McCartney's Magical Night At The Bowl

I have seen Paul McCartney five times in concert, beginning with a show at the Forum in 1989.
Every performance has been better than the last one, which is quite a feat, considering Paul was already forty-seven years old at my first show. Now he is three years shy of 70, giving credence to the old adage: "How old would you be if you didn't know how old you were?" In Paul's case, he still has the energy and enthusiasm of a 24-year old, which he was when The Beatles played their last show at Candlestick Park in August, 1966.

By then, Paul and his music were already a huge part of my life and I wasn't even ten! I knew all the words to every one of his songs and would lip-synch them for the amusement of my three sisters. He made me want to learn the guitar (and bass) a skill that greatly enhanced my teen-age years. In 1997 I finally made it to Liverpool where I went to a McCartney birthday party at the famous Jacaranda Club where the Beatles started out. Just like the man himself, his hometown exceeded my life-long expectations as I rode the Magical Mystery Tour bus and visited such sacred sites as Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane.

Obviously the man has had a huge influence on me. I have seen him perform with family and friends at my side and they've been some of the greatest moments in my life. So what made his show at the Hollywood Bowl March 30th so special? First, the location itself. The Beatles played the first rock concerts ever held there in 1964 and there's a special display about those dates near the entrance. A full moon in the sky and perfect weather added to the euphoric atmosphere inside the fabled amphitheater. And there was Paul, on stage with his killer band playing for nearly three hours! Looking good and sounding good, Macca played 34 songs which covered my entire life span. From the gentle "Blackbird" to the raucous "Helter Skelter," he played his old Hofner bass while singing complex vocals at the same time. Some songs he'd never done on stage before: "I'm Looking Through You" and "Ob-La Di-Ob-La-Da" were big surprises.

It wasn't just the old tunes that stood out. I loved the two songs from his recent "Fireman" project: "See The Changes" and "Highway." My favorite was "I Want to Come Home," a beautiful ballad from the movie "Everyone's Fine." Since the show it has become one of my favorites.

But my favorite song of all time is "Hey Jude." Hearing it for the fifth time, with 18,000 people singing the chorus, was as good as it gets for me. Because seeing Paul in person is not just another concert. Its an affirmation of the hero I chose as a kid whose music has guided my life for over five decades. During that time, I've learned how to "take a sad song and make it better"
and for that, I have to thank Sir Paul!