PHILADELPHIA: Sep.22 & 23 Reports,scans, links etc.

[mafru2]

It's interesting to me that people don't realize that the DJ is playing Paul McCartney music. Personally I thought it went too long and I wasn't sure about the point of it. The fact that he was booed was just classic Philly and was part of the entertainment for me. The moment for George and John was perfect. The audience did what it felt it need to do.

The thing about new songs is that almost no act can get a big reaction to there latest releases. It's all about the familiarity and McCartney has so many songs that people know like the backs of there hands that it's hard to expect that many people to totally get into new stuff. For the most part the reaction was very good. I thought the weakest was Fine Line because the band needs to be let loose on that song. It could have been performed better.

Flying microphones aside, did anyone else get the impression that Paul was a little out of sorts in the beginning? It seemed to me that he did not settle in until about the 5 or 6th song. Maybe it's me that was out of sorts?

Great show overall. I was impressed at how well a song like Till There Was You came over live. If anything could be viewed as weak I'd say it was I'll Get You and Back in the USSR seemed tired to me. Eleanor Rigby, For No One and Too Many People were absolutely stunning to hear live. My only wish is that he'd do more Wings stuff like Helen Wheels, Venus and Mars etc. But that's nitpicking!

Wonderful site. My first time posting!!

[JennyWren]

I, too, am saddened that Jenny Wren and English Tea don't seem to be doing well at the shows. I love these and I want to hear them; I hope they don't get cut. They deserve the air time.

JennyWren

[joecas61]

ND WROTE [quote="ND"]Just need to say - I was totally emabrassed by the Phil Fans booing Hellraiser. Didn't they realize he was there as picked by Sir Paul. Also - they did not get it when Paul asked for a moment for John and George! Surprised there is any culture in Phil at all. Hope the crowd is more in tune tonite.
This confirms my great appreciation for the NYC audience. No wonder Cream is only palying at MSG!

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Reply from Joecas
I was not embarrased at all in fact I could not wait for the idiot to get off of the stage! I don't care if he was picked by sir paul or the queen mother herself!

And by the way, the standing ovations for John and George were very loud and really had paul near tears! Trust me I was close enough to see that he was very moved by this moment.

The Philly crowd WAS in tune last night and WILL BE tonight !!!!! and I doubt if Hell raiser will make it thru the end of the tour! He stunk!!

You may want to visit the news section and feedback on the Philly shows...

Rock on Paulie !!

Joecas61

[HeyJude]

I don't know how Hellraiser was greeted throughout in Europe last year, but I bet he wasn't booed off or anything. One thing I know ,the crowd in Germany were ok with it, a lot of people (me included ) actually sang along when Temporary Secretary came up and things. I mean, after 4 hours of waiting in the cold rain, we were happy for anything to happen, btu it wasn't bad anyway, it was really interesting and got the folks screaming mad already.
You Americans are spoilt with all those indoors venues and chances to go to the bathroom at all

[rocco scott]

I love Twin freaks and I am appalled that he was booed. I cannot believe that people would do something so dis-respectful. For anyone that says lame dj...you should know that the music is almost all samples of...PAUL MCCARTNEY.

I would rather hear twin freak and Chaos than any of the beatles stuff. I guess thats what Paul gets for trying to work and create in this century.

[kylestyle]

I totally agree Rocco. The guy is trying to move forward. Playing Beatles tunes only is almost akin to being a sad nostalgia act. I don't mind Paul playing Beatles songs if he knows in his heart that HE wants to play them and the band can really get behind them and tear them up, for the sake of good musicianship. I don't like the idea of doing it to please the crowd and become a human jukebox. The majority of the people at these forums have voiced their disappointments regarding what they would like to hear in the setlists. Why won't he play No More Lonely Nights? Why not more Wings stuff? And why not focus the show mainly on C&C? Turn it into a Pink Floyd "The Wall" kind of situation...songs like How Kind of You etc have that Pink Floyd epic quality where the guitars could chime in for ages, developing a wall of sound and ambience. The gig itself would have a totally different experience to it - rather than just a Beatle hitfest, it would be more of a sonic experience - but I think one that would be more rewarding to a concert-goer in the long run.

Just some random thoughts, I know I have a different take to those that just want to hear oldie hits. I read on here someone said regarding 'She Is So Beautiful' - "oh I can understand why it wasn't on the album" - but in a concert situation I think it would be hypnotic - same goes with Growing Up Falling Down. The Beatlemaniacs would turn their nose up at it, but I'd like to see a more 'progressive' set list where every song shows Paul taking a chance, daring the audience to open their minds and embark on an unfamiliar journey.

[theDingle]

OK, here's my gasbag review:

in defense of Hellraiser, a couple of moments at least that I thought showed some imagination was his mix of Coming Up combined with the bass rhythm of Morse Moose and the Grey Goose. Maybe that is on the CD that was released as well, don’t know, don’t have it, but I thought that was clever (he also threw in some of What’s That You’re Doing and Temporary Secretary, actually good picks for club-type mixes, but all he did was stutter them up a bit). IMO he should have done more of the kind of thing that he did with Coming Up, because the last part of H’s production all just sounded like club beats with no seeming relation to Paul’s music at all, and that’s when it became tedious. Of course, not all Macca’s fans necessarily share his enthusiasm with things like this, but hey, I tried to give it a go. But I’ll tell you, I sure couldn’t believe my ears when a good portion of the crowd started booing, I thought “Uh-oh, this don’t look promising in terms of the rest of the evening, howz Paul gonna take to us now?”

Not to worry though, as soon as he hit the stage, the love feast started, the whole place was up on their feet and singing along with most every of the better known songs all night. As has been previously stated, Paul seemed to be blown away by the relentlessly responsive crowd, and that was a great, great vibe, and it lasted the whole show.

I’ll give the song order and comment as I can remember:

Magical Mystery Tour
Flaming Pie (which I LOVE, and they jammed the hell out of it!)
Jet (Abe was knockin’ me out!)
I’ll Get You (loveitloveitloveit!--made me feel like an early UK fan to hear this one live. Paul intro’d it by saying, “This is a very early song--if you remember this one, you weren’t there!”, lol)

At this point he began to realize that this hyere Philly crowd was a live-wire. He said “The Philadelphia story continues!....I need to stop a second and take all this in!” to which the crowd began roaring even louder!

Drive My Car (after which he responded to the hysterical applause by stating, “OH, you are a GOOD GROUP!”)

He intro’d “Till There Was You” by saying that the Beatles usually played the R&B clubs, but they needed to have a more “smoochie” number to play when they would get a cabaret gig.

Next Paul introduced Abe, then they launched into “Let Me Roll It”, with Wix playing some mean bluesy organ. But also the crowd sang along on the chorus very LOUDLY, to which afterward Paul responded “I had a feeling we were gonna have a bit of fun tonight!”

Same with the next tune, “Got To Get You Into My Life”, the crowd was belting out the chorus with him. He made gestures as mentioned before, like his hand was burning because as an audience we were just too hot to touch!

Next he intro’d Rusty, and they played “Fine Line”, which didn’t quite solicit the same enthusiasm---but I myself gave rebel yells to every number, and I do love the new CD.

Maybe I’m Amazed---with Rusty doing his usual flawless guitar playing and all of them doing awesome backing vocals. The crowd was immediately back to a high-crazed level.
The Long And Winding Road - yeah, we got that crowd wave working!

Paul talked about falling in the piano pit at a previous show, saying, “The first thing I thought was ‘How deep IS this hole?” Then he intro’d “In Spite Of All The Danger” referring to the first group with John and George that included Colin on drums and Duff on piano, and that Duff was only supposed to keep that first original single they made for a week, but he kept it for 23 years! He had the audience sing a background part in it, which of course was done with typical Philly gusto! No coaxing here!

Next was “I Will”, and the audience even sung along with that, and Paul was digging it!

As he sang “Jenny Wrenn” (I didn’t particularly notice that any folks left to hit the bathroom) I swear I thought he was losing his voice!! But what happened was one of the fans up front held up a banner that said “I love CHAOS”, and Paul just got touched a bit, lost it a bit. After the song he thanked the fan for the message, and said he loves to read those banners, but at the same time they also can cause him to lose his concentration--“I’ll tell myself ‘No, don’t read the banner, remember the song!!” He also mentioned a banner that said, “Even my Mom is a fan!”

After singing “For No One”, he said, “That one was for your Mum!”

Again the crowd heartily joined in singing “Fixing A Hole”, to which Paul responded with “Thank You lovely Philly people!!”

After singing “English Tea” he mentioned putting the word “peradventure” into the lyric and recording it without really knowing what it meant and unsure that it was even a real word! So he later looked it up and was glad it fit!, lol

“I’ll Follow The Sun” elicited more crowd singalong, but it was funny at the end--he would finish it, stop, and re-sing the last 4 measures again--he did it like 3 times, it was goofy!

“Follow Me” was next, really sounded great live, actually reminds me slightly of Crowded House.

He began talking about George, and then said, “You know George, right?” to which all did tribute with a loud moment of applause and cheering---and how together they would practice a little Bach thing (actually the 5th movement of the Suite in E minor for Lute, BWV 996). It was funny because Paul kept screwing it up on the 3rd measure, saying, “I have been known to get this right!”

And then he said, “I took this next song from it,” which was the intro to “Blackbird,” which he began to play, and everybody, AGAIN, sang along!

Then he attempted the Bach thing again, which he still couldn’t get right, and everybody laughed, so he said “I’m going to have to practice this some more!”

Next he played “Eleanor Rigby” on guitar with Wix doing the strings on keyboard and Abe on great backing vocals.

Paul then introduced Wix, calling him their musical director that keeps them in line. Then Wix talked about the instruments he usually plays, but then said, “Sometimes I get to put on THIS,” which was an electric guitar, and he led them into a tremelo intro of “Too Many People.” Rusty of course put the whack on me with his bang-on shreddin’.

They cleverly segued that into “She Came Into The Bathroom Window” to wild applause and more enthusiastic singing along.

Next Paul talked about the recent NASA incident with the technical troubles on board the space station that they had over a number of days. But the morning things got back on track, he played a tape of NASA waking up the astronauts to “Good Day Sunshine, ” which was then performed with the choir, lol, that is, US.

Then Brian was introduced, who said “We can feel that brotherly love here in the City of Brotherly Love tonight!”

The band vocals on “Band On The Run” were just amazing, and of course the crowd went nutty singing the chorus.

Then after:
Penny Lane
I’ve Got A Feeling
Back In The USSR - Paul responded to all our constant enthusiasm with “You are a beautiful gang of people!”

Y’know, I keep reading forum comments where people wish Paul would give “Hey Jude” a rest. I’ve almost agreed with it. Well, slap my head and call me shorty, it warn’t the case in ANY wise here! Here, in fact, seriously, it wasn’t unlike the original televised performance on the David Frost Show, I daresay. You had the bics, the luminous nightsticks, the swayin’ and wavin’ and BOISTEROUS singin’. IT WAS REAL! Mebbe you hadda be there.

Then they closed the show with a rousing “Live And Let Die,” loud bangs and colored torches shooting up! And when the audience wasn’t singing, they were dancin’ and movin’!

The first encore started with “Yesterday,” after which applause Paul again fanned his fingers, stating “Yeah, we felt we were gonna have fun tonight!” and then the joint went crazy with “Get Back” to crazier with “Helter Skelter.” I loved “Please Please Me,” Wix on harmonica again like he did on “I’ll Get You.”

For the last encore they brought out the Magic Piano (yeah, they had a little trouble with it, lol) and played “Let It Be.” Then Paul started thanking all the crews that are involved in, wrapping it by addressing the audience with “But the biggest thanks goes to YOU--”

---From whence they kicked off Sgt. Pepper and The End. As previously stated, Paul led those triplets (2 girls and a boy) on stage and they were each costumed into fairly authentic mini copies of Paul’s satin blue Sgt. Pepper outfit. You could tell Paul was just so jazzed by it.

My seat could be a likely contender for the worst seat in the house. I was at the furthermost of the right side front, which put me behind Paul. I was looking over his shoulder all night. The acoustics were echo-y, certainly not what I’m sure what the frontal seating heard. At first I thought these were seats that shouldn’t have even been sold, but I soon began to appreciate the unique view. I saw what band the saw and probably heard as the band heard. Paul was rarely out of eyeshot, though Rusty and Abe were (except for the screen shots), but I was only about 100 feet from Paul, if that. I really kind of dug his profile from that angle. That, the view of the audience reaction and the woozy sound served to make it all rather surreal, kind of a bonus! So in the end, I dug my seat!

[Steve-o]

The best most comprehensive fan feedback ever, Dingle!! GREAT JOB. I felt like I was there!!! Can't wait til 10/22. YES!! Thanks, man!

[esto]

Now, that was a REAL FAN FEEDBACK. Thanx

[kylestyle]

Ditto, Dingle - your review has lifted my spirits - and YES Coming Up is mixed with Morse Moose in the DJ Hellraiser "Twin Freaks" remix - it's brilliant. Check out the Twin Freaks thread in the Macca-Albums forum.