I’ll preface this by saying the following: The Beatles did not reunite on Friday night at Radio City Music Hall. So, for all those saying they did (cough cough NY Daily News), you’re wrong. What is true, however, is that the 1/2 of the The Beatles – the two surviving ones – did reunite on Friday, marking the first time the duo has performed together since the death of George Harrison in 2002.
Of course, the whole get together wasn’t much of a surprise, considering both Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr were on the bill for the “Change Begins Within” benefit concert, designed to raise proceeds for the David Lynch Foundation. But it wasn’t until the very end before the anticipation was finally fulfilled. Per the New York Times:
After an exuberant set of songs from the Beatles, Wings and his solo albums, with video clips full of Beatles footage, Mr. McCartney said, “At this point we would like to introduce somebody to you who you know, you’ve heard his name. He’s going to come out here and play you a little song this joyful night. Ladies and gentlemen: Billy Shears!”
And just as on “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” there was Mr. Starr to sing “With a Little Help From My Friends,” sharing a microphone with Mr. McCartney during the song and embraces afterward.
Starr joined McCartney for three songs: “With a Little Help From My Friends”, “Cosmically Conscious”, “I Saw Her Standing There”, the two latter of which also saw the evening’s other non-Beatles performers – Donovan, Sheryl Crow, Eddie Vedder, Moby, Bettye LaVette, Ben Harper and Mike Love – take the stage as well. McCartney + Starr + Vedder? There’s a fairly good chance our own Michael Roffman may have offed himself for missing this.
Check out all the videos below, and both Starr and McCartney’s setlists below…
Oh, and I’m sure I don’t have to remind you that McCartney’s next performance will be on Friday, April 17th at Coachella – and no, I’m not going to say it…
“Boys” (Starr + Vedder + Harper)
“Drive My Car” (McCartney)
“Let It Be” (McCartney)
“Can’t Buy Me Love” (McCartney)
McCartney introducing Starr
“With A Little Help From My Friends” (McCartney + Starr)
“Cosmically Conscious” (McCartney + Starr + Everybody Else)
Ringo Starr Setlist:
It Don’t Come Easy
Boys (w/ Eddie Vedder and Ben Harper)
Yellow Submarine (w/ Vedder, Harper, and Sheryl Crow)
Paul McCartney Setlist:
Drive My Car
Jet
Got to Get You Into My Life
Let It Be
Lady Madonna
Blackbird (acoustic)
Here Today (acoustic)
Band on the Run
Can’t Buy Me Love
With A Little Help From My Friends (w/ Ringo Starr)
Encore:
Cosmically Conscious (w/ Ringo Starr + all other performers)
I Saw Her Standing There (w/ Ringo Starr + all other performers)
