Sir Paul McCartney says 'it's good to be back' as he kicks off UK leg of tour

15 December 2024, 07:18 | Updated: 15 December 2024, 09:35

Sir Paul McCartney declared "it's good to be back" as he kicked off the UK leg of his tour.

In his first performance in his home country since Glastonbury 2022, the former Beatle took fans at Manchester's Co-op Live arena on a journey back through a remarkable career.

With songs from as far back as The Quarrymen, through Beatlemania and to Wings and his solo material, Sir Paul included tributes to his late bandmates and even a festive surprise.

He delighted the crowd when he greeted them with: "Alright, Manchester?"

He said: "We've been travelling round the world, man. We've been round South America.

"Here we are up North again.

"It's good to be back."

The Got Back tour has been to South America, Spain and France - and, after a second night in Manchester, will head to The O2 in London on Wednesday and Thursday.

Fans queued outside in typically drizzly Manchester weather to gain entry to the arena, which opened earlier this year and has a capacity of 23,500.

The 82-year-old treated the audience to a set lasting more than two-and-a-half hours, beginning with Hard Day's Night and ending the main set with Hey Jude, which a joyous audience joined in enthusiastically with.

Introducing In Spite Of All the Danger by the Quarrymen, Sir Paul promised to take the crowd back in time.

He said: "We're going to a little place in the north of England.

"It's about half an hour down the East Lancs, actually.

"A little place called Liverpool. In that town there was four boys and they wanted to make a record, so they did, and this song we're going to do now is the first song that the Beatles ever recorded."

A request from Sir Paul to the audience to demonstrate a "Beatles scream" showed he is still capable of prompting the hysteria of the 1960s.

The show's encore saw him reunite with John Lennon who appeared on the screen for I've Got A Feeling.

Sir Paul, who turned to watch the screen behind him as Lennon appeared, told the arena: "That's great for me because I get to sing with John again."

Earlier in the gig, he performed Here Today, written in tribute to the singer, who was killed in 1980.

He said: "It was difficult to say to your mate 'hey, I love you man'. It didn't go down well.

"So after John died, I just wrote this song and I just thought 'what the hell'."

He also paid tribute to George Harrison, using a ukelele given to him by his bandmate.

He played it during Something, a Beatles song written by Harrison, as photos of the guitarist were displayed on screen.

When he finished, he said: "Thank you George, that's a very cool song."

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A festive addition to the setlist came in the form of Wonderful Christmastime, with snow falling from the ceiling as Sir Paul was joined by the YSBD theatre school children's choir and backing musicians dressed as elves, with an image of a Christmas tree in the background.

Introducing it, he said: "Well, seeing as the season's coming around, we've got a little surprise for you."

Blackbird, inspired by America's civil rights movement and covered by Beyonce on her Cowboy Carter album this year, saw Sir Paul raised on a platform, which showed a graphic of a bird flying across the Moon.

The singer told the audience the band had refused to play to segregated crowds in the US.

He said: "That just sounded stupid to us, we said 'we're not playing like that, you're kidding'."

The star's family, including wife Nancy Shevell, were among the audience for the gig.

Sir Paul said solo track My Valentine was written for his wife, adding: "She's here tonight. This one's for you babe."

Laser lights lit up the arena at points, while dramatic pyrotechnics saw flames shoot from the stage during James Bond theme Live And Let Die.

Finishing his set with the Beatles' Golden Slumbers, Sir Paul said: "You've been a fantastic crowd tonight.

"To tell you the truth, we thought we were going to get spoiled by South American crowds because they're crazy, but you're crazier. And we love it." He was booed as he told the crowd: "We've got to go home now."

Ending the show before cannons of red, white and blue confetti exploded, he said: "There's only one thing left to say - see you next time.