When a concert takes place on the same floor where the San Jose Sharks host hockey games, “cool” is the operative word. And cool best describes the 36-song, 2-encore, 2 hour, 40 minute Paul McCartney concert we witnessed last night that’s still giving us a buzz.
Though he’ll be 64 next year — and though he wouldn’t have dared to have sung “When I’m 64,” Sir Paul rocked the house at the HP Pavillion in San Jose. About 20,000 of my closest friends were there for the musical and visual extravaganza.
I’ve seen dozens of concerts over my years: McCartney’s Wings, The Doors, The Rolling Stones, Janis Joplin, Elton John, Billy Joel, and Bob Dylan, to name a few. But Paul’s cool, charisma, personable chats with the audience, kick-ass four-piece back-up band, eye-candy light-display floor and background, huge video screens, and the overwhelming volume of material will stay with me for quite a while.
He sang about 80% Beatles standards, 10% from Wings and 10% of his newest songs to promote his new album. Most often, he played acoustical or electric bass with the guys. For a handful of songs, he sang and strummed alone on stage. And for three separate groups of songs, he sat at a baby grand piano.
Funniest sign someone held up that made he chortle?: “My Grandfather saw you at Candlestick.” (That was in 1966, by the way — the Beatles only appearance in SF and their final public gig anywhere; Paul performed here a few times since then with other bands — most recently in 2002.)