Set List critique
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Thanks for the setlist rundown Yankeefan for the opening show (Spokane). I'm glad I didn't stay up!
Like you, I'm extremely disappointed. Thank God I didn't pay the money for this show. No wonder they didn't need much rehearsing.
Biggest disappointment... Only 1 song from McCartney 3. How about "Seize the Day", "Find My Way" or Slidin at the very least.
He does "Can't Buy Me Love" as the opener? "Find My Way" would be just as easy for him to sing as "Can't Buy Me Love". Show some nerve at least. I could have said some other words but I chose not.
And he does the 2 weakest songs from Egypt Station? Are you kidding me! He did those same 2 songs on the last tour. How about "I Don't Know" which he did several time in rehearsal on the last tour. How about Dominoes, Happy With You or Even"People Want Peace" which would had been a good choice for the people in Ukraine. The man can't be more creative than this considering it was 3 years sonce the last tour.
I love the man and my only explanation is that he currently has little confidence with his voice.
Now more than ever I want a Leftovers/Rarities type of CD from Macca. At least we would get a great "new" CD when Macca could really sing. Something like what I listed in another thread would at least be for the hard core fans.
Maybe he will get a lot of negative feedback on this setlist and throw in more "additons" at the Seattle and/or Oakland Shows which are coming next.
Did I say that I was disappointed?
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"Biggest disappointment... Only 1 song from McCartney 3. How about "Seize the Day", "Find My Way" or Slidin at the very least. "
Of all the songs he picks, it is "Women And Wives", unbelievable -lol.
"He does "Can't Buy Me Love" as the opener? "Find My Way" would be just as easy for him to sing as "Can't Buy Me Love". Show some nerve at least. I could have said some other words but I chose not."
Exactly. Even if you don't want to open with solo song at least pick a Beatle song you have not done live.
"And he does the 2 weakest songs from Egypt Station? Are you kidding me! He did those same 2 songs on the last tour. How about "I Don't Know" which he did several time in rehearsal on the last tour. How about Dominoes, Happy With You or Even"People Want Peace" which would had been a good choice for the people in Ukraine. The man can't be more creative than this considering it was 3 years sonce the last tour."
He keeps those two songs but drops "Who Care", freaking wow. Like you mentioned, plenty of other good songs from that album that he could have done.
"I love the man and my only explanation is that he currently has little confidence with his voice."
I believe that is true but the songs we want him to do were recorded when he was in his late 70's so it is not like we are compaing his voice now to songs done when he was young man.
"Maybe he will get a lot of negative feedback on this setlist and throw in more "additons" at the Seattle and/or Oakland Shows which are coming next."
He did get a little negative feedback on this board for his opener and some of his other selections but the media will just fawn all over him. Read the Spokane "review", it is a joke.
"Did I say that I was disappointed?"
You and me and maybe a few others but you know the majority will come on here and say it was awesome.
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Funny all of the MPL Twitter requests before the show about "what would you like Paul to play on your dream set list." Lazy Dynamite? How about Lazy Setlist?
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Everything Aflutter wrote:
Funny all of the MPL Twitter requests before the show about "what would you like Paul to play on your dream set list." Lazy Dynamite? How about Lazy Setlist?
Excellent point. Why bother asking if you are going to ignore it?
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jonh81 wrote:
There's 4 songs in last night's show that I've never heard Esp addition of 'Getting Better '. Would be tempted to see Paul in concert again should he announce Uk/Europe tour dates. So from last tour it look as though the following were dropped: let em in, From me to you, Eleanor Rigby, Back in the Ussr, who cares, all my loving and juniors farm.
He DID do Junior's Farm (2nd song)
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NJR wrote:
jonh81 wrote:
There's 4 songs in last night's show that I've never heard Esp addition of 'Getting Better '. Would be tempted to see Paul in concert again should he announce Uk/Europe tour dates. So from last tour it look as though the following were dropped: let em in, From me to you, Eleanor Rigby, Back in the Ussr, who cares, all my loving and juniors farm.
He DID do Junior's Farm (2nd song)
He did not do "While My Guitar Gently Weep" -lol. Just teasing Nancy !!
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NJR wrote:
jonh81 wrote:
There's 4 songs in last night's show that I've never heard Esp addition of 'Getting Better '. Would be tempted to see Paul in concert again should he announce Uk/Europe tour dates. So from last tour it look as though the following were dropped: let em in, From me to you, Eleanor Rigby, Back in the Ussr, who cares, all my loving and juniors farm.
He DID do Junior's Farm (2nd song)
Yes i see that now, the setlist fm site from this morning hadnt been updated to show JF in the show !
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Yankeefan2 wrote:
NJR wrote:
jonh81 wrote:
There's 4 songs in last night's show that I've never heard Esp addition of 'Getting Better '. Would be tempted to see Paul in concert again should he announce Uk/Europe tour dates. So from last tour it look as though the following were dropped: let em in, From me to you, Eleanor Rigby, Back in the Ussr, who cares, all my loving and juniors farm.
He DID do Junior's Farm (2nd song)
He did not do "While My Guitar Gently Weep" -lol. Just teasing Nancy !!
If he had, we'd both be dead from heart attacks, so there's that on the plus side!
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Yankeefan2 wrote:
Everything Aflutter wrote:
Funny all of the MPL Twitter requests before the show about "what would you like Paul to play on your dream set list." Lazy Dynamite? How about Lazy Setlist?
Excellent point. Why bother asking if you are going to ignore it?
"Lazy" was a good description. How can his Band continue to play with him after continuing to play the same songs for this long.
I remember back in 2002 and 2005 seeing Paul multiple times at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia (indoor venue). At that time I wrote that Paul was the best current performer out there, I think Howard Stern made a similar comment. At that time his voice was very good and he did many Beatle songs that weren't done by any of the original Beatles in many yearsl.
I can hardly make that comment after the Spokane Show. I also would never call Paul "lazy" as I always thought he was one of the hardest working men in show business.
I'll give him credit for still giving almost a 3 hour slhow but I seriously doubt he will continue to get good reviews if he stays with the same setlist. He didn't need one day of rehearsing with this setlist.
I see some comment of how great is was for using one of Peter Jackson tapes from "Get Back" during the "I Got a Feeling" song. It wouldn't have changed my mind if I had been to the Spokane Show. How difficult was using the Peter Jackson clip to do. It still doesn't justify not doing anything new from his recent albums like McCartney 3 or Eghpt Station.
I thought I would never say this about Paul but last night he just "mailed" it in. Hardly any effort at all to giving the real fans any "never done before" songs. Even if one of the upcoming show were coming to a city near me, I would never attend. Sad to say from a huge Solo Paul fan like me.
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B J Conlee wrote:
Yankeefan2 wrote:
Everything Aflutter wrote:
Funny all of the MPL Twitter requests before the show about "what would you like Paul to play on your dream set list." Lazy Dynamite? How about Lazy Setlist?
Excellent point. Why bother asking if you are going to ignore it?
"Lazy" was a good description. How can his Band continue to play with him after continuing to play the same songs for this long.
I remember back in 2002 and 2005 seeing Paul multiple times at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia (indoor venue). At that time I wrote that Paul was the best current performer out there, I think Howard Stern made a similar comment. At that time his voice was very good and he did many Beatle songs that weren't done by any of the original Beatles in many yearsl.
I can hardly make that comment after the Spokane Show. I also would never call Paul "lazy" as I always thought he was one of the hardest working men in show business.
I'll give him credit for still giving almost a 3 hour slhow but I seriously doubt he will continue to get good reviews if he stays with the same setlist. He didn't need one day of rehearsing with this setlist.
I see some comment of how great is was for using one of Peter Jackson tapes from "Get Back" during the "I Got a Feeling" song. It wouldn't have changed my mind if I had been to the Spokane Show. How difficult was using the Peter Jackson clip to do. It still doesn't justify not doing anything new so from his recent albums like McCartney 3 or Eghpt Station.
I thought I would never say this about Paul but last night he just "mailed" it in. Hardly any effort at all to giving the real fans any "never done before" songs. Even if one of the upcoming show were coming to a city near me, I would never attend.
The expression is he "phoned" it in, but I totally agree with you. I too would not bother to spend $$$$ to see him in Atlanta, or even 20 minutes away in Duluth, GA like in 2017!
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""Lazy" was a good description. How can his Band continue to play with him after continuing to play the same songs for this long."
Plain and simple, it is a good pay day -lol
"At that time I wrote that Paul was the best current performer out there, I think Howard Stern made a similar comment. At that time his voice was very good and he did many Beatle songs that weren't done by any of the original Beatles in many years"
I agree and the only live performer even close may have been Springsteen. At that time, Paul had not done that many Beatle songs live so it was refreshing and new.
"I'll give him credit for still giving almost a 3 hour slhow but I seriously doubt he will continue to get good reviews if he stays with the same setlist. He didn't need one day of rehearsing with this setlist."
A rock icon and his touring band for 20 years should like you said do that show without rehearsal. Only reason to do one is probably to check the lighting for the concert. He will continue to get good reviews because most cities don't have a decent newspaper music critic so they will just be in awe of a living icon. These same people know little about his post Beatle career and will overlook his no longer powerful voice.
"How difficult was using the Peter Jackson clip to do. It still doesn't justify not doing anything new from his recent albums like McCartney 3 or Eghpt Station."
While this was nice moment in the show, it is not like anybody has never done something similar before in concert. I believe many years ago Natalie Cole for example did "duet" with her Dad live at performances.
"Hardly any effort at all to giving the real fans any "never done before" songs. Even if one of the upcoming show were coming to a city near me, I would never attend. "
Exactly !! I mean he could not even replace songs like "Benefit For Mr. Kite" with a Beatle song he has never done live. Last time I saw him was 2010 and have never had any desire to see him again, his shows are geared for the first timers so let them pay the big bucks -lol.
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I'm trying not to check out last night's set list and all related details, so I'll probably not look lurk here until after the Oakland gigs.
I noticed they released some superb tickets at face days before the Spokane concert.
Hoping it was a triumphant show for all in attendance.
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B J Conlee wrote:
Yankeefan2 wrote:
Everything Aflutter wrote:
Funny all of the MPL Twitter requests before the show about "what would you like Paul to play on your dream set list." Lazy Dynamite? How about Lazy Setlist?
Excellent point. Why bother asking if you are going to ignore it?
"Lazy" was a good description. How can his Band continue to play with him after continuing to play the same songs for this long.
I remember back in 2002 and 2005 seeing Paul multiple times at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia (indoor venue). At that time I wrote that Paul was the best current performer out there, I think Howard Stern made a similar comment. At that time his voice was very good and he did many Beatle songs that weren't done by any of the original Beatles in many yearsl.
I can hardly make that comment after the Spokane Show. I also would never call Paul "lazy" as I always thought he was one of the hardest working men in show business.
I'll give him credit for still giving almost a 3 hour slhow but I seriously doubt he will continue to get good reviews if he stays with the same setlist. He didn't need one day of rehearsing with this setlist.
I see some comment of how great is was for using one of Peter Jackson tapes from "Get Back" during the "I Got a Feeling" song. It wouldn't have changed my mind if I had been to the Spokane Show. How difficult was using the Peter Jackson clip to do. It still doesn't justify not doing anything new from his recent albums like McCartney 3 or Eghpt Station.
I thought I would never say this about Paul but last night he just "mailed" it in. Hardly any effort at all to giving the real fans any "never done before" songs. Even if one of the upcoming show were coming to a city near me, I would never attend. Sad to say from a huge Solo Paul fan like me.
I wish he would play a LOT more of his solo and Wings songs too. But oh well, at least we have those songs on the albums, and he's still making new albums and touring, even if the set lists aren't what we'd want them to be.
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wrote:
nobodytoldme:
paulislive:
[..] Maybe one day when you are in the biggest and most celebrated band the world has ever known,you will realise that other things you have achieved have to take a back seat because of that. Imagine watching a 'neil armstrong' interview and him just talking about the 1970s/1980s 1990s?........The folks turning up at these modern day paul mccartney concerts are getting exactly what they want and have paid big money for I really wish people on here would give it a rest and accept him for the marvel that he is.
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No need to be so defensive. Like said, no one is saying it's a sub-par show. Or even saying he shouldn't serve the masses. Or saying he should only play obscure songs. If Neil Armstrong would have been the first man on Venus in the 70's, and the first man on Mars in the 80's, it would be strange if 80% of interviews with him were concentrating on his 60's achievements.
Yes but thats only in your head....in reality or back in reality he is known and admired the world over for the music he made in the 1960's. Sure he has made some fine music since then and sure he has been a popular artist in his own right. But 90% of the people that go to see him are wanting to hear 90% beatles songs.....sorry that upsets you but its a FACT
I agree, except that it's more like 99% of the people that go to see him are wanting to hear 90% Beatles songs. I go to see him often and I always ask the people sitting around me whether they have seen him before. Invariably, they are "first timers" or, if they have seen him before, it was in 1976 or 1989/1990. Paul knows what his audience wants to hear, and the reason he can fill arenas and stadiums at sky high prices is because he gives them what they want. I am a big fan of his solo work, and it had long been my hope (when his voice was stronger than it is now) that he would do a show at a smaller venue (perhaps Carnegie Hall) consisting solely of post-Beatle songs that he had never performed live before. Similar to BJ Conlee and Yankee fan, I thought he would have wanted to do a show like that to "make a statement" about his post-Beatle work. Sadly (at least for me) that never happened and at this point it is unrealistic to think it ever will. Accordingly, I share the sentiments of the reviewer for Spin magazine who expressed gratitude for the fact that Paul is still able to get up on stage for 2+ hours and please an audience filled with people who cherish him and his work.
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Only conjecture but I assume he maybe dropped Back in the USSR as the tongue in cheek lyrics may not be appropriate given the current war in Ukraine. Still hard to believe he hasn't performed Yesterday the past few tours.
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"Similar to BJ Conlee and Yankee fan, I thought he would have wanted to do a show like that to "make a statement" about his post-Beatle work. Sadly (at least for me) that never happened and at this point it is unrealistic to think it ever will. Accordingly, I share the sentiments of the reviewer for Spin magazine who expressed gratitude for the fact that Paul is still able to get up on stage for 2+ hours and please an audience filled with people who cherish him and his work."
I am sad he never did a smaller venue show with just his solo work, it could have been an awesome show. Like you said, the chance of Paul doing that is long gone. I think the window of opportunity to have tried something like that was around 2002. Paul had not toured since 1993 and had a brand new touring band. There were no expecations about the music he would have in his setlist and he had the big chance to "make a statement" he was great solo artist and not just Beatle Paul. Sadly IMO, that is when he started to make the turn to have his setlist become more about the Beatles than he had in his other tours.
Yes, it is incredible that Paul can still get out there and do close to 3 hour show at his age. His ticket prices may be high but he does give his audience their money's worth. I am very happy for the people who are getting to see him for the first time. I will once again say my disappointment was not just about solo songs in the setlist the other night. I just did not get why he continues to do rather obscure Beatle songs like "Benefit For Mr. Kite" and "In Spite Of Danger" for several tours. There still are enough Beatle songs he has not done yet that IMO would be better than these two. I can't imagine a first-timer being upset if those songs were replaced -lol. Oh well - it is what it is - ha ha.
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Brian Sullivan wrote:
wrote:
nobodytoldme:
paulislive:
[..] Maybe one day when you are in the biggest and most celebrated band the world has ever known,you will realise that other things you have achieved have to take a back seat because of that. Imagine watching a 'neil armstrong' interview and him just talking about the 1970s/1980s 1990s?........The folks turning up at these modern day paul mccartney concerts are getting exactly what they want and have paid big money for I really wish people on here would give it a rest and accept him for the marvel that he is.
:
No need to be so defensive. Like said, no one is saying it's a sub-par show. Or even saying he shouldn't serve the masses. Or saying he should only play obscure songs. If Neil Armstrong would have been the first man on Venus in the 70's, and the first man on Mars in the 80's, it would be strange if 80% of interviews with him were concentrating on his 60's achievements.
Yes but thats only in your head....in reality or back in reality he is known and admired the world over for the music he made in the 1960's. Sure he has made some fine music since then and sure he has been a popular artist in his own right. But 90% of the people that go to see him are wanting to hear 90% beatles songs.....sorry that upsets you but its a FACT
I agree, except that it's more like 99% of the people that go to see him are wanting to hear 90% Beatles songs. I go to see him often and I always ask the people sitting around me whether they have seen him before. Invariably, they are "first timers" or, if they have seen him before, it was in 1976 or 1989/1990. Paul knows what his audience wants to hear, and the reason he can fill arenas and stadiums at sky high prices is because he gives them what they want. I am a big fan of his solo work, and it had long been my hope (when his voice was stronger than it is now) that he would do a show at a smaller venue (perhaps Carnegie Hall) consisting solely of post-Beatle songs that he had never performed live before. Similar to BJ Conlee and Yankee fan, I thought he would have wanted to do a show like that to "make a statement" about his post-Beatle work. Sadly (at least for me) that never happened and at this point it is unrealistic to think it ever will. Accordingly, I share the sentiments of the reviewer for Spin magazine who expressed gratitude for the fact that Paul is still able to get up on stage for 2+ hours and please an audience filled with people who cherish him and his work.
Well said Brian!
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bernie1cat wrote:
Only conjecture but I assume he maybe dropped Back in the USSR as the tongue in cheek lyrics may not be appropriate given the current war in Ukraine. Still hard to believe he hasn't performed Yesterday the past few tours.
He only dropped in in 2019. He did it in 2018 which was still technically the same tour (Freshen Up)
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Yankeefan2 wrote:
"Similar to BJ Conlee and Yankee fan, I thought he would have wanted to do a show like that to "make a statement" about his post-Beatle work. Sadly (at least for me) that never happened and at this point it is unrealistic to think it ever will. Accordingly, I share the sentiments of the reviewer for Spin magazine who expressed gratitude for the fact that Paul is still able to get up on stage for 2+ hours and please an audience filled with people who cherish him and his work."
I am sad he never did a smaller venue show with just his solo work, it could have been an awesome show. Like you said, the chance of Paul doing that is long gone. I think the window of opportunity to have tried something like that was around 2002. Paul had not toured since 1993 and had a brand new touring band. There were no expecations about the music he would have in his setlist and he had the big chance to "make a statement" he was great solo artist and not just Beatle Paul. Sadly IMO, that is when he started to make the turn to have his setlist become more about the Beatles than he had in his other tours.
Yes, it is incredible that Paul can still get out there and do close to 3 hour show at his age. His ticket prices may be high but he does give his audience their money's worth. I am very happy for the people who are getting to see him for the first time. I will once again say my disappointment was not just about solo songs in the setlist the other night. I just did not get why he continues to do rather obscure Beatle songs like "Benefit For Mr. Kite" and "In Spite Of Danger" for several tours. There still are enough Beatle songs he has not done yet that IMO would be better than these two. I can't imagine a first-timer being upset if those songs were replaced -lol. Oh well - it is what it is - ha ha.
I have a feeling that he kept so many of the songs we thought he should have dropped and replaced because he knows how to play and sing them in his sleep and at his age just doesn't want to bother to "re-learn" something new or even do something from McCartney III! It still boggles my mind though. Is it his memory that he might have trouble with, or just laziness? I honestly think he ignores the fact that there are many many people in the audience who have seen him do the same songs and tell the same stories for 20 years and just panders to the "first-timers" and those who haven't seen him since 1990 or 1993! It's a damn shame, really.
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B J Conlee wrote:
Yankeefan2 wrote:
Everything Aflutter wrote:
Funny all of the MPL Twitter requests before the show about "what would you like Paul to play on your dream set list." Lazy Dynamite? How about Lazy Setlist?
Excellent point. Why bother asking if you are going to ignore it?
"Lazy" was a good description. How can his Band continue to play with him after continuing to play the same songs for this long.
I remember back in 2002 and 2005 seeing Paul multiple times at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia (indoor venue). At that time I wrote that Paul was the best current performer out there, I think Howard Stern made a similar comment. At that time his voice was very good and he did many Beatle songs that weren't done by any of the original Beatles in many yearsl.
I can hardly make that comment after the Spokane Show. I also would never call Paul "lazy" as I always thought he was one of the hardest working men in show business.
I'll give him credit for still giving almost a 3 hour slhow but I seriously doubt he will continue to get good reviews if he stays with the same setlist. He didn't need one day of rehearsing with this setlist.
I see some comment of how great is was for using one of Peter Jackson tapes from "Get Back" during the "I Got a Feeling" song. It wouldn't have changed my mind if I had been to the Spokane Show. How difficult was using the Peter Jackson clip to do. It still doesn't justify not doing anything new from his recent albums like McCartney 3 or Eghpt Station.
I thought I would never say this about Paul but last night he just "mailed" it in. Hardly any effort at all to giving the real fans any "never done before" songs. Even if one of the upcoming show were coming to a city near me, I would never attend. Sad to say from a huge Solo Paul fan like me.
Re:"He didn't need one day of rehearsing with this setlist."
Anyone who's ever performed knows this isn't true. I'm not a musician but I've done musical comedy. After even a week off you get rusty, your timing is off, things aren't as sharp. Paul and the band hadn't played live for over two years. Your damn right they needed rehearsal. And to get the Lennon duet right -- with the band, all the technical pieces, sound, lighting, etc. -- probably took a whole day all by itself. Non-performers by and large have no clue how much work goes into creating the performance you see. If they make it look easy, that's the point.
I don't love the current set list, or most of his recent set lists, but I don't for a minute think Paul is phoning it in. He's just not doing shows aimed at us, he's aiming at the casual Beatles/Wings fan, and -- judging by the review in the Spokane paper and the rapturous comments I've seen from first timers, he's scoring a bullseye.
Hey, if it were up to me he'd do a Beatles-free show, opening with Getting Closer and including Wanderlust, Dominoes, Friends to Go and Seize the Day, among others. But it ain't gonna happen. We're not the audience he's designing these shows for.