Paul McCartney live in Dublin -- pictures and setlists from Sunday's concert and soundcheck

Paul McCartney, aka the Cute Beatle, jokes with the audience in Dublin on Dec. 20. (Photo: Bob Gannon.)

Here are the setlists and a report from Dublin by Bob Gannon. (Thanks again, Bob!!!) More photos are in the slideshow at the bottom of the page.

    Just got back from the show and a after party with friends. As far as energy/crowd and Paul's showmanship, this may have been the best show of the year. If not the best than really, really close. This show was high octane from sound check to concert. Let's start with the sound check 

 

Sound Check Set

01. Honey Hush

02. Honey Don't

03. Coming Up

04. Birthday

05. All My Loving

06. C Moon

07. Whole Lotta Shaking Going On

08. Celebration

09. San Francisco Bay Blues

10. I've Just Seen A Face

11. Midnight Special

12. Mull of Kintyre

13. Dance Tonight

14. Something

15. Mother Nature's Son

16. Yesterday

 

The VIP packages were handled superbly. The sound check people were given a choice of a seat in the 2nd tier or a GA spot which they were would be allowed first. Then the Hot Sound packages were let in behind them and between the two groups pretty much took up the front railing. The rest of the GA was then allowed entry behind us.
 

The crowd was very well behaved with little to no pushing or shoving that I could see. A couple of people passed out from drink during the show and had to be carried out by security. They let us in around 6:20 pm and the show started close to 6:25 pm. Paul in the black suit with white shirt, black suspenders and Beatle boots. The band was tight, Paul's voice was in fantastic form and he was animated beyond belief as he continually hammed it up for the cameras for people taking photos. Not only that, The Irish audience was simply fantastic singing along and having a party.

I haven't taken a good look at the prior European set lists but I think he may have changed the order of some songs tonight. When talking about "My Love" he said the original lead guitarist was Henry McCullough and then said that he was here tonight. Paul pointed into the balcony and a house spot lit up Henry McCullough who took a bow.

More big set news was the inclusion of "Wonderful Christmastime". iI sounded absolutely glorious as Paul, band and crowd had an absolutely amazing time singing the song. again it shows that some little known songs from the old catalog will always go over great!

After "Hey Jude" the band left the stage and the Dublin crowd began to get louder and louder trying to get Macca to come out for an encore. They then broke out into spontaneous song and continued singing "Hey Jude" by themselves. After a few minutes, Paul and band took back the stage and left the place unhinged. The venue was a little smaller than I thought it would be but it was nice.

Also while telling the George ukelele story, he began to play "Leaning on a Lampost" which the Dublin audience joined in nicely until Paul cut it short and went into "Something"

Well, I'm beat and it's time for bed. This show had it all and the last one  (in London on Dec. 22) looks to be very special. We are expecting "Mull of Kintye" with the Scottish bagpipe band and all of Paul's family is said to be coming. There was somne talk that South America may be in February.

Not only that but the VIP packages have a special night with a pre-soundcheck dinner, soundcheck, a post soundcheck cocktail party, the concert and then an after concert cocktail party.

 

More news to come from London!!!!!

 

Dublin Set List

01. Magical Mystery Tour

02. Drive my car

03. Jet

04. Only Mama Knows

05. Flaming Pie

06. Got to get you into my life

07. Let me roll it/ Foxy Lady

08. Highway

09. Long and Winding Road

10. I want to come home

11. My Love   (with shoutout to Henry McCullough)

12. Blackbird

13. Here Today

14. Dance Tonight

15. And I Love Her

16. Eleanor Rigby

17. false start of Leaning on a Lampost and then Something

18. Mrs Vandebilt  (with a slower intro)

19. Sing the Changes

20. Wonderful Christmas Time

21. Band on the run

22. Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da

23. Back in the USSR

24. I've got a feeling

25. Paperback Writer

26. A Day in the Life into Give Peace a Chance

27. Let it Be

28. Live and Let Die

29. Hey Jude

 

Encore #1

30. Daytripper

31. Lady Madonna

32. Get Back

 

Encore #2

33. Yesterday

34. Helter Skelter

35. Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (reprise)/ The End

(Editor's note: In comparing the set list from Cologne, it appears the order of several songs were changed after "And I Love Her." "Mrs. Vandebilt" followed that song in Cologne, where here it was moved farther down in the setlist. Also "Wonderful Christmastime" was moved out of the encore.)

More on the Dublin show:

• First details from the Paul McCartney show today in Dublin

More McCartney touring news:

• Beatles 101: All you want to know about Paul McCartney's 'Good Evening, Europe' 2009 winter tour - our complete tour coverage
• Beatles 101: Complete list of story coverage of Paul McCartney's 2009 U.S. mini tour
   

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