Paul McCartney live: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

Paul McCartney performed at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, on 26 June 2010.

It was the 11th show of the Up And Coming Tour, which lasted for 38 dates between March 2010 and June 2011.

This was McCartney’s first show in Wales since 1975. Support came from The Joy Formidable, an up-and-coming group from north Wales, and Manic Street Preachers.

Ticket for Paul McCartney's concert in Cardiff, 26 June 2010

The Beatles performed in Wales on 15 occasions, including a six-night residency at the Odeon Cinema in Llandudno in 1963. They also played their last ever UK tour date at Cardiff’s Capitol Cinema on 12 December 1965.

Wings also performed in the city in 1973 and 1975, the last of which was McCartney’s last Welsh concert for 35 years. Cardiff, incidentally, is the birthplace and home of The Beatles Bible website.

I’ve had my eye on it for a long time – since it was built. I’ve often said to my promoter, ‘What about Cardiff and the Millennium Stadium?’ but it’s always been booked. So it’s been a long-term ambition of mine.
Paul McCartney

McCartney began the Millennium Stadium concert with ‘Venus And Mars’/‘Rock Show’, before performing a mixture of Beatles, Wings and solo songs. He appeared in good spirits, thanking the crowd in Welsh (“Shw mae Cymru! Croeso Stadiwm y Mileniwm!”), spoke of how he and George Harrison had hitchhiked to Harlech as teenagers, and jokingly referred to Liverpool as the capital of Wales.

After performing ‘Foxy Lady’ he spoke of his admiration for Jimi Hendrix, and how The Beatles had been flattered when Hendrix performed Sgt Pepper’s title track in concert. He paid tribute to Linda McCartney, George Harrison and John Lennon, and performed ‘Paperback Writer’ using the Epiphone Casino with which he recorded it in 1966.

The setlist contained one extra surprise: an unscheduled performance of ‘Ram On’, in response to a placard request held up by an audience member. McCartney performed the song on George Harrison’s old ukulele prior to playing ‘Something’.

McCartney’s band was Paul ‘Wix’ Wickens (vocals, keyboards, guitar, percussion, harmonica), Brian Ray (vocals, guitar, bass), Rusty Anderson (vocals, guitar), and Abe Laboriel Jr (vocals, drums).

Setlist for Paul McCartney's concert in Cardiff, 26 June 2010

Concert setlist

Up And Coming Tour dates

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  1. jenn Saturday 10 July 2010
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