One of the most impactful artists in music history is on the road, but not the Abbey Road, touring around the United States once again. Sir Paul McCartney’s “Got Back Tour” made a stop in Orlando at the Camping World Stadium where tens of thousands of music-lovers were in attendance. I was fortunate enough to be one of those people!
The trajectory of the music industry in today’s world would not be the same without Paul McCartney and his discography — from the iconic Beatles records to his band Wings. At Camping World Stadium, it was amazing to see people of all ages coming to hear McCartney perform live. It felt like his music had no age limit and connects with anyone regardless of their background. Everyone was smiling in anticipation of the former Beatles member’s entrance onto the stage. Then that universal feeling that occurs when everyone at a concert knows the artist is about to walk out spread around the stadium. Opening with “Can’t Buy Me Love,” Paul and his touring band of guitarists, pianists and drummer sent an upbeat energy to the audience. Everyone was on their feet dancing, singing and waving their hands in the air. Paul is great at interacting with the audience and making everyone in the stadium feel welcome, including his wife Nancy. A notable moment during the show was his dedication of “My Valentine” to Nancy before sitting at the piano and singing. The night wouldn’t be complete without great visuals on big LED screens and dance club-esque green laser lights to accompany the more upbeat portions of the concert.
At certain points in the night, I would look over to other concert-goers just to see their facial expressions and wonder if this was the first time they’ve ever seen Paul McCartney live. McCartney’s impact on music has stretched over six decades and has written almost two hundred songs. In a recent 2021 album release, McCartney III Imagined, Paul renditioned his album with up and coming artists in the music scene right now. The album incorporates an amalgamation of sounds that are buoyant and emotional. Artist features on the album include Phoebe Bridgers, Beck and Anderson .Paak. My recommendations on the album are “Deep Down” featuring Blood Orange and “The Kiss of Venus” featuring Dominic Fike.
To amass the number of fans that Paul McCartney has comes from great talents and hard work, therefore lending him a powerful platform to enact change. One of the most famous Beatles songs is “Imagine” which tackles inequalities in the world and holds its relevance to this day. Paul’s philanthropic endeavors include Change Begins Within, World Orphans Foundation and various charitable donations.
Photos by Gianna Aceto (@GiannaAcetoPhoto).