McCartney thrills record-breaking crowd
I woke up, and my ears were still ringing.
Blame Monday night’s packed Paul McCartney concert at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. The former Beatle and solo songwriter ran through 60 years of material at maximum volume and sincerity as thousands of concertgoers sang along. McCartney’s catalog is the world’s pop song handbook. Billions of ears have been listening and half as many mouths have been screaming their affection for a lifetime.
McCartney also made history that night. His Oklahoma City stop of his “One On One” tour broke his own record for the biggest show at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The concert attracted 13,040 guests. The venue shared the news Tuesday morning.
The concert felt like years of studying for the biggest karaoke test ever. It was impossible not to giddily sing with the band.
From mop-topped boy band gems to his “new” material, McCartney, 75, belted nearly 40 tracks without an intermission during his three-hour set. No water break was in sight, unless he sneaked one before the encore. What a champ. There wasn’t even a moment where he looked out of breath.
The applause seemed endless after McCartney and Co. took stage at 8:25 p.m., a little late, but I didn’t hear anyone complaining. I only heard requests for more.
If you’d closed your eyes during the opening notes of “A Hard Day’s Night,” then you would’ve sworn it was 1964 again. I wasn’t around for a show back then, but I was eager to experience a concert with McCartney. Also, indoors with air conditioning.
“I have a feeling we’re going to have a lot of fun in this room tonight,” McCartney said to the crowd.
He was right, and here are some highlights from the “One on One” tour stop in downtown Oklahoma City. Read the full list on NewsOK.com.
1. It was a hot summer evening inside and outside of the venue. McCartney made a note of it and removed his fab blue blazer a few songs into the set. He had me beat. I was sweating halfway into the first song.
2. The Wings classic “Let Me Roll With It” was punctuated with a Jimi Hendrix-inspired “Foxy Lady” jam. McCartney shared a story about meeting the famed guitarist in the ’60s. He caught Hendrix live a couple of days after “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” was released and watched him cover the title track. McCartney added that after the song Hendrix asked Eric Clapton to tune his guitar.
3. “Temporary Secretary” is a weird song but in all the right ways. I was introduced to it Monday night. It sounded like DEVO had climbed onstage, and the copious bloops felt trippier than anything on “Sgt. Pepper’s.”
4. I had forgotten to bring ear plugs, but I really pined for sunglasses. The stage lights had a habit of blasting the crowd and freezing right at eye level. “Here Comes the Sun” indeed.
5. Several songs into the show, McCartney finally sat behind a piano. He dedicated “My Valentine” to his wife, Nancy Shevell, who was in attendance. The duo explored Route 66 back when they started dating in 2008 and paid Oklahoma City a visit. McCartney said a nervous bellhop mistook him for Paul Simon.