Paul McCartney was joined by special guests Bruce Springsteen and Dave Grohl in an epic performance at Glastonbury on Saturday night that spanned the first Beatles demo to some of his latest recordings. It was Dave Grohl first public performance since the death of Foo Fighters’ drummer Taylor Hawkins.
The singer-songwriter, who turned 80 a week ago, was the oldest ever solo headliner at Worthy Farm in south-west England, where the festival celebrated its fiftieth anniversary two years later than planned due to the pandemic.
Opening with “Can’t Buy Me Love”, McCartney entertained a capacity crowd with songs spanning more than half a century, from Beatles classics to “Come On to Me” from 2018 album “Egypt Station”.
Foo Fighters front-man Dave Grohl joined him for “I Saw Her Standing There” and “Band on the Run”, receiving a rapturous welcome from the audience.
Following his “friend from the west coast of America”, McCartney introduced another surprise “from the east coast of America”: Bruce Springsteen. The two played “Glory Days” and “I Wanna Be Your Man”.
McCartney, one of the greatest songwriters of the 20th century with the late John Lennon, paid tribute to his former band mates in the near-three-hour show.
Grohl and Springsteen came back for the final encore of “The End” from “Abbey Road”.
“Thank you Dave, thank you Bruce, thank you Glasto,” McCartney said before leaving the stage.
McCartney dedicated the Sinatra-style ballad My Valentine to his wife Nancy Shevell, and played Something on a ukulele given to him by its songwriter, George Harrison.
Later, he duetted with the late John Lennon, whose vocals for ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’ had been isolated from The Beatles rooftop concert in 1969.
“That is so special for me,” said McCartney. “I know it’s virtual, but there I am singing with John again. We’re back together.”
Glastonbury Festival concludes on Sunday with Diana Ross playing the Sunday afternoon legend’s slot and Kendrick Lamar headlining on the Pyramid Stage.
