PAUL MCCARTNEY AUSTIN CITY LIMITS MUSIC FESTIVAL

ByBeatles Magazine

Oct 5, 2018

Paul McCartney Austin City Limits Music Festival

Paul had a greying mop top: Brown denim Levi’s jacket, his iconic Hofner violin bass, and two old Vox amps behind him. Beginning with the first three songs, “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Can’t Buy Me Love” sandwiching Wings’ glam stomper “Hi Hi Hi,” Zilker Park rocked. McCartney and his expert band – guitarists Brian Ray and Rusty Anderson, drummer Abe Laboriel, Jr., keyboardist Paul Wickens – loaded the set with iconic movers and shakers: “Back in the USSR,” Wings’ “Let Me Roll It,” and a “Helter Skelter”.

The night was about “old songs, new songs, and in-between songs.” At least three highlights from the new Egypt Station were dropped in. The Silver Beatles’ first recording, 1958 doo wop acetate “In Spite of All the Danger,” even got aired alongside George Harrison’s “Something,” arranged for ukelele. For a good chunk of the set, Macca strapped on a Les Paul and blasted raw-toned blues solos.
Then there were the piano-driven epics: “Let It Be,” “Hey Jude,” “Carry That Weight.” No “Yesterday,” no “She Loves You,” and thankfully, no “Silly Love Songs.” Yet for two hours, Paul McCartney rocked hard, while also demonstrating his historic musical range.

Paul performs during the 2018 Austin City Limits Music Festival at Zilker Park

SETLIST

A Hard Day’s Night
Hi, Hi, Hi
Can’t Buy Me Love
Letting Go
Come On to Me
Let Me Roll It
‘Foxy Lady’
I’ve Got a Feeling
My Valentine
Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five
Maybe I’m Amazed
I’ve Just Seen a Face
In Spite of All the Danger
From Me to You
Love Me Do
Blackbird
Here Today
Lady Madonna
Fuh You
Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!
Something
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
Band on the Run
Back in the U.S.S.R.
Let It Be
Live and Let Die
Hey Jude