The fact that a songwriter of a fondly remembered 60s band is selling out arenas in the modern day is difficult to comprehend - until you remember that it's Paul McCartney. Not only alive and well, the Beatle has been headlining back-to-back, three-hour shows for the last couple of years for his Got Back tour, and looking around The O2 tonight (Wednesday, 18th December), you can easily see how significant it is to have him back performing on home turf for the first time in six years.
The seeming scarcity of opportunities to experience this catalogue makes fans desperate to witness this music in the flesh: songs they have lived and breathed since childhood passed down between generations and rediscovered repeatedly. When McCartney walks on stage with iconic bass in hand, you know you are about to witness a true history lesson. "I've seen a Beatle!" fans exclaim before he quickly jumps into 'Can't Buy Me Love' and doesn't relent until the lights are off.
While later Beatles cuts are hailed as the pinnacle of artistry, it's often overlooked just how fun the early material is - you can certainly see how they earned their way up to Shea Stadium before the studio chapter began. No one is going to idolise the lyrics of 'Drive My Car', but the "beep beep, yeah!" is undeniably joyous, as are the musician's frequent improvised quips.
From the first Quarrymen recording to 2023's surprising new Beatles chart-topper and everything in between - the early Fabs' pop hits and their more considered later work, various McCartney solo cuts and some fun picks from the Wings era - this 36-song set is a deluxe run-through of perhaps the strongest back catalogue of any living artist.
Although keen to delve into all corners of his career, he is not running to escape the Beatles' shadow; how could you? Clips of his former bandmates constantly flicker between animated segments on the big screen, and it feels as though the arena is reliving past friendships right alongside Paul himself. This is particularly true for 'Here Today' and 'Now And Then', two tracks that are direct odes to his legendary songwriting partner, who also makes a virtual appearance on the rooftop for 'I've Got A Feeling'; those cuts explore the duality of their relationship, and to share such pain and consolation with twenty thousand people is a level of emotional generosity few others can aspire to, never mind repeat night after night.
Despite the 82-year-old now closing this tour leg after playing these songs hundreds, thousands of times, the material's potency is not lost on Paul or his adoring fans. This is not a man who necessarily needs to be performing; his bills are well covered, even after deploying a tonne of pyro for 'Live and Let Die'. However, his obvious seniority is forgotten when you see him screaming 'Helter Skelter' - admittedly with less power than he would have done those decades ago, but not missing a note throughout - or channelling the fragility of 'Maybe I'm Amazed'. The joy McCartney shows when looking back on his life's work is charming to witness and certainly explains why it has infected so many, yet this barely compares to the smiles looking back at him.
It's impossible to give a play-by-play of such an extensive show, but the show segments vary between tender and raucous and consistent streaks of iconic hits are mind-blowing. Who else can go from 'Get Back' to 'Let It Be' and then summon the audience-led chorus of 'Hey Jude'? No one, really. The weight of such a legacy does not crush but only cements the quality of these songs, songs that simply seek to make people happy. By that criteria, Paul McCartney's success doesn't need measuring.
