Paul in Brazil - Through my eyes
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So now that I am home and got sleep a bit I've decided to write about some of my experiences in Brazil. I've seen Paul there in Rio 2011 (2 shows), Belo Horizonte, Goiana and Fortaleza in 2013, Brasilia & Sao paulo (2 shows) in 2014 so I am not new to Brazilian shows. The concerts are standing room admission in front of the stage and people like to sing along, dance, jump and have a good time without getting too crazy like they do in Argentina. So for the first stop in Porto Alegre this year Paul stayed at the Sheraton hotel. There were dozens of fans in the lobby waiting for him to come out and come out he did, waving and smiling on the day of the show. On that night's concert Paul looked a bit tired but the show was great anyway. During the encore, before performing "Birthday", Paul looked at Abe waiting for him to "count in" and start the song and when he didn't, Macca looked angry and yelled "Come on!" at him. It seems Brian Riddle -the guy who handles stage security and picks the young girls who go on stage- had 4 Brazilian girls badly dressed with Sgt. Pepper costumes and Paul didn't know, while the band was told this through their in-ear monitors (this is my theory). So the 4 girls went on stage and danced to "Birthday". The next noon it was off to Sao Paulo. There Paul stayed in a 6-star hotel with difficult access for the fans so we missed him going in and out. At the show on Sunday 15, Paul looked like he wanted to end the show as soon as possible; it felt like a "Take the money and run" gig. He also did something I've never seen him do before, which is to forget to perform a song and skip it entirely, which is what happened with "You Won't See Me". Posterior screenshots of the night's setlist showed the Rubber Soul tune to be there, so why Paul forgot to sing it, is anyone's guess. I noticed Paul giving Wix a "look" because he didn't have his harmonica ready for "Love me do". Of course he didn't, because Wix was expecting "You Won't See Me" so he still had his accordion on. This time there were no fans on stage and the same thing happened in Belo Horizonte 2 nights later. While in Sao Paulo, a friend of mine who buys Hot Sound packages for all shows everytime Paul goes to Brazil, told me she had an extra one for Salvador and wanted to exchange it for the Belo Horizonte show, so I could use it. We've contacted the production and they said no. Considering they know my friend, they know she spent thousands of dollars in Hot Sound packages during the last few years, they could have tried harder to help her out. Pretty dissapointing when things are just about making money and nothing else. For the Belo Horizonte show, Paul flew directly from Sao Paulo to the venue. After he performed "In Spite Of All The Danger" me and a group of fans who stood at the front chanted loudly for "You Won't See Me" and luckily he did not skip it this time. However, he seemed distracted at times, forgetting to sing a verse in "Something" -and because of that we got to hear how important Abe's backing vocals are-, he messed up the lyrics to Hey Jude and got ready for "Obladi Oblada" when the next song was a "A Day in The Life". The 3 concerts were still great and fans in Brazil had a great time and I don't think anyone left disappointed. I returned home to get to work the next day while my friends flew to Salvador. They told me how the hotel was chaos with dozens of fans singing very loudly. For the concert, apparently they got a hired brazilian model on stage, with very little clothes and dancing sloppily. Same model was filmed earlier that day and the day before by Charly -Paul's camera guy- for a possible -I assume- video clip. This got many, many fans upset because they knew that she wasn't a fan going on stage, but it was all fixed from before. I can't comment any further on the Salvador concert because I wasn't there and I hope you've enjoyed reading my experience. The Belo Horizonte show was number 25 for me and if I could go back in time I wouldn't skip one of them, money spent be damned. Hopefully Paul will have many years ahead of great concerts and albums for his fans and if not, there are many memories to cherish. All the best, Javier
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Thanks Javi! Here's video of her dancing onstage.
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oobu24:
Thanks Javi! Here's video of her dancing onstage.
"Do you really believe she was a brazilian fan? It seemed to everyone she was just an actress hired to the concert. Pretty obvious." Lame.
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oobu24:
Thanks Javi! Here's video of her dancing onstage.
WOW! If Paul was single, I bet he'd have had her gift-wrapped and delivered to his hotel room!
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oobu24:
Thanks Javi! Here's video of her dancing onstage.
A bit uncomfortable to watch. -
She is beautiful. What's the problem? Celosas? If people MUST come onstage I'd rather see a pretty girl go-go dance than proposals or public outings, moments that should be intimate that instead are made public and cringe-worthy. But I'd still rather have an extra Beatles song or take that time to talk to THE BAND!!! Just once!
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jena:
She is beautiful. What's the problem? Celosas?
Have you been reading or not? She wasn't a fan. Sh was hired to act in a future Paul video clip and her coming on stage was faked as if she was picked for being a fan who waved a sign.
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Didn't find her dancing on stage any more or less uncomfortable than we he brings any other person on stage. There really is no excitement generated out of these stage appearances other than the person and maybe their close friends. There is little to no creativity displayed by most of them either to make it the slight bit interesting
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Bob Gannon:
Didn't find her dancing on stage any more or less uncomfortable than we he brings any other person on stage. There really is no excitement generated out of these stage appearances other than the person and maybe their close friends. There is little to no creativity displayed by most of them either to make it the slight bit interesting
She still wasn't a fan picked out of the audience. I'm sure you're excited Bob when one of your friends gets onstage for the 1st,2nd or 3rd time . Those ones are not interesting at all to the rest of us. . They are greedy. I'm sure they could have picked a real fan instead of a model . What kind of video is Paul making with a dancing girl anyway?
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bentleysmama:
Bob Gannon:
Didn't find her dancing on stage any more or less uncomfortable than we he brings any other person on stage. There really is no excitement generated out of these stage appearances other than the person and maybe their close friends. There is little to no creativity displayed by most of them either to make it the slight bit interesting
She still wasn't a fan picked out of the audience. I'm sure you're excited Bob when one of your friends gets onstage for the 1st,2nd or 3rd time . Those ones are not interesting at all to the rest of us. . They are greedy. I'm sure they could have picked a real fan instead of a model . What kind of video is Paul making with a dancing girl anyway?
Excited when friends get up first time, could really care less on subsequent times unless an out of the ordinary exchange. Actually even with friends, not a big fan of the fans on stage. Only about 10% of those exchanges I find remotely entertaining
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I've only seen one that I've liked ! If I never saw another fan up there I'd be happy . The dancing this year has mostly been awkward, maybe they wanted someone up there not afraid to dance in front of an audience !
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bentleysmama:
I've only seen one that I've liked ! If I never saw another fan up there I'd be happy . The dancing this year has mostly been awkward, maybe they wanted someone up there not afraid to dance in front of an audience !
Thank goodness there wasn't a pole nearby!
I don't like the dancing during the show. It's distracting & totally not what I came to see. -
I'm also not a fan of the dancing -- that clip was indeed cringeworthy to watch and Paul seems uncomfortable too. I don't think he likes being put in these situations that almost seem meant to tempt him in front of his wife. Though honestly that girl doesn't seem like his type.
While I'm happy for those who've met Paul onstage, I'm also not a big fan of fans onstage during the main show. Soundcheck is fine, but during the show itself it often feels like an awkward buzzkill unless it's particularly clever -- like Terry from Detroit and her ass sign, which I laugh thinking about all the time! However, if it ever gets to the point long from now where Paul can't perform anymore, he could turn the shows into a Let's Make a Deal routine and just interact with crazy audience members. 
Meanwhile @javilu, thank you for your detailed rundown of the Brazil shows. That's a lot of strange slipups -- I wonder if Paul needs a good rest before the next leg! -
AcresOfFun:
Meanwhile @javilu, thank you for your detailed rundown of the Brazil shows. That's a lot of strange slipups -- I wonder if Paul needs a good rest before the next leg!
Well, perhaps Paul shouldn't fly to the venue on show day. He's 75, y'know?
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AcresOfFun:
I'm also not a fan of the dancing -- that clip was indeed cringeworthy to watch and Paul seems uncomfortable too. I don't think he likes being put in these situations that almost seem meant to tempt him in front of his wife. Though honestly that girl doesn't seem like his type.
While I'm happy for those who've met Paul onstage, I'm also not a big fan of fans onstage during the main show. Soundcheck is fine, but during the show itself it often feels like an awkward buzzkill unless it's particularly clever -- like Terry from Detroit and her ass sign, which I laugh thinking about all the time! However, if it ever gets to the point long from now where Paul can't perform anymore, he could turn the shows into a Let's Make a Deal routine and just interact with crazy audience members. Meanwhile @javilu, thank you for your detailed rundown of the Brazil shows. That's a lot of strange slipups -- I wonder if Paul needs a good rest before the next leg!This is another video taken of the "Birthday" number with the girl dancing In this video, notice that after the song is over, he approaches the piano for the final number (go to 03:48 mark) and turns and appears to be saying to someone "wasn't my idea!" Maybe it's possible he wasn't told about the model, and really did think it was a fan from the audience - especially if he flew into Salvador just before the performance. Perhaps he wasn't aware of what other people were preparing. He didn't seem comfortable with the idea, though, when it happened. If that would have happened when Linda was alive, she'd probably have comically walked over and tapped the girl on the shoulder and motioned with her thumb to take a hike, then would have had fun dancing with Paul herself . That would have been fun to see
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LadyLeslie:
This is another video taken of the "Birthday" number with the girl dancing
In this video, notice that after the song is over, he approaches the piano for the final number (go to 03:48 mark) and turns and appears to be saying to someone "wasn't my idea!" Maybe it's possible he wasn't told about the model, and really did think it was a fan from the audience - especially if he flew into Salvador just before the performance. Perhaps he wasn't aware of what other people were preparing. He didn't seem comfortable with the idea, though, when it happened. If that would have happened when Linda was alive, she'd probably have comically walked over and tapped the girl on the shoulder and motioned with her thumb to take a hike, then would have had fun dancing with Paul herself . That would have been fun to see
Good catch, that's a riot! He doesn't look amused. -
So, here's what I can say about this subject. First of all, I went to the Sao Paulo show, and felt TOTALLY different than the first post. Paul was NOT in a rush at all. He talked back to me and several other friends, encouraged all the chanting we made, sang again the chorus of Obladi Oblada, played with us quite a bit actually. WAY MORE than 2014. Through MY eyes, he was taking his time. He didn't take the song You Won't See Me out on purpose. Wix had the accordion, Paul looked back and said "THAT'S NOT THE SONG WE ARE PLAYING!" Wix looked at Abe, changed instruments, there was a little talk from the band WITH Paul, which to start singing Love Me Do, he turned laughing, probably after they said he forgot a song or something. After the song, Abe asked him what was next and he said "And I Love Her". He decided to not go back on the set. Simple as that. Show was wonderful and the energy was AMAZING. Rusty many times would walk towards Paul and say "They just keep going, they don't want the song to end" and they both would open a big smile. Other fact, Paul did talk WAY more Portuguese than any other show. So not sure what show the guy in the first post went, but there's already a full video going around from that show, so you can see by yourself. It kinda sounds to me someone is a bit upset about a not transferable hotsound package ticket more than anything else. Now, SALVADOR, had a lot of friends in the first row, and friends who saw what happened. So, to start with the right beginning, here's the whole situation The girl was at the hotel jam, Sheraton Hotel, where around 100 fans were singing in the piano and playing McCartney songs. The crew went down, hung out with them, Charlie had his camera, but he was just recording one girl (the girl who went on stage). Interviewing here, recording her around the jam, the girl did NOT know any of the songs, she was just acting. Many people there thought Charlie was just hitting on her or something. But they were actually recording fragments to a video (which at that point nobody knew). Day of the show, friends got first row, they could see EVERYTHING that happened, as other people that posted on the Paul McCartney Brasil group on Facebook. They saw the girl, BETWEEN the rail and the stage. with a credential. Charlie AND security were giving her instructions. Nobody understood what happened. As the show got close to the song he calls people on stage, security apparently opened a space for her to be close to the front, and she was holding a sign, a very generic one by the way, "Brazilian girl wants to dance with you". Charlie and the crew were filming her holding the sign. She was on the big screen a couple of times, before she got called on stage. Security opened space for her, they took her again between the rail and the stage, and she went up on stage. There was a LOT of discomfort going on, as it was CLEARLY a set up and nobody knew what was being recorded. Including Paul from what we can see in the videos. Charlie kept following her recording. So, girl gets on stage, CLEARLY again, doesn't know the song, dances in a very sexual manner. What pissed everybody off, was also the camera work. They zoomed in her butt quite a bit as she was shaking it. Not necessary at all. There were a lot of men yelling in the video "OH PAUL GOT A GOOD ONE" and other disrespectful things. The crowd got cold, since everybody saw it was a set up. Fans that were camping, and traveling the country to try to meet him, were VERY upset as well. After the show ended, people saw Charlie recording the girl walking outside, some people confronted Charlie as he was recording her waving at the people on the VIP area. Charlie said "She's a f***** actress" to one of the people. Anyway, very VERY uncomfortable situation for who was in the stadium. Later we read on a newspaper that they were recording a video clip for the song Paul wrote to Brazil that will be in the new album. Another issue, that was also very discussed though, is the sexualization of the Brazilian women. This country has a lot of sex trafficking issues, illegal prostitution, etc. The citizens of this country have been battling for YEARS to change the image that Brazil is a destination to sex tourism, or that Brazilian women are easy, walking naked on the street, Carnaval, samba, all party, etc. We live in a very serious country, dealing with MANY issues because of this fame, as cited before, sex tourism, illegal prostitution due to that same factor. So there's been a big movement here to change that image. The way the video, the girl going up on stage was dealt with, tight short shorts, heels, bikini top, and the way she danced, the CAMERA WORK during the dance mainly, and she not being a fan, raised MANY questions by the Brazilian fans. Will this be another stereotype issue for this country? Where IF the video clip is released, people will again see the hot, sensual, Brazilian women shaking her butt. I truly believe that MPL will present a good work, and not do the same the VIDEO crew did during her participation on stage. It definitely pissed people off for not calling a fan that could make a dream come true, and it DEFINITELY pissed a LOT of people off by the sexual way the situation was shown. We are hoping the video concept if released, will tone the sexual content down a bit. And maybe it won't be the stereotype we are used with. But by now, the way the video crew dealt with her participation, it was very uncomfortable and disrespectful to the women who fight here EVERYDAY to change that image.
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much ado about completely nothing!!!
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heitorcrespo92:
So, here's what I can say about this subject. First of all, I went to the Sao Paulo show, and felt TOTALLY different than the first post. Paul was NOT in a rush at all. He talked back to me and several other friends, encouraged all the chanting we made, sang again the chorus of Obladi Oblada, played with us quite a bit actually. WAY MORE than 2014. Through MY eyes, he was taking his time. He didn't take the song You Won't See Me out on purpose. Wix had the accordion, Paul looked back and said "THAT'S NOT THE SONG WE ARE PLAYING!" Wix looked at Abe, changed instruments, there was a little talk from the band WITH Paul, which to start singing Love Me Do, he turned laughing, probably after they said he forgot a song or something. After the song, Abe asked him what was next and he said "And I Love Her". He decided to not go back on the set. Simple as that. Show was wonderful and the energy was AMAZING. Rusty many times would walk towards Paul and say "They just keep going, they don't want the song to end" and they both would open a big smile. Other fact, Paul did talk WAY more Portuguese than any other show. So not sure what show the guy in the first post went, but there's already a full video going around from that show, so you can see by yourself. It kinda sounds to me someone is a bit upset about a not transferable hotsound package ticket more than anything else.
I've seen Paul in concert 25 times and he never forgot or skipped a song that was in the setlist for any of those concerts. Yes, he spoke some portuguese because he just followed the script he reads from his screen. And he played with the audience when the audience sings so he can stop them and move on to the next song. Paul was distracted at times, specially in Belo Horizonte, and I've never seen him distracted in concert before. Regarding the Salvador actress debacle, I completely agree.
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heitorcrespo92:
Now, SALVADOR, had a lot of friends in the first row, and friends who saw what happened. So, to start with the right beginning, here's the whole situation: The girl was at the hotel jam, Sheraton Hotel, where around 100 fans were singing in the piano and playing McCartney songs. The crew went down, hung out with them, Charlie had his camera, but he was just recording one girl (the girl who went on stage). Interviewing here, recording her around the jam, the girl did NOT know any of the songs, she was just acting. Many people there thought Charlie was just hitting on her or something. But they were actually recording fragments to a video (which at that point nobody knew). Day of the show, friends got first row, they could see EVERYTHING that happened, as other people that posted on the Paul McCartney Brasil group on Facebook. They saw the girl, BETWEEN the rail and the stage. with a credential. Charlie AND security were giving her instructions. Nobody understood what happened. As the show got close to the song he calls people on stage, security apparently opened a space for her to be close to the front, and she was holding a sign, a very generic one by the way, "Brazilian girl wants to dance with you". Charlie and the crew were filming her holding the sign. She was on the big screen a couple of times, before she got called on stage. Security opened space for her, they took her again between the rail and the stage, and she went up on stage. There was a LOT of discomfort going on, as it was CLEARLY a set up and nobody knew what was being recorded. Including Paul from what we can see in the videos. Charlie kept following her recording. So, girl gets on stage, CLEARLY again, doesn't know the song, dances in a very sexual manner. What pissed everybody off, was also the camera work. They zoomed in her butt quite a bit as she was shaking it. Not necessary at all. There were a lot of men yelling in the video "OH PAUL GOT A GOOD ONE" and other disrespectful things. The crowd got cold, since everybody saw it was a set up. Fans that were camping, and traveling the country to try to meet him, were VERY upset as well. After the show ended, people saw Charlie recording the girl walking outside, some people confronted Charlie as he was recording her waving at the people on the VIP area. Charlie said "She's a f***** actress" to one of the people. Anyway, very VERY uncomfortable situation for who was in the stadium. Later we read on a newspaper that they were recording a video clip for the song Paul wrote to Brazil that will be in the new album. Another issue, that was also very discussed though, is the sexualization of the Brazilian women. This country has a lot of sex trafficking issues, illegal prostitution, etc. The citizens of this country have been battling for YEARS to change the image that Brazil is a destination to sex tourism, or that Brazilian women are easy, walking naked on the street, Carnaval, samba, all party, etc. We live in a very serious country, dealing with MANY issues because of this fame, as cited before, sex tourism, illegal prostitution due to that same factor. So there's been a big movement here to change that image. The way the video, the girl going up on stage was dealt with, tight short shorts, heels, bikini top, and the way she danced, the CAMERA WORK during the dance mainly, and she not being a fan, raised MANY questions by the Brazilian fans. Will this be another stereotype issue for this country? Where IF the video clip is released, people will again see the hot, sensual, Brazilian women shaking her butt. I truly believe that MPL will present a good work, and not do the same the VIDEO crew did during her participation on stage. It definitely pissed people off for not calling a fan that could make a dream come true, and it DEFINITELY pissed a LOT of people off by the sexual way the situation was shown. We are hoping the video concept if released, will tone the sexual content down a bit. And maybe it won't be the stereotype we are used with. But by now, the way the video crew dealt with her participation, it was very uncomfortable and disrespectful to the women who fight here EVERYDAY to change that image.
I didn't take the filming as anything against your country but apparently this video crew should be looked at by MPL. I think they are always trying to show a younger audience & usually a sexier one too. I've seen them filming questionable people too. They want to get it on film for a dvd release I suppose.
