Sir Paul McCartney performed an intimate concert before 1,400 people at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York City, as part of Sirius XM Radio’s celebrations on aquiring 20 million subscribers.
It was McCartney’s first performance at the legendary venue, which he described as “the Holy Grail,” adding that he “dreamed of playing here for many a year.”
McCartney and his band performed for competition winners and celebrities, playing a truncated version of the set he’s been using on his Up And Coming world tour with some new additions.
Chief among them was a performance of ‘One After 909’, one of the earliest songs he wrote with John Lennon.
McCartney also played a cover version of Marvin Gaye’s Hitch Hike, which took three attempts due to problems with the sound system. He also performed his soundcheck staple ‘Petrushka’, and the seasonal classic ‘Wonderful Christmastime’ – with backing from a youth choir.
Celebrities in attendance included Keith Richards, Jerry Seinfeld, Simon Le Bon, Kevin Bacon, Tony Bennett, Alec Baldwin, John McEnroe and Howard Stern.
The setlist
- ‘Magical Mystery Tour’
- ‘Jet’
- ‘Drive My Car’
- ‘All My Loving’
- ‘One After 909’
- ‘Let Me Roll It’
- ‘The Long And Winding Road’
- ‘Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five’
- ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’
- ‘Blackbird’
- ‘I’m Looking Through You’
- ‘And I Love Her’
- ‘Petrushka’
- ‘Dance Tonight’
- ‘Eleanor Rigby’
- ‘Hitch Hike’
- ‘Band On The Run’
- ‘Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da’
- ‘Back In The USSR’
- A Day In the Life/‘Give Peace A Chance’
- ‘Let It Be’
- ‘Hey Jude’
Also on this day...
- 2012: Paul McCartney live: 121212: The Concert For Sandy Relief
- 1965: Paul McCartney takes LSD for the first time
- 1965: The Beatles discuss their third film project
- 1963: Live: Gaumont Cinema, Southampton
- 1962: Live: Corn Exchange, Bedford
- 1961: Live: Cavern Club, Liverpool (evening)
- 1961: Live: Cavern Club, Liverpool (lunchtime)
Want more? Visit the Beatles history section.
always a trooper Paul, never lets anything get in the way of a good song. Great version
“Keith Richards, Jerry Seinfeld, Simon Le Bon, Kevin Bacon, Tony Bennett, Alec Baldwin, John McEnroe and Howard Stern.”
+ Ron Wood, Paul Simon, Jim Keltner (!), Matt Damon, Ben Stiller. Probably a few more.
An amazing show. I’ve heard the mp3’s going around and they don’t really convey how exciting it was in the room.
It must have been a great show. It’s great he played at a place where James Brown and many other soul greats performed…..