Paul McCartney officially announces ticket details for July concerts at Citi Field

June 3, 7:02 AMBeatles ExaminerSteve Marinucci

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  Paul McCartney (AP file photo)

 Paul McCartney will perform the  first concerts at Citi Field, the new home of the New York Mets, July 17 and 18, it was announced early Wednesday.

Tickets go on sale June 15 at 10:00 A.M. ET online exclusively at www.507TIXX.com and by phone at 718-507-TIXX. These concerts will be held rain or shine.

McCartney and the Beatles’ christened Shea Stadium musically in 1965, giving the first concert ever in the old stadium in front of 55,000 fans. Last year, McCartney helped close the venue with a surprise performance at Billy Joel’s “Last Play at Shea” show.

"I am really excited about playing Citi Field - The Beatles were the first to play at Shea Stadium and along with Billy Joel I was the last to sing at the old Shea. So to be the first to play this stadium is incredible. I am really looking forward to a buzzing show," McCartney said in the statement.

“Every time Paul McCartney steps on a stage is a special event because of the timelessness of the music and the enthusiasm and verve that this icon gives to each performance,” said Randy Phillips, President & CEO of AEG Live. “Christening Citi Field as a venue will give this concert the added weight of the historical significance of The Beatles appearance at Shea Stadium 44 years ago.”

"There's no more appropriate artist in the history of rock and roll to play the first concert at Citi Field," said Jeff Wilpon, COO, New York Mets. "The era of big-time rock and roll concerts started with Paul and The Beatles at Shea and we're thrilled to continue that tradition at our new home."

The Citi Field concerts on July 17 and July 18 are expected to include classics from McCartney’s all phases of his career with the Beatles, Wings and his solo career hits as well, plus selections from his most recent album, "Electric Arguments," released under his alias The Fireman.

The Citi Field shows will be McCartney's first U.S. appearances since his recent performances at the Coachella festival and the opening of the new Joint in Las Vegas.

The Beatles' Shea Stadium concert remains a historic concert. It set new attendance records and was the first huge large-scale, outdoor concert that demonstrated such events could be hugely successful and profitable.

Paul McCartney returned to Shea Stadium on July 18, 2008 for the first time in 43 years for a surprise guest performance at Billy Joel’s “Last Play at Shea” concert. In front of a sold-out audience of 55,000, McCartney sang “I Saw Her Standing There.” He closed the night with  “Let It Be” featuring Joel on backing vocals, the last song sung in the venue.