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Concert Review: Paul McCartney

On the night that the Astros made the World Series for the first time in their 44-year history, I took in the sold-out, 20,000-plus-attended, McCartney concert at the United Center.

Sitting behind me were a couple of women who were discussing seeing him at "White Sox Park" (to keep this marginally on-topic), as they called it; that would have been August 20, 1965, more than forty years ago.

It's a sobering thought to think that McCartney, the second-youngest of the Beatles, was an international star then at the age of 23.

Now 63 (there was a sign in the crowd last night reading "Welcome To Chicago -- Once More Before You're 64", referring, of course, to the Beatles track "When I'm Sixty-Four"), McCartney rocks just as hard as ever.

You wouldn't believe that if you read either Chicago newspaper review today; both Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot basically said that Macca was resting on his laurels and that the show was somewhat mechanical.

I didn't find it that way, though I could have done without the oddly-dressed DJ-type guy who was playing remixes of old Beatles and McCartney songs before the red-and-gold curtain was raised, and the video montage/history of Paul's career was rather dull and ordinary as well.

But once the music started, it didn't stop for two hours and forty-five minutes, and he played several new songs ("Fine Line", from his new release, was the best of them), as well as many, many old favorites.

How else can anyone who's been playing music as long as Paul McCartney do it? Since it's true that most of the music that made McCartney popular is thirty to forty years old, that's the music that people want to hear -- and the crowd was mostly people my age and even older, although there were plenty of kids and teenagers too, since his music really does transcend the generations.

His touring band was the same band that toured with him in 2002, last time he played the UC, and they were just as good this time. As both newspaper reviews said, though, McCartney was at his best when the band wasn't even there; solo acoustic guitar work on "Blackbird" and "Yesterday" and another new song, "Jenny Wren", were among the highlights of the show. Paul pointed out proudly that one of the acoustic guitars was the very same one he used on the Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964, the one I remember watching with my then-horrified parents and grandparents, who didn't grasp the grasp that these "long-haired" kids from England (check out the haircuts and see how laughable the "long-hair" claim was!) were about to have on this country, and the world.

Maybe the reviewers are holding McCartney up to impossible standards because of all this history. I enjoyed the show just as much as the 2002 show, and many, many of the songs spoke to me, brought me back to earlier, happy times in my life, and what's so wrong with that?

Something I mentioned in connection with the U2 show I saw last Friday came out yet again with this show. Of course, McCartney said how much he loves Chicago, called it the "Windy City" -- though lead guitarist Rusty Anderson embarrassed himself by saying he had been out shopping on "Michigan Street."

Had a smart person in McCartney's PR entourage mentioned the White Sox to him, I'd bet Paul would have made an on-stage mention of them, and that might have revved up the crowd. But it didn't happen.

That's a quibble -- I loved the show, and I hope Paul comes back next year for a "When I'm Sixty-Four" tour.

AYRating: *** 1/2

One last note on the now-set World Series matchup: just as in 2002 when the choices were the never-winning Angels and the not-since-1954 Giants, you now have the never-winning Astros and the not-since-1917 White Sox. This is a much more evenly matched series than White Sox/Cardinals would have been. Houston's pitching matches up well with the White Sox offense; the Sox are the hotter team (having won 12 of their last 13), but have had a week off. Houston has an excellent DH candidate in Jeff Bagwell.

I look forward to a good Series. I'll be there Saturday and Sunday.

0 recs | Comment 29 comments

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one correction ...
George Harrison was the youngest Beatle.

by kjk on Oct 20, 2005 10:47 AM CDT   0 recs

Thanks...
... for the correction. I'll fix it.

by Al on Oct 20, 2005 10:57 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Your McCartney point...
about transcending generations is right on. But it's more than that. When we saw him in San Jose last tour, you could close your eyes before the show and listen to myriad of languages people were speaking in--chinese, viet, tagalog, spanish, portugese. I tried to think of another artist that could such a diverse crowd. I couldn't come up with one.

by bison on Oct 20, 2005 2:43 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Derogatis Is A Toad
He's been this way for quite a while. He doesn't feel like a true critic unless he rips the Stones or McCartney so he can say he's not afraid to take on the heavyweights. He's useless.

We'll be seeing McCartney twice next month. Once at Staples Center and the other at the Pond. It'll be my fifth and sixth time seeing him. Always a fantastic show.

by BeerCub on Oct 20, 2005 9:04 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Glad to hear...
... that my impressions of the show weren't wrong. Enjoy them out in CA. I'll definitely go see him again next time he tours.

by Al on Oct 20, 2005 9:07 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I'll be at the game Sunday
Not sure what seats yet or anything.  I'll try to stop by and say hi - it'll be nice to see a fellow incognito Cub fan amongst the sea of rabid Sox supporters.  

by SuperContext on Oct 20, 2005 12:32 PM CDT   0 recs

Email me privately...
... when you know where you'll be sitting.

by Al on Oct 20, 2005 1:12 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

World Series = Rabid Fans?
The ALDS seemed to have a lot of rapid Sox fans.  I just wonder though how rabid the fans will be at the World Series.  From what I understand the Sox were able to sell only a few thousand tickets for each game.

by DrCrawdad on Oct 20, 2005 4:35 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I have been told...
... that each ML team gets an allotment of "several hundred" tickets. These go to all ML players and coaches, as well as many front office employees.

Some of these are probably the ones that wind up on the secondary market. That's not a wonderful thing, but I think it's a fact, especially this year when you have lots of pent-up demand, as shown by some of the eBay auctions for tickets (have you looked? The prices are out of control).

In watching WS games on TV, you certainly see rabid fans and loud crowds at every ballpark (remember the sea of red ThunderStix in Anaheim in 2002?). So I doubt it'll be any different this weekend, or for that matter when the series moves to Houston (where IIRC the season ticket base is larger).

by Al on Oct 20, 2005 5:22 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

High prices
I guess if you're willing to unload several thousands of dollars to attend the Sox World Series games you must be a fan or a person with lots of disposable income, or both.

A Sox fan friend who grew up down the street from me figured quite a good way to obtain tickets on the day the tickets went on sale.  He had got the local, non 800, phone number for Ticketmaster (or whomever it was that sold the tickets) in New Orleans.  So, the moment that the tickets went on sale he called that local New Orleans number.  He said he got right thru, and nabbed 4 lower deck tickets for game one.

There is always the option my uncle chose for the '59 series at Comiskey, sneak in.  Somehow I bet that won't be as easily done now with all the extra security, post-9/11.

by DrCrawdad on Oct 20, 2005 8:05 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Your friend got lucky...
... there are plenty of numbers like this, reasonably well known, and I'm sure people all over the country were calling them.

Congrats to your friend. Did he sell you one of the tickets?

by Al on Oct 20, 2005 8:10 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Do you mind if I ask, Al,
how you were able to get tix to 2 games?  Neither I nor a slew of friends (who are longtime Sox fans) were able to get a single ticket.

by dfrancon on Oct 20, 2005 8:33 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

This one.....
... I'm going to keep some secrets to myself, if you don't mind.

I'll be there vicariously for everyone here at BCB, and dreaming of the Cubs playing at this time a year from now.

by Al on Oct 20, 2005 8:59 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Won't be there for me...
If I had a ticket it would of been on Ebay in an instant.  I wouldn't go if I had a free ticket.  I have never been to a World Series game and I won't till it is a Cubs one.  If I never go to a WS game, so be it.

by mannytrillo on Oct 20, 2005 10:44 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Funny 'cos
The actual Manny Trillo will no doubt be at The Cell for the World Series.  Manny is a coach in the Sox system, and I believe he has been with the team since the end of the minor league season.

by DrCrawdad on Oct 21, 2005 11:05 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

am i the only one
that really can give a crap less about the World Series and just the hot stove season?

or am I just weird?

2006 -- AC026097 -- Eamus Catuli!

by priorpwnz on Oct 20, 2005 1:33 PM CDT   0 recs

It's gonna be a good series.
By the way, it will be AC 036198 -- 026097 was 2005.
AC036198

by gjdow on Oct 20, 2005 2:24 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

i know
but the 2006 season hasn't begun yet, when it does I'll change it.
2006 -- AC026097 -- Eamus Catuli!

by priorpwnz on Oct 20, 2005 2:43 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

OK
You have 2006 in your sig, so I guess I just got confused!
AC036198

by gjdow on Oct 20, 2005 3:42 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

oh typo!
oh thank you...good point -- lol sorry
2006 -- AC026097 -- Eamus Catuli!

by priorpwnz on Oct 20, 2005 3:45 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I think you will find many
with the same thoughts.  Helen wrote she hopes the Astros win to get Clemens to retire.  If that's the case, I'm all for an Astros win.  Some would argue that a Sox win would put even greater pressure on Hendry.  I'm more concerned what Hendry is going to do to get us in the WS in '06.

This still goes back to Cashman failing to come to agreement with Pettite.  Had he re-signed with NYY, Clemens is still retired and the Astros wouldn't have been heard of in the last 2 years.

by socalbob on Oct 20, 2005 1:41 PM CDT   0 recs

on a side note
Where the hell do they find this crap?

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=2197632

"Until now. The Sox, until further notice, rule this city. "

No. Just no.

"I find Szczudlo at Murphy's Bleachers, a landmark bar located just across the street from the ancient centerfield scoreboard. Murphy's is a Cubs stronghold, but today the sign outside the bar reads, 2 Dogs For $2, $2 Micro Brews, Go Sox. "

Tell me this is a lie, someone tell me this is a lie!

2006 -- AC026097 -- Eamus Catuli!

by priorpwnz on Oct 20, 2005 1:46 PM CDT   0 recs

ill have you know
I dropped Gene a friendly line after reading that article.

by Slaky311 on Oct 20, 2005 3:16 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Sure..
they may rule the city, but they don't rule my house.  That's all that matters to me.

And personally, I think if it brought more money into my house I would sell Sox gear and write Go Sox on a sign.

Cubbie blue always sPaRkLeS in my eyes.

by sparkles721 on Oct 20, 2005 4:44 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Murphy's not shy about making a buck...
Plenty of times they've rented the roof out to Cardinals groups or St. Louis radio stations.

by bison on Oct 20, 2005 9:21 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Wrong Poll Question Al
Should be not who do THINK will win but who do
you WANT to win, Bet the Astros numbers go up at least
another 10 points

Also Priorpwnz pay no attention to the Murphy's
They are a commercial establishment and have
had welcome Cardinal Fan signs up in the past
It is all about the money to them

Jessica

by jessica on Oct 20, 2005 3:18 PM CDT   0 recs

just like the stores
Wrigleyville sports is displaying MANY White Sox items in their windows. They'll make some money off this run if they can too. I guess I cant blame 'em.

by Slaky311 on Oct 20, 2005 4:09 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

ohhh that explains it
thanks Jess.

being on the south side and full-time job and everything I don't get much of a chance to spend much time up there.

2006 -- AC026097 -- Eamus Catuli!

by priorpwnz on Oct 20, 2005 4:10 PM CDT   0 recs

Bagwell....
I hadn't thought about that.  That's gotta take away a good chunk of the advantage that the AL usually has playing at home in the WS.
"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!" -Homer J. Simpson

by Whitebacon on Oct 21, 2005 5:04 AM CDT   0 recs

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