On Thursday night, Paul McCartney kicked off his North American Got Back Tour at Spokane Arena in Spokane, Wash. Apparently, it was a fabulous show with emotional tributes to John Lennon and George Harrison.
“Well, we said we’d come back, and we got back,” McCartney told the audience, according to this online piece by classic rock station Q104.3, which triggered this post. “And believe me,” he added, “We’re really happy to be back. I’m gonna take a moment for myself to drink it all in.” Who can blame Macca, after nearly three years of being off the road!
As time-stopped by local newspaper The Spokesman-Review, the gig lasted more than 2.5 hours. To me, it’s an indication that at nearly 80 years, Sir Paul still has remarkable fire in the belly to perform, something I’ve always loved about the man!
The regular set of 30 tracks and encore of six tunes featured many Beatles gems, as well as songs from Macca’s Wings and solo career. Following are two beautiful tributes to John and George, evidently captured by folks who were there.
First up is I’ve Got a Feeling. According to Rolling Stone, Get Back film director Peter Jackson had texted McCartney to let him know they can extract John’s voice, so he could sing the tune with his former bandmate. And that’s exactly what happened, together with video footage of John from the famous roof concert. Unfortunately, it’s only a snippet and the cameraman was shaken but not stirred. But, hey, we’ll take it, hoping it’s going to stay on YouTube.
McCartney also paid tribute to George with a beautiful rendition of Something, one of my favorite Harrison tunes off Abbey Road. Macca did so using a ukelele George had given him all those years ago. McCartney also included that version during a July 2016 show at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, Pa. I was fortunate to attend – the last time I saw him.
Yes, let’s be honest here, it’s quite obvious Paul’s voice is showing signs of wear and tear. But I still love the man and the joy he continues to get from performing. I’m going to be amazed when seeing him at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on June 16, and that’s not a maybe!
Last but not least, here’s the setlist, as recorded by The Spokesman-Review:
Start time: 8:09 p.m.
1. “Can’t Buy Me Love”
2. “Junior’s Farm”
3. “Letting Go”
4. “Got To Get You Into My Life”
5. “Come on to Me”
6. “Let Me Roll It”
7. “Getting Better”
8. “Women and Wives” (first song at piano)
9. “My Valentine” (with video featuring Natalie Portman and Johnny Depp)
10. “Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five”
11. “Maybe I’m Amazed”
12. “I’ve Just Seen a Face”
13. “In Spite of All the Danger”
14. “Love Me Do”
15. “Dance Tonight”
16. “Blackbird”
17. “Here Today” (tribute to John Lennon)
18. “Queenie Eye” (the 2013 star-studded video includes Depp, as well)
19. “Lady Madonna”
20. “Fuh You”
21. “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!”
22. “Something” (tribute to George Harrison)
23. “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da”
24. “You Never Give Me Your Money”
25. “She Came in Through the Bathroom Window”
26. “Get Back”
27. “Band on the Run”
28. “Let It Be”
29. “Live and Let Die”
30. “Hey Jude”
31. Encore at 10:30 p.m. after Washington state, Ukraine, U.S. and British flags are waved onstage. “I’ve Got a Feeling” video duet with Lennon orchestrated by Oscar-winning director Peter Jackson.
32. “Birthday”
33. “Helter Skelter”
34. “Golden Slumbers”
35. “Carry That Weight”
36. “The End”
End time: 10:51 p.m.
The current schedule for Macca’s Got Back Tour is here. On February 18, it was announced they had added a second date in Boston: June 8 at Fenway Park.
Sources: Q104.3; The Spokesman-Review; Rolling Stone; YouTube
Christian's Music Musings 
Thanks for the setlist. Sonny Boy and I are going to Fenway on June 7. We have a couple of good turf seats. I also have two other seats further back, not together. I’m trying to sell them. If you know anybody or if anybody reads this, they ain’t cheap, about $350 each. But look at that fucking setlist.
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So glad you guys are going. I think it’s going to be a memorable show. And, yes, isn’t that setlist just beautiful?
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I will whine and say he started with ‘Drive My Car’ last time.
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Agree, “Drive My Car” would be a great addition to the set.
I just checked the opener of “my” last Macca show. It was “A Hard Day’s Night”. According to Setlist.fm, he didn’t play “Drive My Car” during that gig either.
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That part with Lennon…that must have floored people when they saw it. That was the first time he sang with John since then… live anyway….
His setlist is crazy…that is a lot of songs and the guy is getting up there. You know what song is missing? My Love…when I saw him the second time…My Love was the one song that night that his voice broke on…I’m not a fan of the song at all but it wouldn’t surprise me if he dropped it.
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Would be a real piece of history to see…and sounds like a good show to boot! Wonder if he will shake up the setlist from city to city a little?
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It’s always possible, though I don’t expect it.
Your question brought out the music nerd in me, so I checked Setlist.fm for the 2016 “One on One Tour”, during which I saw Macca last. Based on what I saw, there was very little variation in the setlists across different dates.
But who knows, maybe we’ll be amazed! 🙂
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That’s quite a set list. thanks for the article. His voice is shot but who cares. Not me.
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Great Macca lyrical reference!😀
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Not the biggest Macca fan, I’ll admit. But goodness, what a fab effort. All power to ‘im!
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