Manchester • Wednesday, April 9, 2003

About

From The Macca Report:

Paul arrived at the Manchester Evening News Arena around 4:30pm. He didn’t stop but rolled down the window and waved to fans. Paul spent an hour backstage with a doctor before he started the sound check which included: “Coming Up,” “All My Loving,” “Honey Don’t,” “C Moon,” “Celebration,” “Two of Us,” “Things We Said Today,” “I’ve Just Seen A Face,” and a medley of “You Never Give Me Your Money,” “The Fool On The Hill,” “Lady Madonna.” At the soundcheck there was a discussion by Paul and his band about what songs to drop from the set that would difficult for him to sing with his cold. “Birthday” was suggested as one of the songs to drop but Paul said he really enjoyed singing it and liked the sheer exuberance of the song.

The show started on time and Paul wore a black Nehru jacket and charcoal striped trousers with a red long sleeve T-shirt. In the audience was Peter Reid, manager of Leeds united football club.

After “All My Loving” he said, ” Yo Manchester! It is good to be talking again. We have come to rock you tonight.” Paul said that he had been sick and totally lost his voice and mentioned the “sorry sign.” He told the sellout crowd of 16,000 that he was delighted to be touring again and would be playing a number of songs that he wrote when he was with the Beatles, but never performed live. Then he launched into “Getting Better.”

His voice was rough and he appeared to be still sick with his right eye looking red and swollen. He rubbed that eye a lot during the show. 

“Let ‘Em In” got quite a bit of applause.

For “Lonely Road” Paul took the lower vocals while Rusty sang the higher vocals which is usually Paul’s part.

He screwed up the chords to “Blackbird” at least three times and his voice was strained but improved after the acoustic set. He also messed up the piano chords to “You Never Give Me Your Money.”

By “Birthday” the audience, which had been glued to their seats, threw away their ‘British reserve” and were dancing and enjoying themselves. Security allowed fans in the first 5 rows to move up to the front and several did so.

Some fans yelled out to him but he couldn’t hear them and kept saying, “You what?”

Paul mentioned one text message that said, “One night in Sheffield was enough.” There was another posted before the show that read “Goo-Goo Ka-Choo!” Paul pointed to one of the few audience signs that said, “St Paul Loves Sir Paul.” He said, “Yes I remember.”

Highlights included new songs. He dropped, “Maybe I’m Amazed,” “Coming Up” and “Driving Rain” and added, “Things We Said Today,” “I’ve Just Seen A Face,” and “Two of Us.”

Paul said for the intro to “My Love,” “This ones for Linda” which got a lot of cheers. The reaction for his dedication to Heather for “Your Loving Flame” was lukewarm. Heather bopped all evening in the photo pit wearing a red outfit and did a lot of hand waving during “Hey Jude” which was shown on the video screens.

He did the “Foxy Lady” ending to “Let Me Roll It” and the “Baby Face” intro to “Hey Jude.”

A fan threw a stuffed teddy bear on the stage after “Hey Jude.” Paul looked surprised and asked the fan “Is that for me?” The fan nodded “yes” and Paul held the bear up for the audience to see and kissed it. The bear had “Paul” embroidered on it’s chest. Paul clutched it to his chest and left the stage with it. Macca came out after the encore and put the bear on one of the amps.

Last updated on May 15, 2019

Manchester Evening News Arena

This was the 1st concert played at Manchester Evening News Arena.

A total of 2 concerts have been played there • 2003 • Apr 9th • Apr 10th

Setlist for the soundcheck