My Other Paul Shows
Monday, September 26, 2005. It had been fifteen years since the last time I saw Paul live. It’s not that I didn’t want to go before this day, I simply couldn’t afford it. It’s quite an expensive undertaking to see Paul in concert, and I really saved up to do this. Originally, I’d only planned to go to one of his shows in Boston on the US Tour. But, a few days before the concert, I scored a ticket to the second show from a very nice person on EBay. I was very blessed.
I got off work at five and then I ran into the bathroom to spiffy myself up and change into my concert gear. I got on the Orange line about 5:30 and it didn’t take long to get to North Station. Seriously, it was like boom you’re there; which is odd for the T–especially at 5:30.
When I got to the concourse, there was a line at the token booth and I breezed on through right behind this couple who had on Macca tour shirts from 2002. I struck up a conversation with them and found out they were from Toronto; which was pretty cool. The stairs leading up to the street were jam packed so I took the elevator, and I met back up with the Toronto fans a half a block away from North Station.
We went to The Harp; which is this quaint little sports bar type of place across the street from the Garden. It was packed to the gills with Beatle people and there were some DJ’s from 100.7 doing contests and giveaways. At first, I wanted to sit at the bar and have a soda, but the place was so full that I ended up just standing around.
The DJ’s began another round of Beatles trivia. Of course, I knew every answer, but I just didn’t shout them out quick enough. Then there was one question that no one shouted out on:
“Name the long time British talk show host that appears on the cover of Band on the Run.”
I didn’t know I knew this, but before I even realized what happened, I spouted out, “Parkinson.”
“Michael Parkinson, that’s right!” The DJ said. “How the hell did you know that?”
“I’m good.”
Of course, I didn’t dare tell him that in that moment a video clip of Macca on Parkinson that my Mom recorded off BBC America in 1999 flashed in my head. I didn’t want him to think that I was psycho or something. I won a t-shirt so that was groovy.
Then, I left The Harp because it was really crowded. The problem was that every other place along Causeway Street was just as crowded, and they weren’t playing Macca music over the loudspeakers. So, I went back to The Harp, to the bar in the back, and ordered vegetarian chili. It was excellent.
I’ve no idea what happened to all of the people that I was supposed to meet up with, but I figured it was meant for me to enjoy this experience alone so I resigned myself to that. By the time I left the bar, it was raining. Flashback to the last time I saw Paul live: Chicago, July 29, 1990. It bloody well rained then too. Oh well. It didn’t matter after I got inside.
We lined up inside the Garden and the line stretched quite a long ways outside. I had a little purse with me with my keys, my CD walkman, cough drops and my inhaler in it. The time came to go in and I had to go up a couple of escalators before I got to security. They scanned in my ticket and then asked me to open my purse. I did. And, the lady was like “How the hell did you fit a disc player in here?”
“I’m talented.” I laughed.
“You don’t have any cameras in there, do you?”
“I know better than that!” I laughed.
And, then she waived me thru and past the guy with the metal detector wand. “That disc player will make that thing light up. Go on, go on. You’re ok.” she said.
“Woo hoo!” said I and went up another escalator.
I was trying to find the escalator up to the balcony when I walked by a display for a charity that Macca supports, Music Lives. It was sponsored by Fidelity Investments. They were giving the chance to win a free t-shirt, so I said “what the hay” and joined in. I won. I never win anything!
After that, I went up to the desk to get my t-shirt and they had these bracelets that Macca designed. If you made a donation to the charity, you got a bracelet. They were solid silver so I got one.
Then found my seat. I sat next to this really nice lady and her husband. They were from Ohio. She and I were sitting talking when there was this huge explosion! It scared the living shit out of both of us and we grabbed on to each other. It turned out that it was a pyrotechnic issue, but I said, “I’d evacuate, but there’s no reentry.”
The DJ came out to spin some cuts from Twin Freaks, which was cool. Afterwards, a film about Paul started. I knew that was, in theory, the introduction for Paul, so I prepared myself. I had my cell phone in hand because I promised my mom I would call her when he came on stage. Then, there he was. Oh my God, there he was! Magical Mystery Tour was the first song.
“Hello?”
“Mom! Mom! Can you hear him?” I was crying. “It’s him!”
“Yes, I can hear, honey.”
I held my cell phone up. “Can you hear him, Mom?”
“Yes Sweetheart.”
I have no idea how I managed to hear her, but this is the same woman who can hear my voice alone when I’m in a crowd of people so it didn’t surprise me that I’m the same way.
I cried thru the first eight songs. And just as I managed to finally calm myself down, he sang the song that I have always wanted to hear him sing live: I’ll Follow the Sun. After that, there was no point in trying to hold back the tears anymore.
I’ve no idea what he sang other than he opened with Magical Mystery Tour. I’ll Follow the Sun was in there; Fine Line, and three other new songs from Chaos and Creation in the Backyard; there were a couple of Wings’ songs I hadn’t heard live before; some Beatles songs he never sang live before; Hey Jude; Live and Let Die; Yesterday; Let It Be; Helter Skelter and he closed with Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
“And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” I was so hoarse I could barely speak, but I still had one more show to see at the Garden.