Paul McCartney plays to a star-studded crowd in LA

Ringo watches from the wings

Paul McCartney played a free and intimate show at Amoeba Records in Los Angeles last night (June 27).

Several of the approximately 800 fans in attendance camped out overnight to obtain the coveted wristbands that would grant them entry into the unique event, which had only been announced two days prior. Some fans travelled from as far as Japan to catch a glimpse of their hero.

Looking casual in a red sweater, McCartney ran through several tracks off his recent chart-topping album, ‘Memory Almost Full’, as well as several Beatles classics including ‘Let It Be’, ‘Hey Jude’, and some songs from the Wings era.

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During The Beatles numbers, several audience members got choked up, obviously moved by the experience. McCartney himself got emotional during ‘Here Today’.

“This is a song for people we miss tonight…it’s a song I wrote about John Lennon,” he said by way of introduction. Afterwards, he pointed to a teary-eyed woman and was obviously moved himself. He said, “We’re grownups and we can cry if we want to.”

McCartney brought the mood back up by launching into ‘Back In The USSR’ with his tight three-man backing band. He often played to the crowd, engaging in silly banter with the audience and spontaneously performing the sugary ‘Baby Face’.

All the while, audience members wondered aloud if fellow Beatle Ringo Starr, who had been spotted making his way through the crowd before McCartney‘s set, would join his former bandmate on stage.

McCartney announced his name during the encore, and it appeared he might ask him to join in on the final songs. But Starr failed to materialise, and McCartney said, “Ringo has left the building,” to the great disappointment of the audience.

Among the audience members were Alanis Morissette, Rosanna Arquette, Woody Harrelson, Jennifer Love Hewitt, producer Rick Rubin, and Olivia Harrison, the widow of former Beatle George Harrison.

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McCartney‘s 90-minute set was almost identical to the ones he played at New York’s Highline Ballroom and London’s Electric Ballroom earlier this month.

He played:

‘Drive My Car’

‘Only Mama Knows’

‘Dance Tonight’

‘C Moon’

‘The Long And Winding Road’

‘I’ll Follow The Sun’

‘Calico Skies’

‘That Was Me’

‘Blackbird’

‘Here Today’

‘Back In The USSR’

‘Nod Your Head’

‘House Of Wax’

‘I’ve Got A Feeling’

‘Matchbox’

‘Get Back’

‘Baby Face’

‘Hey Jude’

‘Let It Be’

‘Lady Madonna’

‘I Saw Her Standing There’

–By our Los Angeles staff.

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