2009

What happened for Paul in 2009

From paulmccartney.com, February 19, 2010:

What a year it was. Setting the pace for 2009 Paul kicked it off at high speed appearing at the Grammy Awards giving a memorable performance of I Saw Her Standing There‚ with guest drummer and fellow rocker Dave Grohl. Next it was to New York City to play at the special David Lynch Foundation Change Begins Within benefit concert. Paul hooked up with his old band mate Ringo for a historic performance of With A Little Help From My Friends at Radio City Hall.

The summer of 2009 saw another Macca first, when Paul headlined his first ever US festival, Coachella. Similar to his 2004 Glastonbury performance, Paul stole the headlines making the festival a talking point for the rest of the world. Days after the festival he headed to Vegas for a show to mark the opening of The New Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – a gig which sold out in seven seconds, setting a new sales record with tickets selling at a staggering rate of 600 a second keeping the press office very busy yet again.

Not one to rest, Paul was on the road again in July. He played his first ever concert in Halifax, Nova Scotia a show that prompted the Mayor of Halifax to describe the event as the largest most exciting concert in its 260-year history, no less!

After Halifax there was more history to be made. Paul returned to the site of the former Shea Stadium, where in 1965, he along with his famous old band played a concert that set the precedent for the modern day stadium rock show. Paul commenced his Summer Live 09 US tour at New Yorks Citi Field Stadium. Paul spent the summer rocking across the US before returning to the UK to prepare for his Good Evening Europe tour. And as we now know Paul gave 2009 the best send off a year could have with Londons biggest Christmas party and tour finale at the O2 Arena on the 22nd December. He was joined on stage by a bagpipe band for a rare version of his massive UK Christmas chart topper Mull Of Kintyre.

So that was 2009.

Stuart Bell

Last updated on September 23, 2020