Hello Goodbye! Paul Plays Kansas!

Gravity may have lowered that baby face a bit, but this 68 year old god is still gettin it done. Paul McCartney played the Sprint Center in Kansas City last night and Max and Max's Dad were there sitting in the nosebleed section ($95 each from a scalper,errrr, broker) and looking at Sir Paul's backside all night. Thank goodness for side video screens.

Years ago, after that horrific duet with Michael Jackson, and Sir Paul's general wimpiness, I gave up on this guy. John was dead, George was still perhaps the most talented musician of the bunch but being ignored,Ringo was doing whatever it is Ringo does and Paul was treading water writing crap. The Beatles were gone. I had to get that through my head. It worked for a while. Then George died. Paul was all that was left. He played the 2005 Super Bowl halftime show and I was back on the bandwagon. Paul was the link to my childhood. Please accept my apologies.

Living in Omaha, we don't get artists the likes of Paul McCartney here. Then they built the Qwest Center and all of a sudden we did get the superstars. The Stones, yuck, retire already, you're making asses out of yourselves. U2, wonderful but not quite the religious experience everyone expects. The Who, nobody came. Springsteen, every bit as awesome as advertised. Paul McCartney showed up in 2005. I didn't go because it cost way too much.

During the trip to Target Field, after I said I wanted to see Paul before I die, Max, a genuine Beatles freak, commented that he "wanted to see him before "he (Paul) dies"". That was such a great observation from a kid that I couldn't justify not going this time.

When the opening keyboard riffs of Venus & Mars began last night, and the lights came on, the chills never left my spine. The whole freaking night I couldn't get over the fact I was watching perhaps the most famous musician on earth, a former Beatle for chrissakes, perform the music I have never ever gotten tired of. From the Wings stuff to the Beatles stuff, and even a Jimi Hendrix song, Sir Paul rocked the crowd for three solid hours, without a break, with humility, and with a sense of wonderment that made you believe he really was grateful for your support. His moving tributes to John Lennon and to George Harrison brought tears to many in the crowd. It was wonderful night in "Kansas" as he kept calling the Missouri city.

Lots of highlights. He did 1985, the best Wings song IMHO. He did A Day In The Life, perhaps the most perfect rock song ever written. He led the crowd in singing Give Peace A Chance. Band on The Run. Something. Let It Be. Eleanor Rigby. The obligatory crowd chanting la la las of Hey Jude. Sgt. Peppers and The End. Then he was gone. Three hours had passed. It seemed like 15 minutes. Wow.

You know, most parents have a lot of trouble bonding with their teenage kids. I bonded with mine last night. It was worth every penny, every second of time, every tired moment driving home for 3 more hours. For that especially, I want to thank Sir Paul McCartney.