There are only a few artists that I would pay top dollar to see in concert. Elvis Presley is one of them and the other would be Paul McCartney.
Rock icon Sir Paul McCartney performs at the Tobin Center on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2014. Photo: Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News
Well on October 1, 2014, I got to see Paul McCartney with 1,750 other fans at the Tobin Center in San Antonio, Texas.
Here is the article of the once in a lifetime concert.
Paul McCartney quotes Shakespeare and sings at special San Antonio benefit show
October 2, 2014 1:18 PM MST
Paul McCartney, who usually performs at huge stadiums, sang to only an estimated 1,750 fans on Oct. 1 at a benefit for the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts. And Angie Martindale told Beatles Examiner it was a unique experience.
“The evening with Paul McCartney at the newly opened Tobin Theatre in San Antonio was a very special night. Having only seen Paul in large arenas and ballpark settings, the intimate setting was a thrill,” she told us. “The Tobin is an opera house style building, and Paul was very impressed by it. He felt inspired enough to quote Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’ for a bit of fun,” she said.
“The acoustics in the building were phenomenal. His voice was strong and clear, ‘Blackbird’ and ‘Yesterday’ were never so sweet as his voice filled the hall. Those around me who hadn’t seen Paul before said he still sounds the same as 50 years ago, which is true,” she said.
Mike Webber also felt the show was very unique. “This was a show unlike any other McCartney concert I’ve been to. The actual performing area of that stage was only 40 to 50′ wide and maybe 15 to 20′ deep, so the set up was tight and that seemed a good thing. It was the most efficient Macca show I’ve ever seen. Need a guitar, it’s already here. Walk to the piano, it’s like seven steps. The pacing was something to behold & it seemed to spill over with less of the predictable stage patter.
“That was fine by me, as Macca’s between-songs patter seemed far more intimate and local. You know about the references to being in a theater and Shakespeare. He also took a book that a local had written and given to him, then read a bit of it to himself. For those (like me) who cringe a little at fake spontaneity, I didn’t miss the script at all.
“Another facet of that staging was that there was nowhere to go off stage so the magic piano was still visible when it had been rolled off stage but more importantly, so were the band. I could see Rusty and Brian watching Paul perform ‘Blackbird’ and ‘Yesterday,’ something one doesn’t usually get from the audience. It’s such a small hall, too, that when Paul dedicated ‘My Valentine’ to Nancy, an audience member on the floor could, in fact, look up and see Nancy and then turn their head and see Paul and yeah, they could see each other.
“There were the backdrop screens for the canned video projections but none for the live shots which was fine – they weren’t needed. I occasionally find myself watching those screens too much and remind myself to be in the moment and watch the performer on the stage, so again I didn’t miss the live screens at all. Anybody in the hall was close enough to see his actual facial expressions.”
Alan Weinkrantz of the Rivard Report agreed that the acoustics were quite superb. “Seated in the upper balcony, I could hear the unique tone and resonance of the acoustic guitars that Paul, Brian and Rusty played. During ‘And I Love Her,’ you could not only hear the distinct fingering of the guitars, you could hear drummer Abe Laboriel, Jr. playing the bongos, just as if Ringo were sitting right in front of you during the ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ movie.”
Martindale said the attendees got a little gift from McCartney. “All who attended received a beautiful souvenir tour book,” she said. “Paul’s music spreads a spirit of peace and love that touched all who attended. I was thankful to be able to attend this very special concert.”
And the Tobin Center will be the site of another Beatles show next week. Ringo Starr and the All-Starr Band will be playing there Oct. 7.
Here’s the full set list, a little shorter than his stadium shows, as reported to Beatles Examiner by McCartney’s press office: “Eight Days a Week,” “Save Us,” “All My Loving,” “Let Me Roll It”/”Foxey Lady,” “My Valentine,” “Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five,” “The Long and Winding Road,” “Maybe I’m Amazed,” “I’ve Just Seen a Face,” “We Can Work It Out,” “Another Day,” “And I Love Her,” “Blackbird,” “NEW,” “Lady Madonna,” “All Together Now,” “Eleanor Rigby,” “Something,” “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,” “Band on the Run,” “Back in the U.S.S.R.,” “Let It Be,” “Live and Let Die,” “Hey Jude.” Encore 1: “Day Tripper,” “Get Back.” Encore 2: “Yesterday,” “Golden Slumbers”/“Carry That Weight”/“The End.
From AXS Entertainment Arts & Entertainment Music
Here are some of the pictures I took at the concert.
My view from the balcony seats… Not too bad of a view.
Yup, Sir Paul with a Flag of Texas!
These were my favorite songs from the night:
“The Long and Winding Road” (One of my favorites.)
“Lady Madonna”
“Band on the Run”
“Maybe I’m Amazed”
“Yesterday”
“Blackbird”
“Hey Jude”
“Day Tripper”
“Something”
“Get Back” (This song brought a tear to my eye, it was one of my brother, Joe’s favoirtes.)
“Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End”
“Live and Let Die” (This song was the best — fire, smoke, loud music.)
All I can say, is that I am glad I deceided to spent the money a ticket to this concert. Like I said before, it was a one in a lifetime opportunity to see Paul McCartney with 1.750 other fans!
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