The FLYING BEATLE

On 14th April 2003 I went to the Birmingham NIA to see Paul McCartney, whom I regard to be the greatest living singer/songwriter of the last 40 years. I arrived at the NIA at about 6pm and got settled into my seat by about 7pm which was about an hour before the show was due to start. This however, did not matter as the audience could send text messages to a large screen for the rest of us to read. The only problem with this, was that the messages scrolled up the screen too fast.

At about 8.15 the Pre-show started, I thought this was a little weird but very clever and very colourful. This lasted about 20 minutes before PAUL and the Band came on stage and started with HELLO GOODBYE. I can't really say what the highlights for me on the night were as I enjoyed every song.

FULL SET LIST
Hello Goodbye
Jet
All My Loving
Getting Better
Let Me Roll It
Lonely Road
Your Loving Flame
Blackbird
Every Night
We Can Work It Out
You Never Give Me Your Money / Carry The Weight
Fool On The Hill
Here Today - tribute to John Lennon
Something - tribute to George Harrison (ukelele version)
Eleanor Rigby
Here, There And Everywhere
Things We Said Today
I've Just Seen A Face
Calico Skies
Two Of Us
Michelle
Band On The Run
Back In The USSR
Let 'Em In
My Love
She's Leaving Home
Can't Buy Me Love
Birthday
Live And Let Die
Let It Be
Hey Jude

FIRST ENCORE
The Long And Winding Road
Lady Madonna
I Saw Her Standing There

SECOND ENCORE
Yesterday
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band / The End

I thought it was funny when he went a bit wrong at the end of BLACKBIRD, also some of the stories were funny. At one point in the show, on the lead-up to MICHELLE, when he was talking about his school days we were even cheering the place names, I think he thought we were mad, I think I agree with him. During the performance of LIVE AND LET DIE there was the use of Pyrotechnics, which made me think it's a good job THE WHO didn't do this song as the whole stage would be destroyed.

The full line-up of the band was:-

• PAUL McCARTNEY - Vocals / Bass Guitar / Guitars / Piano
• ABE LABORIEL JR. - Drums / Percussion / Backing Vocals
• RUSTY ANDERSON - Guitars / Backing Vocals
• PAUL 'WIX' WICKENS - Keyboards / Backing Vocals / Programming
• BRIAN RAY - Guitar / Bass Guitar / Backing Vocals

Of the other band members, the one that amazed me the most was the drummer ABE as I thought he was fantastic and a good singer as well.

Another thing that made my night was the thought that younger brother MIKE (who was in THE SCAFFOLD) and GEORGE MARTIN were in the audience.

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