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The Surprise of a Lifetime: Paul McCartney at the Bowery Ballroom
Paul McCartney’s last performance in the New York area was a grand affair at MetLife Stadium, a venue that can hold up to 82,500 people. In stark contrast, his surprise show on a chilly Tuesday night at the Bowery Ballroom fit no more than 575 people, and possibly less due to the space occupied by his sound board and equipment. The entire event felt like a whimsical lark, announced just hours before the show began. The news of McCartney’s impromptu gig spread like wildfire through Manhattan, sending New Yorkers sprinting down Delancey Street in a frenzy to snag one of the limited tickets. The mood was electrifying, with most attendees, including McCartney himself, hardly believing it was happening. “So, here we are,” McCartney said, grinning widely. “Some little gig. New York. Why not?”
A Historic Reunion with New York
This was not McCartney’s first impromptu concert in New York. The Beatles famously performed atop their Apple Corps headquarters in London in 1969, and McCartney has continued this tradition in various forms over the years. In 2009, he returned to the Ed Sullivan Theater, the site of the Beatles’ iconic U.S. debut, to perform above the marquee. In 2018, he surprised fans at Grand Central Terminal to promote the release of his album "Egyptian Station." For this most recent show, the 82-year-old McCartney opted for a cozy, indoor venue as temperatures dropped into the low 30s. Tickets were sold only in person at the Bowery Ballroom, with each person limited to one ticket. Within about 30 minutes, they were all snapped up. For those lucky enough to secure a ticket, it felt like winning the lottery.
The Race for Tickets
Amy Jaffe, 69, was at home about 30 blocks north when she saw the announcement on Instagram. “I thought: I can do this,” Jaffe said before the show. “I put on jeans, grabbed a coat, and called a Lyft.” Jaffe has seen McCartney multiple times before, including with the Beatles in 1964 in Forrest Hills, Queens. Yet, she was still incredulous, smiling and shaking her head: “I don’t actually believe it.” Phil Sokoloff, 31, and his co-worker Mat Fuller, 31, were on their way to work nearby when they saw the news. They rushed to the Bowery Ballroom, just in time to secure their tickets. “We just got lucky,” Sokoloff said. “I’m always learning about these things the day after.”
A Memorable Performance
McCartney took the stage at 6:30 p.m. with his regular band and a three-member horn section. They had rehearsed only once the day before, but the energy was palpable. The set list was a blistering tour through McCartney’s extensive catalog, from Beatles classics to Wings hits. He opened with “A Hard Day’s Night” and continued with “Got To Get You Into My Life,” “Maybe I’m Amazed,” “Lady Madonna,” “Jet,” “Get Back,” “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,” “Let It Be,” and “Hey Jude.” “Blackbird” was a solo number on acoustic guitar, and afterward, McCartney reflected on how he wrote it for the Civil Rights Movement, bringing back memories of his first trips to the United States. “We were just kids,” he mused. “I’ve got grandchildren older than that now.”
A Trip Down Memory Lane
In between songs, McCartney shared anecdotes and engaged with the audience. He spoke about the early days of the Beatles, when he and John Lennon were always writing for the audience. “It had everything to do with the fans, really,” he said. Before playing the Wings song “Mrs. Vanderbilt,” McCartney reminisced about performing it in front of 350,000 people in Kyiv, a city that was exuberant with newfound freedom. “Let’s hope it gets back to that soon,” he added, a poignant wish for Ukraine. The set was peppered with shouts and conversations from the audience. After one particularly shrill scream, McCartney responded with, “That was a Beatles scream.” He then encouraged everyone to give it a go, and the crowd obliged with enthusiasm.
A Wistful Encore
The evening’s set culminated with “Carry That Weight” and “The End,” from the iconic “Abbey Road” album. McCartney, who was spotted at the Super Bowl in New Orleans just a few days prior, was in New York for the “Saturday Night Live” 50th anniversary festivities. Despite the one-night-only nature of the show, the audience was left wanting more. One fan even asked if the performance could go all night. McCartney, with a laugh, replied, “Some of us need to get some sleep, you know.” Nevertheless, he returned for a rousing encore, leaving the crowd in a state of disbelief as they spilled out into the snowy streets, their hearts full of memories and the love they had shared in this magical moment.
