Sir Paul, all in majesty

Sir Paul launched his new European tour at the Paris la Défense Arena. On December 4 and 5, he alternated between classics and surprises, in front of some 90,000 people over two days.

8:18 a.m. As cell phones crackle to announce the fall of the Barnier government, Sir Paul enters the scene. Who would dare say that this man is 82 years old? This is the same one who, 62 years ago, with John Paul and Ringo, set out to conquer the world and who, in less than a decade, led the most important popular revolution of the 20th century. Since then, thousands of songs, and thousands of concerts. And dozens of records. And hundreds of charted singles. This is all that Paul offered on these two Parisian evenings, he invited us to a unique “Magical Mystery Tour”.

After his tour last fall in South America, he hit the road again for a European trip. Höfner 500/1 bass on his shoulder, he will launch into a breathtaking set, between monumental hits taken up in chorus by the public and a few rarities, including the latest single, “Now and Then”, released last year and completed with artificial intelligence. By opening the show with “Can't By Me Love”, we know that we will be overwhelmed by a wave of good nostalgia. The voice is there, not as powerful as in the past or even his last concert in Paris, at the same place in 2019, but it passes… Without breaking and for more than 2 hours and 30 minutes!

Once launched, Sir Paul will continue with Wings revised and corrected, his prog-pop sauce of the time having not aged a bit and better, to renovate the live sound, we will highlight the first foray of a brass section – The Hot City Horns, composed of Paul Burton (trombone), Mike Davis (trumpet) and Kenji Fenton (saxophone) – on “Lettin Go”, who will appear in the aisles in the middle of the audience, adding a touch of soul.

Sir Paul's usual group is of course there: Abe Laboriel Jr; Wix Wickens; Paul, Rusty Anderson and Brian Ray. Together, they embark on “Drive My Car” then send a definitive “Got to Get You into My Life”. From there everything comes together in a pop whirlwind, like sound and lights! The light show is dense, with three screens, including one behind the stage and another small one placed against the upright piano installed facing the audience.

24 of the 36 songs sung are Beatles songs, including the entire second part of the concert, interspersed only by two Wings songs. He will still sing seven songs from the group that saw him through the 70s. But the audience was in heaven, and that's the main thing.

Acoustic guitar in hand, Paul will give pop archeology, with “In Spite of All Danger”, from the Quarrymen repertoire, the prehistory of the Beatles. Macca says: “we then went to London, to Abbey Road Studios, and that was the first thing we recorded”, and launches “Love me do”. He will continue with “Nineteen Hundred and Eightyfive” by the Wings, before sending out a sublime “Maybe I'm Amazed”, on a large black piano at the back of the stage. Taken from his first solo album, the performance can be defined as an act of bravery: a true vocal tour de force that he succeeded with flying colours.

After an hour of play, Paul attacks the tubes. He will not speak much, expressing himself through gestures, and his rare words in French are sentences that he has written on paper, proof of his desire to make himself understood by the entire public. He spoke of his happiness at being in France again and will take the opportunity to slip in a pretty “Michelle”. And it's also at this moment that the show will take the form of a master class on the art of pop, with “Lady Madonna”; “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!” ; the tribute to George, ukulele in hand for “Something”; “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da”; “Band on the Run” then “Get Back”. “Let it Be” will illuminate the room with a constellation of small lights in the stands, and will precede the excessive version of the pyrotechnic “Live and Let Die” before turning on the LED of his cell phone again for “Hey Jude” and its final chorus of 45 000 votes!

Then comes the first drop of the curtain and Macca and his musicians, standing close together, do the usual salute. The most important songwriter in history doesn't greet him alone from afar: he embraces his musicians. It is in this simplicity that its greatness also lies.

On the return, to the loud applause of a hot audience, Paul launches the fantastic “I've Got a Feeling”, a vocal duet with John Lennon whose images projected on the giant screen at the back of the stage, are taken from the film Let It Be and the Roof Concert. Paul did well in his move which he presented before singing by saying: “a very special song for me, you will see why”. Seeing him sing and interact with his alter ego is gripping. “I love singing with John again,” he will say simply at the end.

He will continue with two very powerful songs, “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)”, and the “precursor of hard rock” “Helter Skelter”, and its remarkable vocal effort, the singer literally tearing out his throat at this moment!

The show will end, as has been the custom for over thirty years, with a dazzling rendition of the Abbey Road finale, “Golden Slumbers”, “Carry that weight” and “You never give me your money”, to close. with the unforgettable message of “The End”, “and in the end, the love you receive is equal to the love you give”. And to dispel rumors that this is his farewell or his last tour, he will leave the stage simply saying goodbye with a “see you next time”, in an explosion of confetti. Thank you Paul, it was magical!

Find this live report on Sir Paul McCartney's concerts in our weekly n°180, available via our online store.