Classic Pop Icons

On November 17th 2009, Paul McCartney released his official tour CD/DVD set, “Good Evening New York City”. The deluxe version includes a bonus DVD of his marquee performance on the Ed Sullivan Theater, for David Letterman’s “Late Show” from July 15, 2009.

Being I was in attendance on 53rd St to view this historical musical moment, having a memento of this event’s audio on CD from Piccadilly Circus was something I was looking forward to, and I ordered this disc before the official set was announced. I’m glad I did, since this audio is not offered up separately, making this CD a nice companion to the legitimate set.

Taken from the online webcast/”Late Show” broadcast, Piccadilly Circus presents the entire live set (the “Late Show” broadcast only “Get Back” and “Sing The Changes”), totalling 7 songs. These are presented here in the same awful webcast mix that presents Paul’s voice mixed too far back for my tastes. When he talks to the crowd between songs it feels like an audience tape. Distant and a bit muffled. I’m sure knowing it was going to be booted off the CBS website, it’s fidelity is compromised purposely. Otherwise, the band is tight and Paul is having a grand time. Being there, it was fun to watch a mostly surprised crowd. Looking up at some of the older buildings nearby, there were people literally hanging out of the windows to view this once in a lifetime event.

It was a 7 song set, so Piccadilly Circus includes an audience source that offers “tuning” and some conversation between Paul and the audience before the band starts the set. He’s loose and enjoying himself. It does include the full “Let Me Roll It/Foxy Lady” that was edited for broadcast. For me though, audience tapes annoy me with prominent hand clapping from fans standing too close to the mike and those incessant and clear “Woo’s!” from the male fans. It just gets under my skin. This part is for the completest. I’ll stick to the first 7 tracks that are soundboard quality even though “Foxy Lady” is edited out of the webcast.

Otherwise, it’s a nice companion to the upcoming legit version on DVD, but one that I hope receives an improved mix. For me personally, it’s a nice memento of a rare live Paul performance on the streets of NYC that I was able to be a part of. (The picture on the disc is from the point of view of the band facing where I was standing on 53rd St . I’m a speck there somewhere!)

Tracks:

Soundboard Source

1-Get Back
2-Sing The Changes
3-Coming Up
4-Band On The Run
5-Let Me Roll It
6-Helter Skelter
7-Back In The USSR

Audience Source

8-Tuning
9-Get Back
10-Sing The Changes
11-Coming Up
12-Band On The Run
13-Let Me Roll It/Foxy Lady
14-Helter Skelter
15-Back In The USSR

Piccadilly Circus – PCCD-069
Reviewer: Howard Fox (aka Beatle Bob)