Paul McCartney thrilled a few hundred lucky fans on Tuesday, February 11, when he played a surprise concert at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City. The show was announced at noon and tickets, which cost $50, were only available at the box office.
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You an check out photos from the show at McCartney’s social media pages.
The Beatles star will be playing the same small venue tonight, February 12, and tickets are already gone for that event as well. The Bowery Ballroom has a capacity of less than 600 people. In contrast, the last time Sir Paul performed in the New York City area was in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in 2022 at MetLife Stadium, which seats about 82,500.
Rumor has it McCartney also will be playing another concert in New York City on Thursday, February 13. Sir Paul’s shows this week are leading up to his confirmed appearance on Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary special. The three-hour show, dubbed SNL50: The Anniversary Special, will be broadcast live this Sunday, February 16, starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
As exciting and rare it is for McCartney to play surprise gigs like the ones this week, it isn’t the first time the rock legend has treated fans to unannounced or last-minute concerts. Of course, one of the first and most famous instances, was in January 1969, when he and his fellow Beatles performed on the roof of their Apple company’s headquarters on London’s Savile Row. That gig turned out to be the last time the Fab Four ever performed in public.
In honor of his Bowery Ballroom concerts, here’s a look at four other surprise shows McCartney played in recent years:
The Ed Sullivan Theater, New York City, NY – July, 15, 2009
On July 15 2009, McCartney and his solo band performed a surprise set on the marquee of the Ed Sullivan Theater. The performance was filmed for Paul’s appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman that evening.
The venue, of course, was where The Beatles played when they made their U.S. TV debut on The Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964. The same studio has been the home of The Late Show since 1993.
McCartney and company played a seven-song set that included some Beatles, Wings, and solo classics. It also featured a performance of “Sing the Changes,” a tune from Electric Arguments, a then-new album by McCartney’s side project The Fireman. The Late Show aired McCartney’s performances of “Sing the Changes” and “Get Back.” Footage of the full set later was made available on the show’s website.
McCartney was in NYC at the time for a three-concert stand at Citi Field, the New York Mets’ home stadium.
Times Square, New York City, NY – October 10, 2013
October 10, 2013, McCartney and his band played a brief set on a temporary stage set up in Times Square. The impromptu free performance, which took place at lunchtime, was organized to promote Paul’s then-latest solo album, New.
Paul’s set featured four songs, all from New, including the title track, “Save Us,” “Everybody Out There,” and “Queenie Eye.” The album was released on the following day, October 11.
Philharmonic Dining Rooms, Liverpool, U.K. – June 9, 2018
On June 9, 2018, McCartney and his band played a surprise show at the Philharmonic Dining Rooms, a pub in his hometown of Liverpool, U.K. The performance was filmed and highlights were included in a special extended Carpool Karaoke segment that aired June 22, 2018, on CBS’ The Late Late Show with James Corden.
Only 50 people attended the concert, with tickets to what was billed as “a secret gig with a global superstar” awarded by lottery. As seen in the TV show, McCartney and his band were hidden behind a curtain that was then lifted to reveal the Beatles icon, to the astonishment of many of the attendees.
The show featured 13 songs, most of them Beatles tunes. McCartney also played “Come On to Me,” one of the lead singles from his 2018 studio album, Egypt Station, live for the first time.
The Liverpool club gig actually was one of four secret shows McCartney played in the U.K. in June and July of 2018.
Grand Central Station, New York City, NY – September 7, 2018
On September 7, 2018, McCartney and his band played a free, invite-only concert at New York City’s Grand Central Station. The show, which was held at Vanderbilt Hall inside of the historic train terminal, coincided with the release of Egypt Station.
The concert, which was attended by a variety of celebrities, was livestreamed on Paul’s YouTube channel. The 26-song set boasted a mix of Beatles, Wings, and solo tunes, including three songs from Egypt Station.
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