Paul McCartney - Live & Let Die - Tulsa BOK Center

August 17th 2009
The BOK Center celebrated its first birthday Monday night with one of the biggest names in modern music history — Paul McCartney.
A sold-out crowd crammed into the venue, the only indoor show on the former Beatle's current U.S. tour. Gov. Brad Henry declared Monday to be "Paul McCartney Day."

McCartney's set stretched to nearly three hours and featured a roster of Beatles and Wings hits, including "Drive My Car," "Live and Let Die," "The Long and Winding Road," "Eleanor Rigby," "Back in the U.S.S.R.," "I'm Down," "Helter Skelter," "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," and "Hey Jude."

Many of the songs were never performed live by the Beatles. The band stopped touring in 1966, before the release of some of its most popular albums, including "Abbey Road," "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," "The White Album," "Let It Be" and "Yellow Submarine."

"Hello, Tulsa! Hello, Oklahoma!" McCartney yelled after a couple of songs, bringing nearly 20,000 cheering spectators to their feet.

Reminiscent of iconic images of teens swooning before the stage at Beatles' concerts, women of all ages hopped to their feet, shaking and screaming, leaning over a safety rail up front and reaching out to McCartney.

McCartney, 67, spoke about how happy he was to be back in Tulsa after his vacation last year, when he traced Route 66. He paused and shrugged, bowed, and said he needed to pause to "take it all in."

Female screams erupted. "Now, that's the noise," he said with a laugh.

Listeners teared up as McCartney explained the meaning of his song "Blackbird," and the stage cleared for just him and his guitar.

"Picture a young black girl in the troubled South" during the 1960s, he said. "We saw what was happening in the States," and that song was the Beatles' commentary on the state of the troubled union, he said.

That brought the first of many standing ovations he received during the show.

He took over a Yamaha grand piano for "The Long and Winding Road" before dedicating "My Love" to his late wife and former Wings bandmate, Linda McCartney. She died in 1998 from complications of cancer.

Part of being a living legend is dedicating so much of a set to those who have already gone: fellow Beatles John Lennon and George Harrison; Linda McCartney; even Jimi Hendrix. And McCartney thanked the people who for decades helped his meteoric rise to fame.

He lifted the mood with a happy whistle and foot-stomping "Dance Tonight," soon followed by "Back in the U.S.S.R.," "Band on the Run," and a full-crowd sing-along of "Give Peace a Chance."

McCartney wrote nearly all of these, many with Lennon's help.

Once considered "the cute one" of the Beatles, McCartney is considered by many to be the greatest songwriter in history. He's far and away one of the most successful.

Time magazine included Beatles members this year in its list of "The Most Important People of the 20th Century." McCartney's influence is broad and deep, and his fans span generations.

He performed the old favorites "Let It Be" and "A Day in the Life," and he included "Sing the Change" by the Firemen, his current band.

His entire show was tight and loud — and timeless.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• PAUL
• MCCARTNEY
• CONCERT
• TULSA
• BOK
• LIVE
• LET
• DIE
• BEATLES
• PYRO

[MrMegastarwarsfan]

Firework feature was loud I've always hated conserts

[highhoyoyo]

I went to this concert and it was absolutely amazing!

[ILuvJerryLeeLewis]

Great video, shows the fireworks display really good! Thanks for sharing!

[persiancl]

That concert was amazing! I didn't want it to end.