It was 20 years ago today… Standing Stone
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I'm reminiscing today about Standing Stone and its 20 year "Celebration" this year, having world premiered Oct 14 1997 in London and in NYC 20 years ago today, Nov 19 1997 at Carnegie Hall. The latter was very special for me, being the first Paul event I attended. (It also happened to fall 2 years to the day after another special event, Part 1 of the Anthology airing on ABC.) Some highlights of that day 20 years ago, in general and for me: It was kind of a big deal especially for a classical music event. The album had of course sold extremely well for a classical work, and I'd forgotten that MPL and NPR actually set up a livestream of the audio. Wow, remember Real Player? I bet there were technical glitches (anyone recall?), but that was a really impressive effort for the time! I had the slight misfortune of becoming a serious Paul fan during the mid-90s, so personal appearances were rarer, making this, my first time seeing him in person, even more special. I'm actually glad it occurred in this situation instead of a concert because of the unique "circus" reception that occurred, as described by Allan Kozinn in [this Weird Al clip](http://www.nytimes.com/1997/11/21/movies/music-review-celebrating-mccartney-and-a-new-work.html]<u>his review at the time</u>[/url]. His description is consistent with my recollection, except I would label the 10 minute ovation Paul received as utter bedlam, with the reception at any limo watch or the 30 seconds or so when Paul appears on stage extrapolated for 10 minutes. The entirety of Carnegie Hall was yelling Paul's name and waving furiously, all with the goal of just getting him to look at them. In fact, I remember a guy above me yelling, ).
I was struck witnessing firsthand the effect Paul has on so many people. It's one thing to know the effect he has on you, and maybe hear a bit from discussions online, but actually seeing that many people basically going ballistic for that long really hammers home his superhuman impact. I never want to hear any Paul fanboys criticize the screaming girls at Beatles shows, because I've personally seen them top that behavior. 
My family and I also had decent luck, sitting in a box one tier almost directly above him and his family. We expected them to be seated in the orchestra section like in London, and to suddenly find them so close was overwhelming! We had a clear view of them the whole show, which made it somewhat challenging to remain focused on the excellent performance on stage. 
ops: I do remember Stella and James calling out the misplaced attention, but Paul and Linda took it in stride. Speaking of which, that night was special because it was not only my first time seeing Linda, but unfortunately also the last, as it was for many of us. So often I hear people recall Linda's warm, genuine smile, and her specifically waving to them as a fan, and I encountered both that evening when she gave a smile & wave directly to my Mom and me when taking her seat a bit before Paul. For my Mom, a first generation fan, that night solidified her Linda appreciation because of that wave and observing her first and foremost as a caring mother. I was extra shocked when Linda died 5 months later because that night she looked vibrant, happy, and healthy, prompting a big thumbs up from me that I was giving her when she waved. It's now a bit of a bittersweet memory, but I'm very grateful I had that moment. Oh, and I noticed today that Paul dedicated the show to her, his "favorite New Yorker." 
Of course, the music itself is wonderful, and I most enjoyed the inclusion of some of Paul's shorter pieces before the main symphony. A Leaf in particular is one of my favorites in his career. Even today it brings me to tears each time, and I remember it being striking enough during the show for me to nearly forget about Paul being right there. The final chorus of SS, Celebration, is of course lovely as well, both when Paul is playing it himself and especially that night in live orchestral form. Finally, it was a fun day because I was active in some of the online communities, Macca-L in particular, and we had a big meetup at the Hard Rock Cafe beforehand. It was great finally putting real-life faces to names, first meeting friends it felt like I was always bumping into after, and seeing so many others as wacky as me. I know others also have fond memories from that day and autumn, some with a lot more interaction with Paul than I had. With everything that has followed in Paul's life, my own life, and our paths crossing, part of me feels like it was indeed 20 years ago, but my memories are so vivid it also feels like yesterday! ((P.S. I just noticed this site has the wrong date for the event! It was definitely November 19, not October 19.)) ((P.P.S. Among the celebrities there that night were Lorne Michaels, Paul Simon, and Elvis Costello. Of all of them, the only one I saw was Elvis, whom I watched chat with Stella in the family's box right after the show. 
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Thanks so much for sharing your memories! Enjoyed reading this very much. No doubt it was a once in a lifetime experience for you! Was impressed by Linda's strength and dignity, during what must have been a terrible ordeal for her. Her strength and courage was such an inspiration to her family, and to everyone who knew her, and I admire her very much. It goes without saying that seeing Linda go through her illness was a very sad time for Paul and their family as well, so it probably helped him to continue composing, writing songs, and performing. I feel Linda probably knew this, and wanted to give him all the encouragement in the world to support him with his music. The memories of that time will always be very special to you and your family, thanks so much for sharing them with us!
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Thank you Leslie! You're exactly right. I'm reminded also of the Concert for Montserrat a couple of months before that. Even watching on TV, something about Paul's appearance and demeanor when he stepped on stage made it apparent that Linda wasn't doing well, but by the end of his set he was rocking out to Kansas City, having a blast like always. It was so important for him to keep working and making music during that time, and very gracious of Linda to encourage him as always.
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AcresOfFun:
Thank you Leslie! You're exactly right. I'm reminded also of the Concert for Montserrat a couple of months before that. Even watching on TV, something about Paul's appearance and demeanor when he stepped on stage made it apparent that Linda wasn't doing well, but by the end of his set he was rocking out to Kansas City, having a blast like always. It was so important for him to keep working and making music during that time, and very gracious of Linda to encourage him as always.
You're welcome, AcresOfFun. In spite of what Linda was going through, she was able to be a source of strength to her husband and children. Just reading about her life, and the strong bond she had within her marriage and family has inspired me to be a better person, that's for sure. Loved watching the Concert for Montserrat. Was so great watching Paul, Carl Perkins, Eric Clapton, Sting, Elton John etc., rocking out to "Kansas City." It's true, that music can uplift and heal us, and just make us feel better through difficult times
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Wish I could have gone! Love it!!!
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Thank you for that excellent reminiscence, AcresofFun! I was really into the whole "Standing Stone" album/promotions/appearances, but only as a second-hand observer, so it was great to read your story
Also, your ability to articulate your thoughts so well is appreciated! -
Standing Stone isn't exactly my go to Paul album, but because of this, I'm playing it right now. I've never seen it performed live, especially with Paul in attendance, so I have to go by the music alone. It might be better than I remembered.
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Thank you for sharing your memories and reminding us of the anniversary dates! I was at both the London and NYC performances, and both of them were very special. Not only was it exciting to hear and see the piece performed live, it was wonderful to "share" the evening and the event with Paul.
I also have fond memories of seeing Linda, and being happy that she was there. -
Acres of fun, thanks for your post! I realized you had some really nice links there. Really enjoyed reliving it through your eyes.
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Great story, thanks for sharing that!
