I’ve been doing show reviews for about 9 years now and I may consider this one the most meaningful and emotional one for me to write. Why you may ask? Well, it’s about a gentleman who was one of the fab four, whose band The Beatles revolutionized popular music as we know it. Sir Paul McCartney came to play Buffalo, NY for the first time EVER! Yes, none of his former band mates (sans Ringo Starr) have ever played Buffalo. A chance to see this living legend put most of the Western New York area in a frenzy over the last 2 months, trying to secure tickets for the performance. Ones that weren’t so lucky to get a pair were shelling out $400 to scalpers just for the cheapest seats in the house before the show. I’m not the biggest Beatles fan, but I am indeed a fan, and took in McCartney’s show a few days earlier in Toronto to get a nice warm up for the Buffalo appearance.
The buildup was almost just as exciting as the show. All the major TV stations and most local radio stations set up shop outside the First Niagara Center before the concert for pre show broadcasting. Besides the overall excitement, I wanted that someone special to accompany me to the event. So, I would ask none other than my mom, whom I wanted to witness maybe the most important musical event to ever hit Buffalo. The only other event that I think could have taken precedence over it or held equal status would be Elvis Presley’s visit here in 1976 (about a year before he died). With the way social media is and how everything is so overly hyped, this show I’m sure would exceed any hype that was around during that time.
Let’s fast forward to the night of music. Sir Paul and his band took the stage to a sense of anticipation, the likes of which, I have never felt before. It was oozing out of the crowd, as it was the first time most have ever seen him. He started off with the Beatles classic “Eight Days a Week.” It took a few songs for McCartney to utter the phrase the crowd so desperately wanted to hear… “Hey Buffalo!!!” was finally uttered from his lips. He would only mention the word “Buffalo” one other time later in his set but yes, it was more of a confirmation moment that needed not to be only seen but heard.
McCartney has been touring with the same band for over 10 years now. This includes Brian Ray on guitar, Rusty Anderson on guitar, Abe Laboriel Jr. on drums and Wix Wickens on keyboards. It’s an amazing band who provides him great musical and harmony support. Especially Laboriel Jr., who is an underrated talent that really backs McCartney with his terrific harmonies and plays within the consistent style that is needed for the band to be tight and successful. At one point, he came out from behind the kit to sing “Eleanor Rigby.”
McCartney was witty and charming throughout, sharing stories of Jimi Hendrix along with both of his deceased Beatle band mates, John Lennon and George Harrison. For Lennon, he went on a platform that rose above the crowd so that everyone was able to get a front row seat during “Here Today.” “This was written for John, in memory of the things I never got to say to him,” he said. During Harrison’s song, he talked about how great of a ukulele player George was. He then played the first half of the beautiful song “Something.” The sparks and fireworks flew for the dynamic “Live and Let Die.” McCartney talked about how his band was the first to play Red Square in Russia. He mentioned how Russian dignitaries learned English by listening to Beatle records.
He also brought up a few lucky fans that were picked out according to what their sign’s said. One wanted a hug, one other wanted his autograph on the poster she created.
After a few encores, the band played yet another few songs to wrap of the evening , including the appropriate “The End” which ended the night’s festivities.
I think The Beatles and McCartney in general, are the only artists who can elicit emotions for any type of fans young and old. Hence me saying earlier how I enjoyed this whole experience and watching others and the emotions pouring out during every word McCartney and his band sang. If it was the one and only show in Buffalo that he ever does, I can say that I have the memories that will last a lifetime and sharing it with my mom was the best part of it!
Setlist:
Eight Days a Week (The Beatles song)
Save Us
Got to Get You Into My Life (The Beatles song)
One After 909 (The Beatles song)
Temporary Secretary
Let Me Roll It (Wings song) (with “Foxy Lady” Jimi Hendrix cover outro)
Paperback Writer (The Beatles song)
My Valentine
Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five (Wings song)
The Long and Winding Road (The Beatles song)
Maybe I’m Amazed
I’ve Just Seen a Face (The Beatles song)
FourFiveSeconds (Rihanna and Kanye West and Paul McCartney cover)
We Can Work It Out (The Beatles song)
Another Day
Hope for the Future
And I Love Her (The Beatles song)
Blackbird (The Beatles song)
Here Today
New
Queenie Eye
Lady Madonna (The Beatles song)
All Together Now (The Beatles song)
Lovely Rita (The Beatles song)
Eleanor Rigby (The Beatles song)
Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite! (The Beatles song)
Something (The Beatles song)
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (The Beatles song)
Band on the Run (Wings song)
Back in the U.S.S.R.(The Beatles song)
Let It Be (The Beatles song)
Live and Let Die (Wings song)
Hey Jude (The Beatles song)
Encore 1:
Another Girl (The Beatles song)
Hi, Hi, Hi (Wings song)
Get Back (The Beatles song)
Encore 2:
Yesterday (The Beatles song)
Helter Skelter (The Beatles song)
Golden Slumbers (The Beatles song)
Carry That Weight (The Beatles song)
The End (The Beatles song)
