What fun! Wednesday night at Tulsa’s BOK Center Sir Paul McCartney was amazing, at age 83, with his expansive vocal range, guitar, and keyboard mastery very much on display. We knew he was going to be good, but he was amazingly great in this three-hour show.
Kim and Dave Zerfas from Manhattan, Kansas were typical of many attending. Kim noted, “Paul is the soundtrack of our lives.”
On stage McCartney asked how many were from Tulsa and cheers went up. He then asked how many were from elsewhere and the cheers rose twice as loud.
As the BOK Center was being built, critics said it would fail. Not enough people in the market to support such a large venue they said. Silly rabbits. Such critics underestimated the four-state area’s passion for quality entertainment and willingness to travel.
The Zerfas had also visited Tulsa in August to see their son perform at a local club and Dave talked about growing up trying to play Beatles songs, not as easy as they sound to nonmusicians, in the fraternity houses around Kansas State University and the military base nearby. He moved to L.A. to further his career and we agreed that the Midwest is a good area to learn the craft, but musicians have to travel or relocate to earn a living.
They were joined at the show by many musicians. That’s another thing critics of the BOK Center underestimated is how many local musicians will pay to attend concerts of talent they admire. By this writer’s casual count, over two-thirds of the active and retired area players were in the room.
The Beatles began my love of music. If four knock-around kids from Liverpool could make a living playing, then anyone could. Or so I thought as a youth. It takes experience to understand how great a challenge a sustainable career in a creative field can really be. Moving from music to journalism didn’t really enhance prosperity, but I digress.
Fortunately, the crew was a friendly group and shared the song list. As McCartney said from the stage, “New songs, old songs and some between.”
Of course, McCartney paid homage to his band-mates in multiple ways. The video walls showed clips, still photos, and animations from back in the day. What struck this writer was the playfulness of the Beatles and how important it was for McCartney to show that today. What controversies the band endured looking back, seem trivial today. Were we more joyous then or just oblivious to media crisis generators?
McCartney was inducted in the Rock Hall of Fame as a member of the Beatles in 1988, and with a solo induction in 1999. His solo induction featured a memorable performance of “Let It Be” alongside other rock legends. He performed previously at the BOK Center in 2009 (two shows) and in 2013.
McCartney connected with the crowd in talking about his visits to the city including his Route 66 vacation. As media reported at the time, he bought a Bronco and with his wife, drove the entire route and at the show Wednesday mentioned enjoying his vacation time in Tulsa. The band also brought flags on stage before the encore with the American, British ,Oklahoma, and a lifestyle flag waved to the crowd.
As a lifelong fan, I appreciate Sir Paul McCartney’s stunning body of work created over decades. He is a master of music and innovation. His crew of gifted professional musicians on stage and the tour’s talented travel and staging crews (it takes more than one) all deserve praise. If the Got Back Tour is coming near you or you can travel to it – attend with friends. You will cherish the memory.