Paul McCartney Welcomes Billy Joel to New York's Citi Field
- Posted on Jul 18th 2009 8:01PM by Joseph Coscarelli
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It's been almost 44 years since Paul McCartney and his fellow Beatles touched down at New York's Shea Stadium on an August night in 1965. That ballpark -- home of the Mets -- no longer stands, but its replacement, Citi Field, hosted a summer homecoming Friday night as McCartney powered through four decades of hits, and was eventually joined by Billy Joel for a celebratory rendition of 'I Saw Her Standing There.'The collaboration was fitting as Joel had been the last to perform at the now defunct Shea Stadium, joined then by McCartney for a more nostalgic take on the early Beatles classic.
Coming full circle in new surroundings, the spirit -- and the songs -- remained largely the same, and the night felt alive with new beginnings. McCartney, now a spry 67, was adorned on either side by massive video screens, his every tic and grin broadcast through the night sky to the stadium faithful. He seemed full of life, barreling through Beatles favorites like 'Eleanor Rigby' and 'Back in the U.S.S.R.,' while also highlighting his Wings period and beyond, including an explosive performance of 'Live and Let Die,' as fireworks illuminated the field.
It was also a night of tributes as McCartney remembered his legendary bandmates, dedicating George Harrison's 'Something' to the late guitar player, and the touching 'Here Today' to John Lennon. Perhaps most moving, however, was 'My Love' for his first wife Linda, who died at 56 of breast cancer.
But McCartney ended on the highest of notes, steering the enraptured masses through a trifecta of rock 'n' roll; He moved from the still raucous 'Helter Skelter' into 'Get Back,' with the night culminating in the reprised 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'/'The End.' And lest anyone forget, Sir Paul was there to remind one and all: "And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."
- Filed under: Concerts and Tours, News
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