BY A.D. AMOROSI

After three hours and 41 songs/fragments of much of his finest moments and memories, Paul McCartney, 68, looked refreshed. Perhaps it was the vitality of a consummate performer or consummate material - most of which came from his pen. Maybe he enjoys jamming with guys half his age and soaking in applause (he did the latter without a doubt). By the time 180 minutes passed, McCartney seemed to have just gotten started.

Unlike previously recent McCartney shows within the last twelve years, this tour had a large dollop of rare and hit (and oft maligned) Wings songs (perhaps) due to the fact that his solo catalog will soon get a sonic upgrading courtesy Concord Records. Bravo that - if you haven't heard "Jet" or "Venus and Mars" since their initial release, this show was a sensational even shocking re-introduction. While I wasn't crazy about the slapdash blues of "Highway," from his alter ego The Fireman (2008's Electric Arguments) I was happy he included their art-slop aesthetic in this program. While "Hey Jude" and "Let it Be" seemed a wee rote, had he not done them I would've shed the teardrops I did that night in joy because he did do them. I wasn't wild about him having performed Lennon's "Give Peace a Chance" to end a gorgeously dramatic version of "A Day in the Life," McCartney's tale of hanging with the quiet Beatles and Paul's take on the George Harrison-penned "Something" - started quietly on Harrison's axe of choice, the ukulele and finished as a roaring elegant epic -was awe-inspiring and tender. Dag, the guy even picked up an electric and hammed on Hendrix's "Foxy Lady" with fire and invention and granted one request, for "Ram On" from the 1971's Ram with wooly country cool.

What else you got Sir Paul?

Cuts Notes:

*The "Venus and Mars" "Rockshow" medley as a starter: from supple acoustic guitar licks to swooping synth-whistling arena opera, good choice. Love the wood block and the band's lush harmonies. There's no point in me repeating this over-and-over. These guys have McCartney's vocal counterpoint down, and sweetly, without the fear of aping the Fab Four or Wings.

*"Jet" : McCartney and Co. slammed right into this after "Rockshow" and made it into a stammering soul-glam smash complete with its chucka-chucka bridge.

*"All My Loving": speeding jangly Beatles songs, hooray. Thanks Paul for the duck paddling bass line.

* "Letting Go":  blues-ish pop with that vaguely Asian-themed break. Weird, but effective. Thinking back on this, McCartney's Wings era used that nuance quite a bit. McCartney's voice has a nice gravelly edge here as opposed to the sprightliness of his Beatles bit before this.......or after...

* "Got to Get you Into My Life": - McCartney sounds very kiddish here. Weird because the background is that Beatles Rock Band video stuff.

*"Highway" : Eh.

*"Let Me Roll It": Aww hell no with the big organ rolling blues - this is damn near Charles Earland. Lots of echo on McCartney's high voice. Real stadium-70s-blues and a perfect grouchy fit into...

* "Foxy Lady" : The cute one can play an evil sexy guitar when he feels like it.

*"The Long and Winding Road": Paul switches to piano and gets all pastoral and pretty with some C&W jazz lines thrown in. Odd that he comes off like early early Randy Newman here.

* "1985" (or "Nineteen Hundred Eighty Five") : No. Fucking. Way. This is one of my very faves in his catalog, but stuck as it is at the end of #Band on the Run# it gets overlooked. Glam-soul-ish and quick shuffling with McCartney's voice all clear yet with the tiniest rasp - it's as if he joined 10 CC for The Original Soundtrack. I can dream.

*"Let ‘Em In": "Cute. Nice military drum and fife bit.

*"My Love" : A corny ballad for sure, but its chords were contemporary, cool and lovely. Real heart-on-your-sleeve stuff.

* "I'm Looking Through You": Very mod organ. Very jauntily country-billy. Buck Owens would be proud.

* "Two of Us" : Another favorite - humble tom tom galloping, easy-close harmony filled plucked pop-grass acoustic number. "You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead." Poignant in so many ways. Plus he whistled live at the tune's finale. Awesome.

*" Blackbird": Stark and simple - but most effective tune of evening - solo acoustic candle-flickering affair. You hear this cliché a lot but really, the audience's collective heart stopped and the room fell quiet.

* "Here Today": Acoustic. McCartney wrote this as an imaginary conversation for John after Lennon's death. Effective.

*"Dance Tonight": Can't remember.

*"Mrs. Vandebilt" : Wings-McCartney at his character-driven chamber pop finest.

*"Eleanor Rigby": Beatles-McCartney at his character-driven chamber pop finest.

*"Ram On*: As soon as he picked up the uke you figured he was heading into a Harrison tune.

Instead, he went sweetly into the Bacharach "Raindrops" sweep of "Ram On".

*Something": Else.

*"Sing the Chances" : Don't remember.

*"Band on the Run" then "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La Da":  just fun to hear.

*"Back in the U.S.S.R" - Swift kicking and gutsy.

* ""I've Got a Feeling" - Slow kicking and gutsy, really rangy.

[BY THE WAY, HAS ANYBODY NOTICED: McCARTNEY HAS A REAL SOLID AND GENUINE MANNER IN WHICH HE PAIRS LIKE-SOUNDING SONGS TOGETHER. THAT MAY SEEM OBVIOUS, BUT I DARE YOU TO COUNT ON ONE HAND HOW MAY ARTISTS VET OR NOVICE WHO UNDERSTAND PACE AND THEMATICS.]

*"Paperback Writer": Delirious fun.

*"A Day in the Life"/"Give Peace a Chance": see above.

*"Let it Be": above.

*" Live and Let Die": the grand spy-portion of the program where all the olds in the front row get frightened by fireworks. Nicely played.

*"Hey Jude": above. McCartney does though still have THE BEST SCREAM in rock. EVER.

*"Day Tripper" then "Lady Madonna" then "Get Back": Go ahead, Max Martin and Dr. Luke - pop's current go to guys. Write enduring roaring melodies like those back to back.

*"Yesterday": sweet and simple.

*"Helter Skelter": Genuinely manic and shockingly corrosive. Again with the scream.

* Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)" into "Carry That Weight" into "The End": epic epic epic epic.

Good night.

[Photo Credit: Scott Weiner]