July 15, 2011

I stared at the ticket receipt in an email I received from CrowdSurge.com. The price for two tickets at Yankee Stadium: $345.00. Thinking I paid for the two best tickets of all time compared to anyone I could come across, I smiled wildly (and gloatingly) until the next day when my debit card was declined. My bank had put a block on my checking account, for I had never purchased anything so expensive in my life, Chase bank thought, ‘Why would she buy so much now? It is an anomaly, this must be fraud!’ After clearing the block, and able to buy food again, I smiled, remembering the trouble with the bank was worth it because I was going to see Paul McCartney.

Paul McCartney! The Cream of the Crop! The Best of the Best! The Rocker of Ages! The One and Only Paul McCartney, former The Beatles member. I had two tremendous tickets at Yankee Stadium. I took my glorious 172 dollar-worth seat and looked all around me. Not one seat could be bad in this stadium. Not the nosebleed seats up top (Hi Stacey! I know you’re up there!), not the last man in floor seating, standing behind a large crowd, probably barely able to see the top of Paul’s head when he arrives on stage, not even me: Section 110, seat 24; slightly stage left. All of the seats remain good because any seat in proximity to Paul, is godly.

The always hip, cool, performer walked out and joked, “Who is this Derek Jeter guy? Somebody said he’s got more hits than me!”

It’s clear why no one can have more hits than Paul, though, because his performance was just as lively as it was in ’64.  Paul does something truly rock ‘n’ roll/sexy when he performs. He puts his soul into it. Even at the usually crumpling age of 69, Paul still knows how to move. When you listen to any track on a record, tape, cd, or mp3, you can hear him rockin’ out, enjoying his creation—no matter how many times he’s recorded, played, and replayed a song…speaking of which, the crowd on July 15, 2011 in the Bronx were able to hear a first. Paul had never played “The Night Before” live until that very night. Paul’s voice is something breathtaking and flat-out exciting. You hear and feel his energy in every line, chord, and strum. He makes it so simplistic, you wonder why you’re not a singer yourself.

But of course the night’s climax commenced with “Live and Let Die,” while hundreds of fireworks boomed behind stage, as jets of flame began igniting on stage. Paul, a genuinely comforting guy, stood still after the song was done and held his hands over his ears while shaking his head, letting us know it was too loud. Anything he does becomes genius, and this was a truly funny act that possibly could have turned Paul into a comedian.

The crowd loves Paul. America loves Paul. The world loves Paul. With an animated crew and band mates, it’s hard to not lose yourself in one night of amazement. Lights danced around the stage in perfect charisma to the music. All time favorites make you get up and dance. Even during the slow songs, all fans had a mutual respect for The Man and stood, hoping to show every bit of love they can. There is a reason Paul is so famous loved, it’s his passion and love for music—the same we all have for his.