A well-known vegetarian visited cowherd heaven on a Tuesday evening, even if Paul McCartney was anything but out of place in an intimate setting.
Perhaps it’s the broccoli that keeps Sir Paul, a British royal in every sense of the word but the birthright, so energetic – and damn good, by God.
A month before his 80th birthday, the Liverpool lyricist returned to Fort Worth to take us on a seven-decade journey of his legendary singing and writing, gifts from another realm that keep on giving and giving, in front of adoring Dickies Arena fans who, for over 2.5 hours, clung to each of his notes like a frog on a fly as he hopped to a variety of instruments, with little effort to one tool to another.
Many paid a princely sum for the privilege of seeing it, with tickets Tuesday over $5,000 in markets where it’s hard to tell whether the law of supply and demand or the law of the underworld is competent. Still, it was hard to find an empty seat.
The appearance was his first stop in Funkytown since 1976, when he dropped by to kick off the historic ‘Wings Over America’ tour, McCartney’s first show in the US since breaking up the iconic Beatles .
The show was the fourth leg of the current 12-city “Got Back” tour.
McCartney blended his famous lyrics and melodies with great storytelling of his life as a performing artist, as well as a member of one of Western Civilization’s greatest bands.
“Hello, Fort Worth,” he greeted an enthusiastic crowd. “We’re going to have fun tonight. Let’s go.”
McCartney regaled the audience with timeless Beatles tunes, including opening the night with “Can’t Buy Me Love.” Other singles from the catalog included “Got to Get You into My Life”, “We Can Work It Out”, “Maybe I’m Amazed”, “Love Me Do”, “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La- Da”, “Let It Be” and “Hey Jude”.
“Blackbird” and “Lady Madonna” made return appearances from the show’s set list 46 years ago at the Fort Worth Convention Center (then the Tarrant County Convention Center). McCartney performed a song he wrote for his wife, Nancy, who was at the concert, “My Valentine”. The Wings were also well represented with ‘Junior’s Farm’, ‘Let Me Roll It’, ‘Band on the Run’ and ‘Live and Let Die’.
“Live and Let Die” was accompanied by a pyrotechnic display seemingly unseen since Mrs. O’Leary’s cow in Chicago, circa 1871. Sitting in the front rows came with another paid ticket: eyebrows.
“I have a feeling”, on the So be it album, was among the most emotional moments of the show.
Separated for more than 50 years on stage, McCartney and John Lennon – considered by many to be one of the most successful songwriting partnerships in rock ‘n’ roll history – have reunited as a duo once again, thanks to Peter Jackson, the director of the critically acclaimed documentary series “Get Back”.
Jackson, through some miracle of technology that I wouldn’t understand even if you gave it to me in the form of TX Whiskey, was able to separate Lennon’s vocal track on “I’ve Got a Feeling” so that McCartney could sing along. Behind McCartney were images of Lennon playing his roles.
Earlier on the show, McCartney performed “Here Today,” a song in the form of a letter he wrote to Lennon after his death in 1982 that describes their complex relationship.
As for this Beatle, the speculation that accompanies entering your ninth decade of life includes retirement. Or does it?
“We’ll see you next time,” he said, bowing one last time and leaving.
