SIR PAUL McCartney’s stunning Anfield show was today hailed as his best gig ever.
His management team said they had never heard him perform better.
And the fans in the 36,000 sell-out crowd agreed after his emotional two hour homecoming concert set up a spectacular 08 summer.
Sir Paul told the ecstatic crowd that he was in: “The city of culture at the centre of the universe.”
The ECHO's top team was on hand to watch the historic show.
Paul McCartney's Liverpool One show
by Jade Wright
“LIVERPOOL I love you,” said Sir Paul taking to the stage for his triumphant homecoming.
And the feeling was entirely mutual.
The city’s favourite son delivered his gift to his hometown in person, with a spectacular centrepiece concert in its Capital of Culture year.
“In the city of culture at the centre of the universe,” he grinned. “I was born just down the road from here in Walton hospital.”
And Sir Paul certainly pulled out all the stops for the city he holds so dear.
With a set-list reading like a greatest hits from heaven, he powered through everything from Hippy Hippy Shake to The Long and Winding Road.
Along the way he packed in Blackbird, Eleanor Rigby, Penny Lane, Live and Let Die, Let It Be, Hey Jude, Yesterday and Lady Madonna.
It was a performance packed with emotion.
From the quiet, heartfelt dedication of My Love to his adored wife Linda, to the tribute to George with Something – on the ukulele no less – this was a show from the heart.
And his hometown is something that will always mean the world to Sir Paul.
“It’s great for me because every time I come to Liverpool my memories come flooding back,” he said.
“Me and the lads. I remember there was this thing that me and George used to do. JS Bach. He got it right, I got it wrong.” And launched into Blackbird. The crowd sang along to every word.
And Sir Paul clearly felt at home.
“Ok, let’s hear it for Speke,” he laughed. “Let’s hear it for Garston.”
Not forgetting the other acts – before Sir Paul took to the stage there was a taste of Liverpool’s current sound, with The Zutons.
On the eve of the release of their third album, the Merseyside quintet delighted the crowd with Zuton Fever, Why Won’t You Give Me Your Love, and new single Always Right Behind You.
But the biggest cheers came for Valerie. After Amy Winehouse covered it the band went from indie favourites to a global phenomenon.
Add in a warm-up set from Kaiser Chiefs and the mood was all set for Sir Paul. Ruby and I Predict A Riot got the crowd dancing.
Nevertheless, it was Sir Paul’s night.
It’s a rare thing that an act can take you from standing on your feet whooping with joy to close to tears within moments, but then that has always been his gift.
But best of all, this was his gift to us. And it came from the heart.
Macca rocks the Capital of Culture
SIR Paul McCartney rocked Liverpool in a thrilling night for Capital of Culture.
And if Anfield had a roof, Macca would have blown it right off.
The former Beatle played almost 30 songs from across his five-decade career during almost two triumphant hours on stage at last night’s Liverpool Sound.
He told the ecstatic 36,000-strong crowd: “Thank you for coming here to the city of culture, epicentre of the universe.”
Sir Paul was introduced by comedian Peter Kay, whose surprise appearance sparked roars of delight from the stadium.
The Bolton-born comedian joked: “He’s a local lad who’s done very well for himself. He’s played with them all, Stevie Wonder, Rupert the Bear and the Beatles.
“It’s Sir Paul Mildred McCartney.”
Wearing a black ‘Beatles-style’ jacket, trousers and white shirt, Macca appeared on the stage – a 200ft wide platform with Liverpool spelt out in giant letters overhead – and broke into a breakneck speed version of Hippy Hippy Shake.
Each number in turn prompted a mass sing-a-long from the crowd, with Beatles’ hits such as Eleanor Rigby, The Long And Winding Road, Penny Lane, Hey Jude, Lady Madonna, A Day In The Life, and Let It Be making the stadium shake with sound.
The 65-year-old dedicated My Love to late wife Linda, and spoke about his love of his home city, saying: “Every time I come back to Liverpool all the memories come flooding back.”
Many of his family were in the crowd, along with Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison, Sir George Martin and Sgt Pepper cover artist Sir Peter Blake.
Among others at the sell-out gig were Wayne Rooney and Coleen McLoughlin, Rafa Benitez, Mel C, Kenny Dalglish, former BBC boss John Birt, Claire Sweeney, and senior cabinet ministers.
Macca’s cousin Kate Robbins said: “We sent a message to Paul this morning saying how much the family were all looking forward to the concert and he said Liverpool was buzzing.”
The ex-Beatle was joined by Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl for rip-roaring versions of Band On The Run and Back In The USSR.
Macca’s Wings days were also marked with favourites Jet, and James Bond theme Live And Let Die – complete with stage-front pyrotechnics.
He also played John Lennon’s Give Peace a Chance in front of a CND symbol.
Liverpool favourites the Zutons opened the four-and-a-half hour spectacular with a set which included crowd favourites such as You Will, You Won’t, Valerie – which lead singer Dave McCabe joked was “an Amy Winehouse cover”, and their new single Always Right Behind You.
They were followed by Leeds indie rockers The Kaiser Chiefs who also drew huge roars of appreciation for hits including Ruby, Every Day I Love You Less And Less, and I Predict A Riot.
The evening ended with a giant firework display over the stadium.
Macca told the crowd: “People have come from all over the world to come to Liverpool tonight and thank-you to all the Liverpudlians that have shown up.
“You’ve been brilliant.”
Fans flocked to Anfield
by Michelle Fiddler
MUSIC fans from across the world flocked to Anfield last night to see the four-and-a-half hour Liverpool Sound concert.
Lisbeth Jensen Verpe and her 14 year-old daughter Eve Victoria, travelled from Oslo, Norway, for the concert.
Lisbeth said: “We came to Liverpool because Eve was playing violin at the cathedral. But we heard about the concert and wanted to come.
“It has been a fantastic night. We have never been to Liverpool before but we would come again.”
Sisters Rachel, 31 and Elizabeth White, 29, from Crosby, said: “We had a fantastic night. We did not know what to expect but Paul McCartney put on a really good show.
“We heard him say beforehand that he had a real treat for us and he certainly did.
“The Kaiser Chiefs and the Zutons were great as well.”
Dean Jones, 30, from Maghull and Emma Thompson, 35, from Kirkby, said: “It was fantastic. I just wish it could have gone on for longer.
“Everything was great from start to finish including the organisation.
“Paul McCartney has done Liverpool proud. We definitely had our money’s worth.”
Lynn Berry, 46 and Dan Davies, 52, from Anfield, said: “It was brilliant. We were up singing and dancing all night.”
Theresa Molloy, 60, from Tuebrook, said: “It was marvellous. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
“I used to go to the Cavern so I am an old fan of Paul McCartney.
“It was great to see a band like the Zutons, one of our own, starting the concert.”
There were some complaints about queuing for last night’s concert.
One person said: “They only had one entry point to the ground and the queue to get in went on for ages.
“It took everyone around the back streets of Anfield which does not give a great impression to people from outside the city.”
Fan's 7,000 mile trek to see Paul
ONE dedicated fan spent 48 hours travelling 7,000 miles to make it to Macca’s concert last night.
Milenka Reyes-Baquedano, 18, was fulfilling a lifetime’s dream of seeing her hero perform in his home town.
Her trip was made possible by the Make a Wish Foundation which grants wishes to children and young people battling life-threatening illnesses.
Milenka, from Chile, has Von Hippel-Lindau disease which is a rare inherited genetic condition.
Vin O’Brien, whose day job is in the PR department of Liverpool FC, helped arrange the trip.
There were a few surprises for Milenka including a guided tour of John Lennon’s childhood home by his widow Yoko Ono.
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