The much-lauded Got Back tour has finally made it to the East Coast, with a nearly three-hour set
What to write about music royalty—scratch that—a music deity—that hasn’t been written in the 60+ years Sir Paul McCartney has sat atop all of music with almost mythological status? Perhaps there’s always more to write because McCartney is always surprising his fans. He did this from the first note on this tour earlier in the fall, when he broke out The Beatles’ classic, “Help!” for the first time in years.
“Help!” has kicked off every show since, including the stop at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA, on Tuesday night (Nov 11th). McCartney took the stage in what has become his uniform: a navy double-breasted blazer, black slacks, and a white collar form-fitted to his neck. Interestingly, when he removed the jacket to reveal his vest, the interior of the double-breasted custom piece was a sky-and-cloud pattern. McCartney proudly showed it off while saying, “This is the only wardrobe change of the night.”)
History Höfner 500 was draped and gripped at the neck as if permanently affixed to his body. (It’s not, a few songs in he switched to a psychedelic guitar for “Let Me Roll It.”) McCartney ran through over 30 songs from the Beatles, Wings, and his solo discography. In between numbers, he had fun with the crowd, often crunching his face into a knowing expression that seemed to say, “Rock on!”
He also enjoyed teasing the crowd. Before “Come On To Me,” he cheekily proclaimed, “Here’s one you may not know as well. That’s ok. We’re gonna do it anyway.” The sold-out arena ate it up.
McCartney took to the piano for a section of songs, including “Let ‘Em In,” and a song he wrote for his wife called “My Valentine.” The latter included an artistic, touching interpretation of the lyrics in American Sign Language on the screens behind him. The funky “Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five” followed, with a laser light show.
McCartney and company used the special effects sparingly. Viral videos of the climax of the show, “Live and Let Die,” show the large extent of the flash. The night’s focus was squarely on the music, performed in-the-moment, thank you very much. After a quick gear glitch before the jumpy-strumming Beatles’ tune “I’ve Just Seen a Face,” McCartney covered by saying, “At least it proves we’re live!” to ecstatic cheers from the crowd.
A stripped-back set in front of an LED dropdown screen included “In Spite of All the Danger” and “Love Me Do” as a sort of Beatles history lesson. “Danger” was the first song they recorded, and “Love Me Do” is, of course, on the Abbey Road record.
One of the most poignant moments of the night was the acoustic performance of “Blackbird,” which McCartney performed atop a rising platform with a starry night surrounding him. Inspired by the American Civil Rights Movement, the song’s subtle, breathtaking beauty has kept it timeless, even decades after it was written.
Despite the depth of the setlist, McCartney still made time for stories. Stories about Jimi Hendrix, about the Fab Four, and of course, his writing partner, John Lennon. (“Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite” has as silly an origin story as you can imagine.) And Paul trotted out a Ukulele that George Harrison had gifted him, though Paul said just “George,” and the crowd went nuts.
Thirty-five songs barely felt like scratching the surface of McCartney’s importance to music. How can one man have had such a seismic impact on global culture, yet remain so cavalier about it? In that way, the night felt as much like a victory lap for McCartney—he seemed to want to revel in the music as much as the fans.
And if, like me, you were made to sing “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” for four straight years in middle school, singing it with Paul and 20,000 strong brings up all kinds of nostalgia. At 83, McCartney is certainly proof that life—and music—go on.
