Hello all correspondents, Sorry it took more than one week to finish this review, but I wanted it to be complete as possible, detailing almost everything Paul did while in Belgium. After 31 years Paul McCartney was expected to perform on an Antwerp stage again. Expectations were high, since television reports about the Paris show a week before spoke about the tour of the year in the US in 2002 and that he was singing more Beatles songs than ever in a concert. Fans who had heard already lots of concerts traded around knew already what to expect. Same songs, except for a few exceptions, same introductions and jokes by and about the band members, talking a bit in the local language if the concert takes place outside the USA or Canada. He arrived on April 1st on Zaventem, Brussels Airport (normally he should have landed at Deurne, Antwerp airport but his plane had to be diverted because of the bad weather) at 16.04 with an Airbus 319 and was taxied to Abelag, the private part of the airport. Passport control was 'arranged'. Nine minutes later he was driven away with a nine meter long white limousine hired at A & B Limo, followed by 6 shiny black Mercedes. He drove on the E19 motorway in the direction of Antwerp where he got stuck in a traffic jam halfway in Mechelen. The ride continued slowly over the hard shoulder. While he was driving on the motorway he did a phone interview with DJ Evert Vedema of radio Donna which went live on the air. The limousines were awaited by a police escort at the entrance of Antwerp in the Craeybeckxtunnel. He arrived at the Sportpaleis at around 17.30. Just before the concert started he was handed over a book "Art Nouveau in Belgium" by EMI-chief Erwin Goegebuer. Soundcheck numbers on April 1st were (information from a friend) ?, Coming Up, India, Matchbox, Honey Don't, Hey Jude (a bit of the fast version), ?, ?, C Moon , ?, Things We Said Today, All Things must pass, Two of Us, Blackbird (short), You never give me your money, Fool on the Hill (intro), Lady Madonna. Security was heavy before entering the hall, even metal detectors were used and people were body-searched. Programs were sold at 20 € (I've heard that in Barcelona they were 22€), while a set of 4 badges was 10e and in Barcelona only 8€. Several T-shirt at different prices. There was also a separate stall for Adopt A Minefield, red and black T-shirts were 25€, plus sleeveless shirts in the same colour. Also a lithograph was sold at their stall for 35€. A blue denim was at 105€, a black one for women at 75€, a Robles guitar case at 90€, pins at 10€, a black and beige baseball cap at 30€, Sleeve shirt with Property of on it 45€, Bring it on T-shirt 40€, Butterfly T-shirt 35€, White T-shirt with a heart 30€. The first Antwerp concert started about 20 minutes late at 20.50. During the first concert he was wearing a black jacket, contrary to the blueish purple one on the second. He was reading everything from two teleprompters, the one on his right had all the song lyrics, while the one on his left had all the comments in between songs. After All my loving he invented a new language, thinking we speak Belgian over here. I guess history was never his strong point. In the northern part of Belgium people speak Flemish, which is about the same as Dutch, in the southern part they speak French, and officially there's a little part in the east where they speak German. He spoke some Flemish like Goedenavond Antwerpen (Good evening Antwerp), Het is de eerste keer dat ik dit nummer zing in België (this is the first time I sing this song in Belgium), een nieuw nummer (a new number), ik stel voor (I present), ik draag dit nummer op aan (I dedicate this song to), ik ben alleen met jullie, helemaal alleen (I'm all alone with you, completely alone), hij neemt stereoďden (he takes steroides), ik heb dit geschreven na de dood van mijn vriend John (I wrote this after the passing of my friend John), George hield van de ukulele (George loved the ukulele) After Blackbird and Something people started to stamp their feet on the ground, which shook the complete hall. Contrary to Paris and Barcelona only about three people started to sing Give Peace A Chance when Paul had finished Here Today, he reacted with a certain reluctance by a simple "Oh yeah okay" "What about Ringo" he asked after Something to which the audience started to sing Ringo Ringo, Yellow Submarine got started by the whole audience and was picked up by Paul on guitar and Abe on drums. He added we're not going to do the complete Ringo repertoire and did a bit of Octopus's Garden. After Eleanor Rigby a bit of Yellow Submarine was taken up again. The only words in French on both days were Merci beaucoup after Michelle. Wix introduced She's Leaving Home by telling that it was a real pleasure to be able to play all those beautiful songs and that if he got the chords right on the next number that they'll let him play the guitar afterwards. Like on all European shows he added the Jimi Hendrix' Foxy Lady coda at the end of Let me Roll It, on both days this got a big cheer. Hey Jude was preceded by Baby face during the first concert. After Lady Madonna he shouted again some Flemish "Wil je meer ?" (you want more?). Je wil meer well in that case immediately starting I Saw Her Standing There. Before the second encores he came on stage both days waving the Belgian flag. Television News reports late at night, both on national VRT and commercial VTM, showed excerpts of the concert. VTM also showed in the 7 O'Clock news interviews with people from age 10 to 60 waiting outside the hall to get in. Newspaper reports were all very favourable: "Feest van herkenning" - celebration of recognition (Gazet van Antwerpen) McCartney strandt in file - McCartney strands in traffic jam (De Nieuwe Gazet en Het Laatste Nieuws) Roll over Antwerpen (Het Nieuwsblad) Macca straffer dan ooit - Macca stronger than ever (Het Laatste Nieuws April 3rd) 2,5 stomende uren tussen Hello en Goodbye (2,5 steaming hours between Hello and Goodbye (Het Volk) To my knowledge there were no reports in the French speaking newspapers. April 2nd Paul spent the night of April 1st at the Royal Windsor hotel in the city centre of Brussels. Songs from the soundcheck (again information given to me by a friend): Coming Up, India, Honey Don't, What'd I say, ?, Midnight Special, Things we said today, All things must pass , ?, Lady Madonna. A 15 minute face-to-face interview for Radio 2 with Jan Leyers was done at the Sportpaleis between the soundcheck and the concert. It was broadcast on April 3, between 16.05 and 16.12 during the program Guodzoekers (Golddiggers), fragments were also heard on Saturday April 5 in the program Zig Zag between 13.00 and 17.00. Second concert started about 15 minutes late at 20.45. Probably because of the lack of enthusiasm during the first day Paul had asked to allow people stand in front of the stage, so there were about 100 and at the end of the concert some 200 people having a good time at a couple of meters away from Paul. Both days before Getting better he said in Flemish; "Het is de eerste keer dat ik dit nummer zing in België". (This is the first time I sing this number in Belgium). Did he already forget he was already in Belgium on April's Fool Day? After All My Loving and Every night people in front of the stage started to sing Paul McCartney in the rhythm of the Coming Up live version. There was more atmosphere during the second concert, during Can't Buy Me Love there was a guy from the Cirque Du Soleil group dancing at the side of the stage. People also stamped much more with their feet on the ground than the first day Again Yellow Submarine was sung after Something. I talked to some people, Beatlesfans or concertgoers, who either attended the first or second show, all told me that the concert was great, technically alright, good video show, but the magic touch was missing, the spark didn't come through. Me as a big Beatlefan felt just the same, all his fans complain about hearing the same songs over and over. He's got a repertoire much bigger than Springsteen, who changes his setlist every concert, especially when he's performing twice in the same city. I'm sure it would please the fans to hear other songs than the ones he performs every tour since 1989 or even 1976. And the casual concertgoer won't be disappointed if he hears other big hits than Let It Be, The Long and Winding Road, The Fool on the Hill, Can't Buy Me Love and so on. I hope to get a much more spirited show in Cologne, Rome and eventually Liverpool. Personal highlights on both days were Here Today, Calico Skies, Band On The Run, She's Leaving Home and Sgt Pepper's/The End. Both days were sold out with an attendance of 13.500.
Update II (4/8/03) From Niels den Hertog:
Reading about McCartney canceling one of the Sheffield gigs, makes me want to reminisce about the great evening I had in Antwerpen on April 2nd. I’m really sorry for the fans in Sheffield! I think it is of no use to repeat the setlist and tell you how wonderful it was to hear all those songs … just great. A few other comments I would like to make. The first one is about the way he talked Dutch with us all evening. He did a fine job on that! It was really enjoyable to hear him wrestle with those words – specifically our ‘g’ is very hard for non-native speakers. Sometimes I found it a little tasteless to hear all the anouncements in dutch. For instance the introduction to ‘Here Today’ is a rather serious introduction – but the seriousness got lost while Macca was doing it in dutch. People laughed while he was talking about it. And John’s death is not something I want to laugh about. Apart from this introduction, it was very embarassing to hear people whistle loudly through ‘Here Today’. Just a minor point, but nevertheless … McCartney seemed in great spirit all evening. It was great to hear him sing ‘Yellow Submarine’. It amazed me to hear him start to sing without any chord or whatsoever – he just started a capella – but rather quikly he found the chords. A real craftsman! It was the third time I went to a Maccaconcert (8/11/1989 and 9/10/1993). This one was really different. There are some reasons. This time he took a real band with him. I never really liked the ‘89/’90 and the ’93 line-up … he was really starting to resemble Clif Richard then (and to make my point clear: I don’t like Clif Richards music …). This time it is just a Rock-band playing for you … not copying the songs like the previous tours. I mean: listen to Tripping the Live and Paul is live and compare those albums with Back in the World … that comparison tells it all! For another reason it was also different. I may seem negative about the previous two tours, but then when I was there, I went mad (of course, how can you not when you’re in one room with Mr. Music himself!). And I recall how great it was to hear all those songs and then wait for the next song to be introduced and the amazment about the next tune. I remember the first concert and Got To Get You Into My Life being introduced as a a song Robbie wrote on his way here an sd then the opening-bars of that great song! The surprise-element has gone now. Maybe it’s something to do with growing up (I was 15 the first time), but also the release of the album before the show made me know alle the tracks. And through the internet I knew about Birthday being added. So that was different. But as our great soccer hero Johan Cruijff says: every disadvantage has an advantage … knowing the exact setlist, I could really focus on the music. And boy … he was good! I’ve also got tickets for the april 25th Arnhem-gig. I’m really looking forward to another splendid evening. In the meantime I would like to say two more things: they both concern the Pope. Pope, having heard the concert, I think you should let Paul know that he shouldn’t turn the sound level down … you won’t be bothered with this music! Or – as he turns the level down, make sure he gives you a ticket to come and hear it! And when you’re there, ask him if he’ll teach you some dutch … it’ll help you on Easterday to thank Holland for the flowers! Well, that’s about it. I’m really sorry for people who couldn’t go this time. It may be a relief to know that Paul bad us farewell with the words: see you next time. And why not? He’s going strong!
Update (4/4/03) From Hofner:
Antwerp 02-04-’03 I went to see both shows in Antwerp but because the second show was so much better (for me anyway!) I will describe my point of view and some differences with the show of the day before. Before the show began we were talking to some (Belgium) security guys who told us that Paul didn’t really like the audience the day before. He thought it was too quiet. We certainly agreed with the guys and Paul but said that it had to do with the fact that even in the arena it was all chairs and no people standing. The people who tried to dance the day before were asked to sit down again. The security guys were wondering why because McCartney liked it when there were people in front who sang, danced and rocked. So by a great coincidence which I’m not going to explain two of my friends and I ended up right in front of the stage and we were told to sit down during the pre-show act but were allowed to rush to the front and dance when the show began. And so we did! At the moment we heard the power chord we rushed forward (we were seated at the third row) and within the first minute a lot of people followed our example! So in front of the stage was now a little group of real fans who sang along, danced and partied! Not like the day before when everybody sat. (Even at the end of the show on Tuesday the 1st a lot of people remained seated!) Already during the first numbers Paul noticed this difference and gave us a lot of attention. This was really really great. He seemed to enjoy it a lot more then the day before just like we did! I think he also had more interaction with the crowd but that can be due to the fact that I missed things the day before because I was seated quite far from the stage then. And what about the show? Some remarkable things. At the very beginning of the show (I think it was after Jet, but I could make a mistake here), my friend and I were yelling ‘Paul – Mc-Cartney’ with handclaps (like on the lifeversion of Coming Up in ’79). In seconds everybody around us did the same and Paul was dancing and clapping to it!! And then about You Never Give Me Your Money: I think it is the first time of the tour (including the USA-leg) that he DID sing the RIGHT words to it!!!! He did not sing the part ‘This is the part were I don’t know the words…etc’ but he looked at us smiling a big grin while he was singing ‘Out of college, money spent, see no future, pay the rent, all the money’s gone, nowhere to go’. After the song he again looked at us three smiling! He did not play a fake-out before Hey Jude (as he did the day before with Babyface) and talked a bit less Dutch (or Flemish as he said the first night). When he was about to play Yesterday he explained that it was the same guitar ‘I used on the Ed Sullivan-show’ (the acoustic Epiphone with a red and white sticker on it of a feathered wheel). One of the greatest moments was when the show had come to an end, even after Paul said ‘See you next time!’ The band and Paul left the stage but before he really went offstage he returned just again to come right in front us and yell a bit and make the thumbs-up sign. We received this as a personnal thank you from Paul! It was the greatest show I have ever seen!
(4/2/03) From Andrey Avetisyan:
Hi, Steve,Just returned home from Antwerp. I'm too overwhelmed with joy to write a decent report - just some observations. I also lost my voice and almost can't hear, but I'm happy.
It was a grey, wet and rather cold day in Antwerp. Paul arrived at 17.20 in a huge white limo. There were about a dozen fans waiting. The car slowed down and Paul waived to us smiling. We then went to the nearest cafe to have something warm. Doors opened almost at 19.00 and the crowd got in without any delay. The merchandise included about ten different T-shirts (e25 - 35), sweet-shirts (e50), tour programme (e20) - all familiar staff. People rushed to the stall but then thought twice noticing the prices. I got myself a couple of T-shirts (with BITW album cover and No More Landmines) and a poster. The concert started at 20.50 with only 20 minutes delay. The pre-show was the usual one. I only don't know whether a Magritte character with a green apple has alwas been there or he was included for the artist's home country. The moment of Paul appearing behind the screen with his Hofner I will never forget. The same I'm sure goes for all lucky people who experienced that great delight of seeng Paul live. This time he wore blue jeans, a red sweat-shirt and a black jacket (He then changed into No More Landmines red T-shirt). The set-list it seems to me was the same as Paris and Barcelona. But I tell you, to see and hear the man live is a completely different experience from listening to any recording. He was in his best voice, spirit and physical form and made everyone absolutely happy. Just unbelieveble! Between songs he frequently used Flemish reading it from his notes but nevertheless to absolute delight of the audience. After the tributes to John and George this time he mentioned Ringo himself and led the crowd into singing Yellow Submarine. Then somebody I think started singing Octopus's Garden and Paul said: "Are we going to do all Ringo's repertoire?" This time there was no Give Peace A Chance. The Sportpaleis was full. The audience was quite enthusiastic and Paul even said that we were better then Paris. But everybody remained seated till Birthday and Back In The USSR. I can't tell you what the highlights of the concert were because my wife and I enjoyed it from the first note to the last confetti. One sweet dream came true today! Cheers,
Andy P.S. Thanks a lot for the great job you're doing here.