Liverpool • Wednesday, December 12, 2018

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From paulmccartney.com, July 5, 2018:

THE ‘FRESHEN UP’ TOUR 2018
FIRST UK LIVE DATES IN THREE YEARS ANNOUNCED TODAY

December 12th – Liverpool, UK – Echo Arena
December 14th – Glasgow, UK – SSE Hydro
December 16th – London, UK – O2 Arena

“There’s nothing like performing in front of your home crowd, especially when it’s been a while.  I can’t wait to finish the year on such a high by partying in Liverpool, Glasgow and London.  We’ve freshened up the show since our last time round and we are excited to get to play some of our new songs along side some of the favourites.” – Paul

[…] Paul McCartney announced earlier this week that he’d be making his eagerly anticipated return to the road with his new ‘Freshen Up’ tour, starting in Canada this September. Today, Paul announces his first shows in the UK since 2015 – and his first Scottish concert in almost a decade.

From Liverpool Echo, December 12, 2018:

It seems that in 2018 at least Paul McCartney’s homecoming gigs are like buses. You wait years for one to come along and then there are two – or three if you count his apparently impromptu jam at the Philharmonic Pub while filming Carpool Karaoke.

His last date in the city was his ‘secret gig’ at the Cavern club to just a couple of hundred lucky free ticket holders.

Tonight’s full house at the Echo Arena may have been a less exclusive event in numbers at least but it was every bit as special to his crowd of fans.

McCartney is equally at home in both extremes – intimate club or stadium – and tonight’s venue somewhere in the middle.

By the time he and his excellent band came on stage, the crowd was already in the party mood thanks to a clever film merging pictures of his life with Escheresque buildings scrolling down the screens at either side, and a thumping soundtrack of his own songs in the run up.

And it seemed to be a significant night for the ex-Beatle too as his voice was tinged with emotion as he addressed the crowd.

“We go all around the world and it’s great to back home,” he said.

Later he added: “I could spend the whole evening just chatting to you, but I won’t. We’ll play some music.

“Imagine – all the memories come flooding back.”

He may be a bit grey around the temples now but he still won wolf whistles when he removed his jacket to reveal… a smart white shirt with only a single button undone at the collar.

As is typical for a McCartney concert, it was a greatest hits set mixed with newer and less played material including numbers from his new album Egypt Station, named for one of his own paintings. […]

Last updated on March 13, 2021

Echo Arena

This was the 2nd concert played at Echo Arena.

A total of 2 concerts have been played there • 2015 • May 28th • 2018 • Dec 12th

Setlist for the soundcheck

Setlist for the concert