If you work the same job for years on end, then the days just start to blend together. Seemingly, many people fall victim to this repetitive mundaneness, even those whose professions seem opposite to the mundane, including musicians. One of the many appeals behind being a rock star is the adventure it entails. However, is it really that much of an adventure when you’re playing the same songs day after day in just slightly different locations? Surely a few rock stars hold that perspective, and to an extent, so does Paul McCartney. But out of thousands and thousands of shows he’s played, he has one that he’s said is the most memorable.
Videos by American Songwriter
Paul McCartney has been performing live for roughly 65 years. That is incredibly impressive, but it becomes even more impressive when you realize that the majority of citizens retire after working for approximately 40 years. Needless to say, Paul McCartney loves what he does, and for him, one of the most memorable moments in his career was when The Beatles played Shea Stadium for the first time.
Paul McCartney Remembers the Performance Like It Was Yesterday
When The Beatles performed at Shea Stadium in 1965, they made groundbreaking history. Not only did The Beatles further establish themselves as the world’s No. 1 rock band, but they also paved the way for the live entertainment industry. If you’ve seen clips from the historic concert, then you’re familiar with the magnitude it carries, and so is Paul McCartney.
“The truth is, there are so many that it’s difficult to pick a winner. But the one that popped into my head when you said that was when The Beatles first played Shea Stadium in New York,” McCartney said, per Time Out. “That was really the first big stadium gig for music. No one had ever done that before, but we were able to draw that many people. I think there were 56,000. It was hysterical from our point of view because the fans were so crazy, we couldn’t really hear anything we were doing.”
In addition to the hysterical fans and grand scale of the show, another facet of the concert that makes it so memorable for McCartney is the innovation that took place. Concerning the topic, he stated, “It was a first, and was a forerunner of all the big stadium shows that have happened since…We had such a laugh, there was nowhere to go but just to laugh hysterically, so I think that made it very memorable.”
Everyone has days that are completely dispensable thanks to their utter normality and uneventfulness. But every so often, there comes a day that etches its way into your memory forever. For McCartney, one of those days was August 15, 1965. And indeed, that day is memorable not only to McCartney, but also to the rest of the world.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.