend" and that is a label it would be exceedingly difficult to challenge.
Any recent live TV performances by Paul McCartney have been rather excruciating in my opinion - his voice a pale imitation of yesteryear when he was in his prime. I was expecting more of the same and as the set began I squirmed in my seat thinking that it was nigh time he gave up performing. After all he is eighty years old now.
However, he had surrounded himself with excellent musicians and as the carefully considered set progressed I warmed to what I was seeing and hearing. There were kind references to both John and George and he even played George's composition, "Something" - beginning with ukulele accompaniment. It was good to hear.
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Towards the end of the set, two famous American musicians joined Paul on stage - first Dave Grohl of Nirvana and Foo Fighters fame and then another living legend in the shape of Bruce Springsteen. Both had flown in specially to join Paul on stage.
Paul's rendition of "Hey Jude" was more than acceptable and his voice held up pretty well. The vast audience joined in happily and repeatedly with the "Naa-naa - naa - naa-naa - naa Hey Jude" chorus.
Paul McCartney is a good guy, someone I admire and I was pleased for him because the set went so well and probably better than expected. He came off stage buzzing and if he never performs on a stage again, his performance at Glastonbury could easily be described as triumphant. Well done Paul! You made it!
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You're right. there are some performers who push it far past their prime and make a disappointing leave.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to know when it's time to go.
DeleteHe looks all right for an 80-year-old and I'm glad you enjoyed the concert. I happened to watch "Something" on YouTube yesterday, several versions including one with the ukelele intro. George Harrison wrote some of the best Beatles songs, in my opinioin.
ReplyDeleteIt was good to have different songwriter in their midst.
DeleteI am amazed the Paul can still perform for so many hours! How exhausting! I think the same when I see the Rolling Stones still doing shows! Where do they get the energy!?
ReplyDeleteI was a Beatles screamer back in the day when they first came to the USA. I would scream "George" because he was my favorite and I thought that since Paul and John were the most popular that I might actually have a chance with George as I didn't think he had as many fans! LOL! How silly I was back then!
A performance like that must have taken its toll on Paul. Sorry to hear that you never became George's sweetheart. I am sure you would have been very happy together.
DeleteI have winced at some of his recent performances so it was nice to hear this was a good one.
ReplyDelete"Wince" - yes that's the right word but by one in the morning I was enjoying and smiling not wincing.
DeleteI am sorry that Ringo gets no mention.
ReplyDeleteThe name "Ringo" was never mentioned once throughout Paul's performance.
DeleteI find it rather funny that Worthy Farm's Glastonbury event occasionally gets dominated by the older generation. The old songs make their appearance such as at the Jubilee ceremony with Rod Stewart. We even do some digital wizadry, as with Abba, and give them young avatars. I am glad that Paul McCartney is still around but did not watch the event, thank you for updating me...
ReplyDeleteI never expected it to go on for two and a half hours Thelma! I thought ninety minutes at most.
DeleteThat's good. There are often songs best avoided by ageing singer and I might have thought Hey Jude was one. Well done that boy Paul.
ReplyDeleteI think he must have learnt some tricks. Not striving too hard for the top notes of his youth.
DeleteYes, I was worried that his performance would be a bit of a let down voice wise, but he did OK didn't he? He had the other band members singing with him for a lot of what I saw !( first half hour). Must have been way past his bedtime when he finished!
ReplyDeleteI saw the Beatles Live in early 60s in Leicester.......I say " saw", because I couldn't hear them due to the perpetual screaming from the stupid audience!
Wow! That is amazing Frances. I am pretty envious. Were you too worldly wise to scream?
DeleteI wanted to hear them!!
DeleteDefinitely a living legend. He is the only Beatle left I believe?
ReplyDeleteNo. Ringo is still in our midst River.
DeleteI'm going to watch him on Catch Up today. Did you ever get to see The Beatles YP? I would love to have seen John Lennon.
ReplyDeleteI badly wanted to see them at the ABC cinema in Hull but my parents blocked the idea. I was only ten or eleven at the time.
DeleteI am always in two minds about whether I want to see someone performing I admired when we were young - do I prefer to remember them as they were, or can I appreciate them all over again the way they are now?
ReplyDeleteA good and almost philosophical question Meike. Last night Paul McCartney did not let himself down.
DeleteWhat I find fascinating about PM is that, if you listen carefully, he knows how to phrase and modulate his voice. A lot of his songs could easily sound strained or forced sung by less experienced singers.
ReplyDeleteMaybe has learnt a few tricks because "strained" and "forced" would accurately sum up some of his pre-pandemic vocal performances.
DeleteI wondered from the title whether this was going to be about Harry.
DeleteOh - you mean Harry Gration! For a moment I thought you meant Prince Harry!
DeleteMy thoughts are similar to Meike's, though these days I can watch some of my old favourites (as they were in their heyday) on You Tube. Possibly watching them as they are today having something to do with advancing years - if they look old now, I must do too!
ReplyDeleteI was never a great Beatles fan back in the day - I think I only ever had a couple of their discs.
I was also never a big fan. For me they were too "poppy" but "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" came along and my views changed entirely. That was such a brilliant era defining album and it showed how much The Beatles had advanced.
DeleteI thought I left a comment earlier, but I don't see it? Could I be in spam jail?
ReplyDeleteNow sorted ma'am.
DeleteAlthough I’ve never been a big fan of Paul, I do appreciate his work and longevity at being relevant.
ReplyDeleteSixty five years in pop music. Incredible really.
DeleteThanks for that. I admire him.
ReplyDeleteAs a post script I saw The Beatles live before they were famous and a friend (who became the youngest Bank Manager for his - unnamed - bank) said "They'll never catch on". Of course he wasn't the only person to say that. John Lennon was just ahead of me in School. Hew was memorable even then.
ReplyDeleteYou must feel a special connection to The Beatles Graham. You could have got in there before Ringo Starr if you had had a drum kit. I can just imagine you with a Beatles fringe.
DeletePaul and Linda were my auntie's neighbors for years. My cousins grew up with Paul's kids and my mum even had lunch there once. Auntie Fran liked Linda very much. Hard to believe he's eighty but glad he had a good night.
ReplyDeleteWow! How amazing that you have that connection Nurse LIly.
DeleteI hate participating in quizzes with a passion. Few things give me less pleasure.
ReplyDeleteIn contrast, I love a nice, sociable quiz when the questions are pitched just right - not too easy and not too hard.
DeleteI'm glad he didn't disappoint. I've felt the same way you did about some of his past performances -- a little cringe-inducing, although I still admire and respect him immensely as a musician.
ReplyDelete