Oakland Coliseum Arena
Oakland, CA
Oakland, CA
April, 2018: While reformatting and otherwise cleaning up this site, I stumbled upon a couple of emails to a friend on the Journey Digest about this show. I've modified it a bit to fit with the other tales on this site.
One word...
AWESOME!
And that doesn't even begin to cover it. Religious experience has been thrown around.
The show opened about 8:25 (25 minutes late) with a bunch of costumed performers walking up to the stage from various points of the arena. I can't really describe it, but think of a circus act with people in period costumes. I thought it went on a little too long, but it was interesting. (Of course, only Sir Paul could get away with something like that to open the show -- anyone else would have seemed pretentious). When the opening performance ended the video screen went white and a silhouette of Paul's bass appeared. The crowd goes wild. Then a silhouette of Paul, and, well, insanity.
He opened with "Hello Goodbye" (perfect) and closed with "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)"/"The End" (more perfect.) A friend of a friend sent me the set list as he noted it (see below.) My first "burst into tears" moment came when he performed "All My Lovin'" with clips of the Beatles arriving in New York up on the screen. The first two faces on the screen were George and John.
Things slowed down a bit when he did a few songs from Driving Rain. Very good songs, but not what anyone paid to hear of course. That was followed by an acoustic set -- just Paul and an acoustic guitar. Some of the band came out for one or two songs, but it was mostly Paul. That was "burst into tears" moment number two. He paid tribute to both John and George. First by playing "Here Today" (a song that has made me cry every time I hear it for the last 20 years) and then telling a story about how George loved playing the ukulele. Paul launched into "Something" while strumming the ukulele as images of George flashed on the screen. (I've discovered it's quite difficult to sing along while simultaneously having tears streaming down one's face!)
"Live and Let Die" was literally explosive as fireworks went off several times. I can't even pick a favorite moment in the two and a half hours of sheer bliss, but one high point was hearing "Getting Better" which Paul introduced by saying it was the first time he had ever played it live. Wow oh wow. He flubbed the lines a bit to "You Never Give Me Your Money" but in a very charming amusing way by singing something like "I can never remember the words until the end of the tour" over the part he forgot and rolled right on through.
There were, of course, the mandatory Paul songs -- "Let It Be", "Hey Jude", and "Yesterday" -- all towards the end of the set. I didn't get my song, but when almost every opening note sent a thrill up my spine, I can't really complain.
This was a near perfect show. Paul has that charming presence that just sucks you in immediately. The band was incredible and very personable as Paul would introduce a member before heading to another part of the stage (either to or from the grand piano) and they each got a little time to talk to the crowd. There were a few little glitches with the video system, but nothing major (or given much notice other than in passing). Lots of video clips from the Beatles era -- which were everything from touching to amusing to a bit surreal. (Seeing a 25 year old Paul cavorting in a field while listening to a 60 year old Paul singing "Fool on the Hill" and realizing he hasn't changed all that much over time...)
The crowd was great, even if it was a bit yo-yo-ish (up, down, up, down...) all night long. And what was really impressive was the age range. I rode over to the arena on BART (subway) and chatted with a fellow who was bringing his 8 year old daughter. And when I left I saw several women who must have been in their 70s. And everything in between!
I've just been grinning from ear to ear since the show started (yes, even during the sobbing moments) and absolutely can't WAIT for tomorrow night and show number. (And hope this whole ramble hasn't been TOO ebullient for you, but it was just an incredible show.)
Set List:
Hello Goodbye
Jet
All My Loving
Getting Better
Coming Up
Let Me Roll It
New Song ("I Hear The Music", "Don't Wanna…")
Driving Rain
True Love ("Kiss My Blues Away")
Acoustic Set
Blackbird (Paul - Solo)
Every Night (Paul - Solo)
We Can Work It Out (Paul - Solo)
Mother Nature's Son (w/ Wix on accordion)
Vanilla Sky (w/ Wix, Lead Guitar & Drum)
You Never Give Me Your Money (Paul on "Magic Piano")
Fool on the Hill (Paul on "Magic Piano")
Here Today (dedicated to John)
Something (dedicated to George; Paul on ukulele)
Eleanor Rigby
Here, There and Everywhere
Band on the Run
Back in the USSR
Maybe I'm Amazed
C Moon
My Love
Can't Buy Me Love
Freedom
Live and Let Die
Let it Be
Hey Jude
Encore 1:
Long and Winding Road
Lady Madonna
I Saw Her Standing There
Encore 2:
Yesterday
Sgt. Pepper (Reprise)>You Never Give Me Your Money>The End
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HP Pavilion
San Jose, CA
San Jose, CA
The second night was much the same as the first (same set list) and was actually a GREAT thing to do. I could sit back and appreciate the show better with out that "OMG I CAN'T BELIEVE HE'S PLAYING THAT" reaction to nearly every song. I brought my mom (her very first rock concert!) and she had a blast. And, apparently, my dad was quite jealous! (The mental image of me at a concert with BOTH my parents is hugely amusing!) I'm sorely tempted to pick up a ticket to LA, but just can't afford it!
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