Phoenix • Tuesday, August 12, 2014

About

From paulmccartney.com, April 28, 2014:

PAUL McCARTNEY IS GETTING BACK ‘OUT THERE’

TWO MORE U.S. SHOWS CONFIRMED FOR SUMMER 2014:
August 5: Missoula, MT – Washington-Grizzly Stadium
August 12: Phoenix, AZ – US Airways Center

[…] Paul will return to Phoenix, AZ for an August 12 show at the US Airways Center, his first date in the area since the March 2010 opener of the ‘Up and Coming’ Tour. […]

From Phoenix New Times:

[…] though many associate McCartney with sappy love songs and for being the clean-cut, straight-edge half of the Lennon-McCartney duo, McCartney has actually consistently been an artistic experimenter, from his spearheading of the concept album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (considered by many to be one of the best albums ever made) to the boundary-pushing albums he released as collaborator with Youth under the name The Fireman. Even now, at 72, when no one would bat an eye if he chose to disappear from the public eye, he is still performing and making new music — his album New, came out in October, and to the surprise of critics, it was actually pretty good.

The album was the premise but not necessarily the reason concertgoers packed into US Airways Center Tuesday night. Before the show started, the delightful and weird McCartney tune “Temporary Secretary” began playing through the loud speakers. The song is one of McCartney’s strangest, starting with a frantic, somewhat urgent electronic instrumental riff, on top of which McCartney sings a somewhat robotic-sounding ditty about needing a temporary secretary. It was nice to hear, even if it meant it wouldn’t be performed live. (It’s a shame McCartney doesn’t play some of his weirder stuff during his live shows, though he would probably get crucified for doing so in front of crowds hungry to hear hits). As the song ended, the lights went down and a dreamy, drowsy rendition of the lyrics of the “The End” came in through the speakers — “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” The band, led by bass-toting Sir Paul, entered and launched into “Eight Days a Week.” […]

It was a night of great songs, written by a tremendous songwriter in the twilight of a legendary career. Not many times do you see a show and get to say, “I saw a legend last night” afterward. But that was the experience of more than 10,000 people at US Airways Center. Who knows how many more people will get the chance?

During the set McCartney took time out to join two fans in marriage. Andrea Copado and Adam Kowal had held up a sign saying: “You’re ordained, we’re engaged. Please marry us tonight!” The couple were brought on stage and a mock wedding took place.

Last updated on April 15, 2021

US Airways Center

This was the 1st and only concert played at US Airways Center.

Setlist for the soundcheck

Setlist for the concert