Paul McCartney’s Good Evening NYC

Paul McCartney’s Good Evening New York City releases this week on Nov 17th and is a must have for all Beatles fans. This multi disk CD/DVD set features Paul McCartney’s July ‘09 performance at Citi Field, formerly Shea Stadium, the historic site of The Beatles’ landmark ’65 concert. The set will come in a standard (2 CD + 1 DVD) or 4 disc deluxe (2 CD + 2 DVD) edition. I have had the pleasure of receiving an advanced copy of the standard edition and would like to share my thoughts.

Paul McCartney's historic July 2009 three-night musical christening of New York's Citi Field (formerly Shea Stadium), witnessed by 120,000-plus attendees and universally hailed as a concert experience for the ages, will be immortalized November 17 when Good Evening New York City releases.

The shows were performed on the same hallowed ground that The Beatles, in 1965, played the 34-minute show that would set the precedent for the modern day stadium rock show--and where in 2008 McCartney joined Billy Joel for the final rock show before the original stadium's demolition. As documented on Good Evening New York City, "I'm Down" from the 1965 set list was revived for the Citi Field shows, albeit this time played through a PA that was not overpowered by screaming fans.

The concert footage featured on Good Evening New York City standard edition features concert footage directed by Paul Becher, who has overseen live visuals for McCartney for some 200 performances and counting. The 33-song 2 hour 40 minute performances were shot in High Definition using 15 cameras and digital footage incorporated from 75 Flipcams handed out to fans over the course of the three night stand.



The highlights of this concert include performances of Beatles classics "Drive My Car," "Blackbird," "Eleanor Rigby," "Back In The USSR," "Let It Be," "Hey Jude," "Helter Skelter," "Something," and many more. Hearing McCartney's solo material was a treat as well, as he clearly continued to use his music genius after the Beatles era. What I love about the 2 CDs is that it does not include any of the dialogue in between songs that can be seen and heard on the DVD. The DVD has a beautiful opening, showing video of the Beatles entering the same stadium in 1965 for their historic concert with a narrator detailing the events in 1965, 2008, and 2009. I found that after "Blackbird" the energy in the arena really picks up (if that is possible, as the energy was already soaring). It's hard not to dance to many of the tracks such as "Back In The USSR" and "I'm Down" and it's also hard not to sing along with the crowd during, "Hey Jude" among others. My favorite treat on the DVD is seeing the performance of "I'm Down" which was split, or went back and forth with Paul's 2009 performance and The Beatles' '65 performance at the same stadium. The tribute to John Lennon in the medley in "A Day In The Life" and "Give Peace A Chance" was quite fantastic. Billy Joel joining McCartney for "I Saw Her Standing There" is a once in a lifetime experience that many will be forever grateful was captured so beautifully. Throughout the concert, there are many shots and clips of fans, shot on the Flip Cams and at times it is pleasant to see, to feel the experience the fans felt...but at other times seems to be too much. Although if there is any live recording of Paul's to buy, it would be this recording and only this recording. Paul McCartney's July 17-21 Citi Field stand has already been unanimously hailed by critics and audiences alike as the concert experience of a lifetime and after listening to the CDs and watching the DVD, you will clearly see that to be true.



The deluxe edition bonus DVD will feature footage of McCartney's July 15 performance on the outdoor marquee of the Ed Sullivan Theater, previously available only as a webcast on the Late Show with David Letterman website. The marquee set, which marked McCartney's return to the site of The Beatles U.S. television debut, generated front page headlines and literally stopped traffic as word of mouth generated a crowd that packed Broadway from Columbus Circle to Times Square.

The standard version of Good Evening New York City will be available at participating Starbucks company-operated locations in the U.S. and Canada and wherever music is sold.