A spirited YouTube video from the first show (above) and reports from the second show. First, from Bob Ward:
Hi Steve,
What a night at Fenway Park. You've seen the set list, and the soundcheck set list, so there's nothing I can add there.
Only a couple of impressions.
Is it me? Or is Paul enjoying the role of rocker more than ever? The Foxy Lady ending to Let Me Roll It was superb, and I thought it had gone on longer than it usually does. I saw Macca in 05 at the Fleet Center in Boston, and I don't recall the Foxy Lady coda even performed. And I know it wasn't performed in the Back in the US tour in Boston. At any rate, it was a thrill to hear watch Paul strap on that multi-colored axe and just lose himself in Jimi's riffs.
But that wasn't all.
I had no idea the band performed another mini jam after I've Got A Feeling. Again, Macca on lead (different guitar), just lost in his playing. Beautiful. I'm surprised no one has mentioned this before. When I've Got A Feeling ended, and the jam started, I turned to my wife and said, "I have no idea what he's playing now," words I'd never
expect to leave my mouth at a McCartney show! Again, this coda was not
performed in 05 at the Fleet Center.Also, there was some jamming on Paperback Writer, of all songs. Just enough to stretch the song out, so that it wasn't a carbon copy of the Beatles version. And this was far superior to the last time I heard this live, which was in 93 at Giant Stadium in NY.
I love how Paul's band has evolved into more of a 'band' than a mega rockstar and his sidemen. These guys can do paint by numbers, if they want to, but honestly, they just take things to a whole new level, adding real life to these songs.
The beginning of the concert was a bit startling to me. Not because of anything Paul and the band did, but by what they didn't do. I've been lucky to see Macca on every solo US tour of his career. Every single concert contained some kind of build up to stoke the audience. Not this time. At about 7:50, after a Twin Freaks version of Silly Love Songs played on the speakers, Macca simply walked on stage. Because we
were outside, it was still light out, and it was incredible to see Paul prowl up to the stage as just one of the guys. Paul milked the audience (which seemed surprised to see him), accepting the applause, before launching into Drive My Car.Finally, Paul himself. It's such a cliche, but he truly is getting better with age. Paul's voice seemed strong, no hesitation going for some tough notes. Beyond that, Paul moves around the stage with such fluidity and joy that it's infectious. It must be the veggie diet and the biking (he was spotted on the Esplanade in Boston Thursday
afternoon), this guy seems like nothing will slow him down.Steve, a great show. Thanks for the coverage of all the other McCartney shows.
Oh yeah, one little detail. The giant screens caught a close up of Nancy Shevel waving her arms, singing along, enjoying herself. And when she saw herself, she burst out laughing and hid her face. It was very funny. Lots of people in the crowd noticed and laughed.
Also, someone wrote a sign that begged Paul if he could be an assistant to John Hammel's assistant. Paul read it from the stage, and later Paul introduced Hammel to the crowd.
Thanks again Steve, have a great weekend,
Bob Ward
And from Charles Rosenay!!!, our Horror Happenings Examiner:
I went to Boston both nights (just got home), and the thing that stood out most was the action outside of the stadium. As Fenway Park is located in the city, and not built in the middle of a sports complex surrounded by miles & miles of parking lot spaces, people just hang out in the streets and enjoy the music that pours of the inside. Last night, when there was a higher chance of rain and thunderstorms, tickets were plentiful, and scalpers were selling their stock way below face value. On Thursday night, scalpers were there only to try and buy tickets to re-sell, because their inventory was depleted quickly - above face value.Cheers, Charles
And here again is the soundcheck for night 2 from Bob Gannon:
Matchbox
Honey don't
Jam
Coming up
Jam
All my loving
Let em in
Cmoon
San Francisco Bay Blues
Midnight Special
Jam
Dance tonight
Leaning on a lampost (complete)
Ram on
Yesterday
That would be something
- Providence Journal: McCartney can still mix it up
- NESN.com: Paul ball: McCartney rocks Boston as Red Sox prep for Yanks
Comments
Crowd for second night in Boston was MUCH better than the first (no suits taking up the front rows), everyone on the field stood the whole time, Paul was more engaged with the audience, chatty, feeding off the energy and it showed in his performance!
PS, as a Sox fan it was awesome to be at Fenway, and Charles (hi buddy!) is right, its so refreshing to be at a show at a facility in a real neighborhood with clubs and restaurants and people all around and not out in some complex in a marshland off an interstate... KUDOS to the Red Sox organization for bringing Paul to Fenway, it was ab fab!!
I don't see the post with the set list from 8/6. Am I missing that post?
Anyone know where I can find those Sir Paul t shirts?
Sir Paul,Is becoming as popular as the Beatles were.I cant help but see,that he enjoys making others happy.A happiness most others will never forget .
Check out the 2 videos I shot on the second night - on YouTube now. (I would have put the urls but somehow I'm not allowed...)
Paul also played a good chunk of "A Day in the Life" at Thursday's soundcheck.
i was at the aug 6th concert (great birthday present for my brother!!! he said best concert he's ever been too!!) paul was beyond awesome!! i've seen him at foxboro stadium, the fleet center and now fenway park. this was by far the best! he usually does an acoustic "set" on guitar/piano but not this time ..he rocked fenway!!! you couldnt help but catch his genuine love of playing/performing !!he had as much if not more fun than the audience did !!! he could have played all nite--and no one would have left till he was done playing. hope he never stops touring...
I was there the 2nd night,flew in from Buffalo.I sat at a cafe about 3-4pm outside Fenway and heard the band do about 10 full version full instruments songs (most were not played that night !) for what I was told was a Charity private concert.It stopped traffic like the Let It Be rooftop sessions and I was in Beatle heaven having lunch and a cold beer across the street !! While the opening act MGMT played that night I was stunned to see Abe Laboriel,Macca's drummer gyrating and running sound at the soundmix area set in a flannel outdoorsman shirt and no one seemed to recognize him except me,flipping to see him not only running sound but having some obvious connection with the young MGMT opening act !I have seen most McCartney concert tours and this was second only to the 1989 L.A. Forum show in Los Angeles that was the greatest ever.At that show when he did the Abbey Road medley the crowd went spastic and exploded, not a dry eye in the house..whew !Fenway was a great "Day in the Life"
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