The Beatles / Paul McCartney "Blackbird"

I saw Paul McCartney at Fenway.

It was incredible. No surprise there. I mean, the man has hit after hit after hit. He could have just played the first few bars of 50 different songs, and that would have been enough for the crowd to be apoplectic.

Earlier in the week, my wife had gone to see Coldplay in concert. On the way into Fenway, we were talking about how Coldplay’s songs, like U2’s, are stadium-ready. Their anthemic nature worked really well in the less intimate setting of an outdoor venue.

Paul has no shortage of anthems, and he pulled out the BIG songs, including “Day In The Life,” “Jet,” and a totally over the top “Live And Let Die” complete with flashpots and fireworks.

But the amazing surprise of the night was his ability to pull off quiet songs. Can you imagine being able to pluck an acoustic guitar, and have 30,000 plus people sit in rapt attention?

Paul introduced “Blackbird” as a song he’d written in response to the Civil Rights movement of the 60s, then rendered it beautifully on guitar. It was magic, how something so massive could be so intimate and moving.

I don’t know if the video captures it, but here’s a bit of footage my wife took on her camera, as well as the original song.

Hear The Beatles "Blackbird"

See the video shot by the lovely Mrs. Finn, Here