Duluth • Thursday, July 13, 2017

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From Gwinnett Daily Post, June 26, 2017:

It’s no Abbey Road or Penny Lane, but the new street leading to the Infinite Energy Center shows how excited local officials are for Paul McCartney’s upcoming visit to the county — and how much they wanted to get him here.

The folks at Explore Gwinnett and the Infinite Energy Center want to make the most of their chance to get the former Beatle to visit as part of his One On One tour, so they offered to name a street for him as part of their bid to get on the tour, according to the center’s Executive Director of Sales, Book and Event Management, Dan Markham.

The music legend had the final say on the road name, but a proclamation issued by county commissioners on Tuesday revealed his pick: Paul McCartney Boulevard.

“It was actually one of the things that we did in the marketing, as far as luring him in, because it’s a smaller venue than he typically plays, so we kind of enhanced it,” Markham said. “We kind of got the idea because the road was getting ready to go in, and we told him we’d actually name a road after him, and he thought that was absolutely fantastic.

“We gave him some suggestions, Abbey Road, Penny Lane, that kind of stuff and then he picked it. He said, ‘If you’re putting a road in, I want Paul McCartney Boulevard,’ so he got the final word.” […]

From Gwinnett Daily Post, July 14, 2017:

Members of Johns Creek Christian Church weren’t going to let the opportunity to see Paul McCartney performing about 15 minutes from their homes pass by without making a celebration of it Thursday.

They carried waving fans with signs on them, such as “McCartney Fan,” to the concert at the Infinite Energy Arena in Duluth. Their spread of food also carried whimsical names, such as “Let it Brie,” “Pizza in the Sky with Diamonds” or “Here Come the Sunchips.”

Some of them even showed up in entertaining outfits, such as hippie-chic bandanas and colorful sequined hats with multi-colored prism lens goggles.

“It would be big for Atlanta, so for it to be in Gwinnett is just even more so,” one church member, Lynn Renshaw, said.

“It’s just totally unexpected to ever get to see him this close to home,” another church member, Sherri Lawson said.

“We jumped on this,” Renshaw said.

McCartney’s first-ever concert in Gwinnett drew a packed house of fans from around metro Atlanta, as well as other states. As the show began, the legendary musician strutted out on stage in a shiny blue blazer with guitar in hand and quickly jumped into a rendition of “Hard Day’s Night.”

“This is going to be so cool,” McCartney told the audience after a few songs. “In fact, I need a moment to take it all in.”

He played hits, ranging from “Love Me Do” and “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “Maybe I’m Amazed,” “Temporary Secretary,” “Here Today,” “Queenie Eye” and “My Valentine.”

For Monroe residents Sandra and Steve Sheppard, seeing McCartney perform in Gwinnett County is something they, at one time, wouldn’t have imagined happening. They lived in Grayson for about 20 years, before moving to Walton County four years ago. Sandra Sheppard still works in Lawrenceville, though, in the county government.

“I think it’s wonderful (to have McCartney perform in Duluth),” she said. “We come to a lot of events here, and we really enjoy it.”

Johns Creek residents Anna and Luis Fuster joked that they felt like they lived at the arena because they came to the James Taylor concert at the venue earlier in the week as well. McCartney was a pretty big draw for them though.

“We saw him once in Miami, and we always wanted to see him again,” Luis Fuster said.

“And this venue is awesome,” Anna said. “It’s small enough that you can appreciate anywhere you sit.”

At one point, McCartney asked the audience to yell if they were from Duluth, and then if they were form the surrounding area, or further out. Many of them were not from Duluth.

“OK then,” he said. “Well, on behalf of the tourist board for Duluth, we welcome you.” […]

Last updated on March 21, 2021

Infinite Energy Arena

This was the 1st and only concert played at Infinite Energy Arena.

Setlist for the soundcheck

The setlist for this soundcheck is incomplete, or we have not be able to confirm in an accurate way that this was the setlist. If you have any clue, pls let us know and leave a comment.

Setlist for the concert