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The Philips Arena

PAUL MCCARTNEY

(October 15, 2014; THE PHILIPS ARENA, Atlanta GA)

Paul McCartney OUT THERE TOUR

Simply put, Paul McCartney’s OUT THERE TOUR is one of the great nights of musical entertainment. Here’s a guy who’s 72 years old, with all the money and fame in the world and he still puts on a close to three hour show, with hits from five decades of music, with his very capable band of Paul Wickens, who plays keyboards, guitarists Rusty Anderson and Brian Ray and drummer Abe Laboriel, Junior giving him all the support and room he needs to do his own thing.

Paul McCartney and the boys in the band (Rusty Anderson, Brian Ray, Abe Laboriel, Junior and Paul Wickens (photo credit: MJ KIM)
Paul McCartney and the boys in the band (Rusty Anderson, Brian Ray, Abe Laboriel, Junior and Paul Wickens (photo credit: MJ KIM)

McCartney, buoyant and full of life and energy, has the crowd in the palm of his hand as soon as he takes the stage. He starts off with the Beatles classic, “Eight Days a Week,” and never looks back. The newer songs, “Save Us,” “New” and “Queenie Eye,” off his recent studio album, NEW, fit comfortably among the classics everyone wants to hear. Paul’s tributes to John Lennon, with “Here Today,” and George Harrison, with a wonderful version of “Something” are stirring.

Paul McCartney's tribute to George Harrison, OUT THERE TOUR 2013 (photo credit/copyrighted by MJ KIM)
Paul McCartney’s tribute to George Harrison, OUT THERE TOUR 2013 (photo credit/copyrighted by MJ KIM)

Likewise, McCartney’s tribute to his late wife, Linda, with one of his very best solo songs, “Maybe I’m Amazed,” is one of the highlights of the show. Actually, there were too many great moments to talk about; he covered early, mid and late Beatles – “All My Loving,” “And I Love Her,” “I’ve Just Seen a Face,” songs from “SERGEANT PEPPER’S… ” and on and on. Tears were falling from audience faces when he played “Eleanor Rigby,” “Yesterday” and “Blackbird.”

Paul McCartney with Abe Laboriel, Junior, PHILIPS ARENA, October 15, 2014 (photo credit: PERRY JULIEN)
Paul McCartney with Abe Laboriel, Junior, PHILIPS ARENA, October 15, 2014 (photo credit: PERRY JULIEN)

Paul told stories of knowing Jimi Hendrix and being the first rock star to play Red Square in Moscow a few years back. The massive audience singalongs of “Let It Be” and “Hey, Jude,” the explosions during “Live and Let Die,” or how about an encore of a crunching “Day Tripper,” the Wings hit, “Hi, Hi, Hi” and “Get Back,” finishing the night off with “Yesterday,” “Helter Skelter” and the ABBEY ROAD medley (“Golden Slumbers,” “Carry That Weight,” “The End”). It was all almost too much at times but, to me, as a long time fan, just seeing McCartney up on stage and playing, entertaining the crowd… just being there for an evening was enough. For most fans, that was plenty.

Paul McCartney at the piano, OUT THERE TOUR 2013 (photo credit/copyrighted by MJ KIM)
Paul McCartney at the piano, OUT THERE TOUR 2013 (photo credit/copyrighted by MJ KIM)

After 50 years of making music that has become a part of so many people’s lives, you would think Macca would have had enough of it and would just want to take it easy. That’s just not the case. It was a magical night in Atlanta with Sir Paul; as the guy behind me kept saying, just one right after the other, “It’s just wonderful!” I think that pretty much summed up the evening.