CityLife

Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney

 As greatest hits shows go, it could hardly be better.

Macca spans my entire life. At the age of four my grandfather grunted a kind of approval as we watched four mop-tops belt out She Loves You through a tiny TV from the 1963 Royal Variety Show.

At 11, I was transfixed as the boys played a blistering Get Back from the roof of Apple.

At 15, I danced with a girl called Julie to the B side of Jet – the wonderful Let Me Roll It. Early adulthood was peppered with Wings.

Then I catch my swaggering Manc son – inspired by copycat Gallagher brothers – buying Abbey Road and the Beatles Number Ones album.

I came to the packed M.E.N. Arena to be transported back – and Macca did not let me down.

Sir Paul is probably the best in the world at pop rock’n’roll – he has, after all, played 3,000 gigs as he nears 70.

Of those, 2,500 were with The Beatles, 140 with Wings, and 325 as a solo performer.

He seems rejuvenated again – the woe of a broken marriage behind him and a new one just begun to businesswoman Nancy Shevell.

He too was a victim of hacking, it was revealed recently.

But last night it was back to a more innocent pre-mobile phone age of black leather jackets, quiffs, Chelsea boots, and playing to low-life in Hamburg – and all the brilliance that followed.

The M.E.N. Arena was packed with fans including celebrity supporters such as Coleen Rooney.

Sir Paul walked on, gave us the Macca ‘V’ for victory and kicked off with a raucous Magical Mystery Tour. 

Even for a man who played in front of 100,000-plus at Shay Stadium in the USA he seemed genuinely touched by the adulation from a the crowd.

Then he reminded us of how his pearls of pop saved the 70s from pap.

A fizzing Junior’s Farm racked up the atmosphere another 10 notches. Dressed in classic Beatle collarless jacket he looked good.

And despite the easy winks and nods, he retained a gritty determination to deliver.  Then I was back in my nan’s kitchen in short pants dancing to a song which has thrilled me for 40 years – All My Loving.

Here it was, being sung by the bloke who penned it just 10 yards away. 

Even as he nears 70, Sir Paul’s voice is as clear as a mountain stream and sounds remarkable. 

After taking a minute to ‘drink it all in’, McCartney swooped with a high-octane version of Jet – a life-enhancing slice of nonsense about a dog. 

Got To Get You Into My Life was dusted down before a smouldering Let Me Roll It became an early highlight.

“You may wonder why we are switching guitars – basically we are showing off,” said Macca, before playing Paperback Writer with the same guitar he used way back then. 

It sounded ferocious – as did the band all night. The Long And Winding Road was a touch too heavy, but its soaring sentiment still hit the tear ducts, releasing memories that refuse to be locked away.  

A surprise was the wonderful Come And Get It, a song McCartney wrote for Badfinger when quality pop just oozed from him in the late 60s and 70s. 

Then he amazed the crowd with Maybe I’m Amazed – and shook the place with Mrs Vanderbilt.

But it was a haunting Eleanor Rigby – with Macca on acoustic guitar – that was the best-received song of the night.  A tribute to George Harrison – Something – started on a ukulele and finished in a flourish of aching guitar – class.

Then a volcanic Band On The Run was a reminder of how brilliant Wings were.

A right old knees up, the thumping Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da kicked up a storm. And, complete with Soviet propaganda footage, Back In The USSR brought the house down.

A Day In The Life followed a great bit banter of how ‘great’ the weather was in Manchester yesterday. Macca’s Scouse humour, like his talent, firmly intact.

Then he performed a homage to John Lennon, Give Peace A Chance.

Let It Be was powerful and exquisite, and amazing pyrotechnics almost singed my mac during Live And Let Die. Then the singalong voices were in full flow for Hey Jude.

Encores included All You Need Is Love, Daytripper,   Wonderful Christmas Time – complete with fake snow – and, of course, Yesterday.

A rousing Helter Skelter and then Golden Slumbers ended the show. After an evening in the presence of rock royalty,

Sir Paul had reminded us why he has been at the top of his game for nearly 50 years.