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McCartney set for Liverpool show McCartney thrills Liverpool crowd
(about 23 hours later)
Sir Paul McCartney is to play a concert to 36,000 fans in Liverpool later as one of the highlights of the city's year as European Capital of Culture. Sir Paul McCartney has celebrated his home city's year as European Capital of Culture and been celebrated himself by 36,000 fans at a concert in Liverpool.
The concert at Anfield football stadium comes exactly five years after the Beatles legend's last home city show. The Anfield stadium crowd was treated to 110 minutes of highlights from Sir Paul's career, ranging from Beatles hits to songs from his latest album.
"We're going to have a good night out, that's all I ever aim to do," he said. To cheers, he said: "Thank you for coming here in the City of Culture. At the centre of the universe."
Support will come from Leeds band The Kaiser Chiefs and local favourites The Zutons. Foo Fighters star Dave Grohl is also expected to put in an appearance. The crowd was in full voice for classics like Let It Be and Hey Jude.
Sir Paul said he would play all his hits, and promised "a couple of surprises". The stadium sing-a-longs were at their most enthusiastic for Beatles hits such as Drive My Car, Eleanor Rigby and Yesterday.
But he played down speculation that fellow ex-Beatle Ringo Starr would join him on stage, telling the Liverpool Echo "that was never going to be on the cards". Sir Paul also covered his Wings days with Live and Let Die and Jet, and his solo career was represented by songs like Flaming Pie and Dance Tonight.
Sir Paul's classical work was recently performed at Liverpool CathedralThe concert will raise money for the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (Lipa), which Sir Paul set up in his old school, and the Nordoff-Robbins music charity. He also played John Lennon's Give Peace a Chance in front of a CND symbol.
The Capital of Culture was "a great thing" for his home city, Sir Paul said. Sir Paul was joined by Foo Fighters star Dave Grohl at one point.
"About 12 years ago when we were looking to start Lipa, Liverpool was a bit on its knees - it was not in good shape at all," he said. Grohl played guitar for the Wings hit Band on the Run and drums on Back in the USSR and the final song I Saw Her Standing There.
"But now there's quite a resurgence." Footballer Wayne Rooney and fiancee Coleen McLoughlin were at the concert"You've been brilliant tonight," Sir Paul told the crowd.
Sir Paul's classical work Ecce Cor Meum was performed at Liverpool Cathedral as part of the culture celebrations at the start of May. "I knew you would be."
"I applied to be a choirboy there when I was 11 and got turned down," he said. Sir Paul had earlier described playing to his home crowd as playing to "my mates", and the fans received him as the city's favourite son.
"They said I wasn't any good. So this was my revenge!" He reminisced about his childhood on several occasions.
Everton fan "I was born just down the road and I lived not far from here," he told the audience.
In January, Ringo Starr performed at the opening ceremony on St George's Plateau and Echo Arena Liverpool. At another point, he said: "Every time I come back to Liverpool all the memories come flooding back."
Sunday's concert will be broadcast on live on BBC Radio Merseyside with highlights on BBC Two from 2300 BST. The Beatles legend performed on a stage proclaiming the city as the "world capital of pop".
It is billed as the first and last global concert to be held at Anfield, home of Liverpool Football Club, although the stadium did host the Hillsborough Justice Concert in 1997. The elaborate stage design included the word Liverpool in giant letters dominating the arena, alongside outlines of city landmarks such as the Liver Building.
Sir Paul said his footballing allegiances lay elsewhere. Sir Paul was introduced by comedian Peter Kay.
"I'm officially Everton. My dad was born in Everton so my family team is really Everton... I like both teams but if it comes to the crunch I'm Everton." "He's a local lad who's done very well for himself in the music game," Kay said.
"He's played with some amazing people over the years.
Sir Paul McCartney on the creativity of his hometown
"It's my duty to reveal that Britain has got talent and his name is Sir Paul McCartney."
Local favourites The Zutons opened the concert, followed by the Kaiser Chiefs.
Wet weather threatened to dampen the atmosphere, but rain that had been falling all day stopped before the show.
The crowd included Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez, who attracted attention and supportive chants from some fans.
The concert-goers who spoke to the BBC were mostly positive about their experience.
Roy Skelhorn, from Liverpool, bought tickets for his wife's 60th birthday.
He said: "It was fantastic. We paid a lot of money. We paid £75 each but the show was brilliant. It was great to see him back and we couldn't fault his show - he's an icon."
Another fan, Joseph Ong, 26, from Liverpool, said it had been a "big event" for his home city.
Praising the ex-Beatle, Mr Ong said: "He's probably the biggest superstar in the world. As someone who was born here, you can't help but appreciate him."
Cultural celebrations
Meanwhile, Irene Mackay, 49, from Cumbria, enjoyed the gig but was frustrated about the time it took to enter the stadium after queuing with her husband, Rob, for an hour.
She said the lengthy queuing process was "embarrassing for Liverpool", but added: "Once you're in the ground it was brilliant."
The concert came exactly five years after the Beatles legend's last home city show.
And it was exactly a month after Sir Paul's classical work Ecce Cor Meum was performed at Liverpool Cathedral as part of the culture celebrations.
It was raising money for the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (Lipa), which Sir Paul set up in his old school, and the Nordoff-Robbins music charity.
It was the last concert to be held at Anfield before Liverpool move to a new stadium.
In January, Ringo Starr kicked off the Capital of Culture celebrations at the opening ceremony on St George's Plateau and Echo Arena Liverpool.