G's Spot: Finally, my Macca Experience!

I know, I know, hella late, but you know me! So about a week ago me & my bestie KiKi went to what was in my mind, not just a concert, but totally a complete life experience...seeing Paul McCartney LIVE at the Hollywood Bowl. KiK had seen Paul a few times before, but this was a total first for me! I'm a HUGE Beatles freak, so this was something I had been wanting to do for ages, but for one reason or another, just never got to. I felt like this time was the time I HAD to go see him. For one, I've never been to the famous, venerable old Hollywood Bowl (which is amazing, btw) and two, Paul is 68 years old, and ya never know how much longer he will decide to tour. In any case, the stars totally aligned and it was all about Paul!

We started off with a lil Macca fiesta at El Compadres on Sunset (right across the street from Guitar Center), awesome food & FLAMING, yes flaming pineapple margarita's. It was totally delish and the perfect way to get us in the Macca mood. We went and parked over at the Hollywood & Highland garage (no way we we're paying $30 to be stacked up like hot wheels in a total nightmare of traffic) so we payed our $6 and walked up Highland to the Bowl.

For those who have never been to the Hollywood Bowl, do yourselves a favor and definitely put it on your list of things to see. It's absolutely gorgeous and you can just feel the history and hear the echos of the music that had been played before. It's really an amazing experience!

We got in about 8pm and the show started around 8:20. We had kick ass seats (Sec E, Row 13, Seats 5 & 7) which were about as close as you are gonna get without spending over $500, so we were very happy!!!

There was no opening band, just some funky remixes of Beatles & Paul solo music (some wasn't too bad) and then without any real fanfare, the lights went out and there he was. The greatest living rock star today, Paul McCartney standing in front of me with his Hofner bass. Chills just ran through me and he kicked right into Venus And Mars and Rockshow (two awesome Wings rarities). Let just say, Paul looks and sounds fabulous!! He looks fab for a guy who is in his 50's, let alone his late 60's. He did a lil reminiscing saying how his old band played this song here a long time ago, and went into All My Loving. It was so cool to see an actual Beatle playing an actual Beatle song live & in person, I was almost moved to tears!

He does a really great job of digging into his well stocked catalog and busted out a some real gems. Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five was awesome, but I think one of the highlights of the night for me was when he did I'm Looking Through & Two Of Us (a VERY sentimental fave). I'm a fan of Wings and Paul's other solo stuff, but to me, nothing was better than hearing him doing Beatles tunes live and those two numbers were simply amazing!!!

I hate to keep harping on his age, but for a guy who is near 70, his stamina is off the hook. He did a three hour / 39 song set and never had as much as a voice crackle. He did everything I could ask for and then some. He played all his Beatles hits and did tributes to both George (he plays Something on the ukulele) and John...he actually gives two lil tributes to Lennon, the first is a beautiful song called Here Today; which Paul mentions was written as a conversation he never got to have with John. Although the lyrics aren't really relevant to me, that song totally made me think of my late Mom & Dad (who had seen the Beatles last "official" concert ever at Candlestick Park in 1966, so I had a nice cry) and then later he does A Day In The Life combined with Give Peace A Chance. I have to say that while it was way kewl seeing & hearing the crowd singing Give Peace A Chance, it seemed a lil much for me. I love the fact that he wants to memorialize his band mate & friend, but that song is such a Lennon classic, it's hard to hear someone else do it.

His band is tight as hell and they were spot on all evening. After the Give Peace A Chance thing, he went over to the piano and sat down to Let It Be. OMG!!! This was like the reason I had come (although in hind sight, I liked I'm Looking Through & Two Of Us better) but this was the song I had waited like all my life to hear played live and Paul didn't disappoint! I remember back in '85 when they did Live Aid and Paul played this song live, I was mesmerized and promised myself at that moment that someday I would see him do it in person. Well, the moment was now, and I had tears in my eyes as he sang. It was really beautifully done, and the full moon that had been hidden by trees was now in full glow which just made the moment PERFECT. I couldn't have been happier if someone had just dropped a billion dollars in my lap.

His encores took almost a full hour as he fit in like 7 more classic songs. Yesterday was great, but the highlights for me were Helter Skelter (which flat out ROCKED) and The End. It should like be mandatory that all human beings hear him sing that song; especially that awesome closing line..."And in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you make." WOW, I got chills just writing that, what a perfect finish to an absolutely amazing show!

It actually was so much more than just a show for me. It was a life experience that I can look back on for the rest of my life and just smile and feel a little chill. I got to see a real, live Beatle (no offense Ringo) play all his mega hits with one of my best friends (and fellow Beatle-holic), in a place that I've wanted to see all my life. So yeah, on a scale of 1-10, I think this one goes down as a 1,000,000!

I got a few decent pix and some choppy gnarly looking video that I hope you enjoy. Remember, I wasn't really thinking too much about the quality of the shots as I did the videos, I was too busy dancin with Kiki in our seats, so whatev!!!

Paul McCartney at The Hollywood Bowl; 3/30/2010
1. Venus And Mars
2. Rock Show
3. Jet
4. All My Loving
5. Got To Get You Into My Life
6. Highway
7. Let Me Roll It/ Foxy Lady (Hendrix cover)
8. The Long and Winding Road
9. Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five
10. (I Want to) Come Home
11. My Love
12. I'm Looking Through
13. Every Night
14. Two Of Us
15. Blackbird
16. Here Today
17. Dance Tonight
18. Mrs Vandebilt
19. Eleanor Rigby
20. Something
21. Letting Go
22. Sing the Changes
23. Band on the Run
24. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
25. Back in the U.S.S.R.
26. I've Got a Feeling
27. Paperback Writer
28. A Day in the Life / Give Peace A Chance
29. Let It Be
30. Live and Let Die
31. Hey Jude

Encore:
32. Day Tripper
33. Lady Madonna
34. Get Back

Encore 2:
35. Yesterday
36. Helter Skelter
37. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)
38. The End