Ringo Starr and Ronnie Wood surprise on stage with Paul McCartney
Last night 19 December, Paul McCartney held his last concert of the year, concluding the 2024 run of dates of the “Got Back” tour at the O2 in London. For the occasion, McCartney surprised the audience by inviting former Beatles bandmate Ringo Starr on stage with him, as well as Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones.
Midway through his set, Sir Paul introduced “Get Back” by talking about his old bass that was stolen from him more than 50 years ago, before it was finally returned to him in early February. Showing it off, the 82-year-old musician revealed that it was the first time he had brought that bass back on stage since it disappeared: “I haven’t played it in 50 years,” said McCartney, who then announced another surprise: “And on top of that plus, we have a special guest for you here Rolling Stone.”
During the encore segment of the show, McCartney revealed the second guest to the audience: “We have another surprise for you. Bring the mighty, the one and only Mr. Ringo Starr to the stage.” The two together played two Beatles classics, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)” and “Helter Skelter”.
“It’s great to play with my old friend, but there comes a time when we have to go home. All that remains to say is that we’ll see you next time”, said Ringo Starr leaving the stage, who before his appearance on drums had been spotted in the VIP section of the building to attend the show.
The setlist mirrored that of the previous concerts of the tour, which in Europe started in Paris (here is our story), stopped in Madrid and then, before London, in Manchester where McCartney played “Wonderful Christmastime” for the first time in six years.
Here is the lineup:
‘A Hard Day’s Night’
‘Junior’s Farm’
‘Letting Go’
‘Drive My Car’
‘Got To Get You Into My Life’
‘Come On To Me’
‘Let Me Roll It’
‘Getting Better’
‘Let ‘Em In’
‘My Valentine’
‘Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five’
‘Maybe I’m Amazed’
‘I’ve Just Seen A Face’
‘In Spite of All the Danger’
‘Love Me Do’
‘Dance Tonight’
‘Blackbird’
‘Here Today’
‘Now and Then’
‘Lady Madonna’
‘Jet’
‘Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!’
‘Something’
‘Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da’
‘Band on the Run’
‘Wonderful Christmastime’
‘Get Back’ (with Ronnie Wood)
‘Let It Be’
‘Live and Let Die’
‘Hey Jude’
‘I’ve Got A Feeling’
‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)’ (with Ringo Starr)
‘Helter Skelter’ (with Ringo Starr)
‘Golden Slumbers’
‘Carry That Weight’
‘The End’
