When Sir Paul McCartney comes to Los Angeles to play a free concert, there is no other choice but to go see him play. At least, that was the mindset of hundreds of people Monday night when they heard that the former Beatle would be coming to perform for the city.
McCartney treated Los Angeles to a 45-minute set Monday evening after an interview on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” McCartney taped the interview with Kimmel around 6 p.m. and took the stage a little after 7:30 p.m., ready to rock LA.
The stage was set up in the middle of Hollywood Boulevard, just outside of the El Capitan Theatre. The street was blocked off from Highland Avenue to Orange Drive in order to fit the stage. A few blocks, which would otherwise be bustling during rush hour, were also cleared fo an area for fans to pile into but only if they had a ticket in hand courtesy of “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”
Ticketless fans had to find their own way of seeing the show, and they had no problem doing so.
Despite the surrounding fence blocking the fan area, diehard McCartney fans found ways to catch the show by walking through fire lanes and standing on balconies of nearby shopping areas. A few of the more brazen fans tried their luck with hopping the fence. Those who weren’t lucky enough to find a way to see McCartney onstage were able to see him up on the big screens located throughout the street.
Whether they were lucky ticket holders or stuck watching outside on the street, every audience member and the entire area roared when McCartney took the stage. He played a mix of new songs from his upcoming October release, “New,” as well as an array of Wings hits and crowd-pleasing Beatles favorites.
The audience grooved to “Lady Madonna,” belted the words to “Birthday” and shed tears listening to “Let It Be.” McCartney also sung tracks like “Back In The U.S.S.R.,” “Band on the Run,” “Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da” and “Day Tripper,” giving the crowd a full dose of McCartney-inspired tunes.
The highlight of the night, however, was McCartney’s final song, “Hey Jude.” Hollywood stopped bustling for about six minutes, and everyone in attendance sang along to The Beatles’ most popular single.
The night ended in “na-na-nas” that echoed throughout the Hollywood Hills, first from McCartney and then to the crowd who took turns singing it a capella.
As McCartney’s final notes faded into the warm night, they left a sense of comfort and joy lingering in the air, reminding everyone, young and old, how timeless some musicians and their music can be.