Paul McCartney's Get Back

Early seventies:during his first concerts in Europa Paul did not play any Beatles song.

Mid-seventies:the world tour featured five Beatles songs all signed MCCartney-Lennon (sic)

Late eighties/early nineties:the Beatles songs became the main course;more,with a few exceptions ("put it there" "band on the run" " live and let die"), the non-Beatles songs became a bore:who would have hoped for a "coming up " or "rough ride" live version?

At a time when U2 was covering his "helter skelter" (check the movie "rattle and hum") ,Paul was playing safe.But it's absolutely impossible not to be overwhelmed with joy when one is treated to the delights of "Hey Jude" "Back in The USSR" or the final medley of Abbey road Golden slumbers/Carry that weight/the end.

And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make.

This concert video is actually a compilation of several dates in a worldwide tour. It is quite well-done despite the odd sensation of suddenly seeing several of the band members (the drummer and keyboard players, for example) in different clothing or hairstyles. The fan reactions are at times a little odd but in large part quite amusing and endearing. My wife and I rented this film following the ABC network's broadcast of "WingSpan" last Friday (May 11, 2001)which was itself a tribute to the band Wings. Although the group was a 1970's heir of much of what was the rock 'n roll classic tradition of the British sensation, the Beatles, Paul McCartney and WINGS for an entire decade brought a lot of fun and joy to music lovers of my generation. The Richard Lester rockumentary wasn't quite the A-ticket ride that his comedic project titled "Hard Day's Night" was several decades before. Still, it is well worth viewing because the music of "Lennon and McCartney" was exceeded by the creative work of McCartney himself! The musical genius that Paul has shared with the pop music world is far greater than just some follow-ups to the Beatles. He has been a great example of a human being, admitting to mistakes but taking musical chances that other 60's "survivors" haven't done as successfully. He is a person well worth watching and a brave widower. All of us who remember the Beatles fondly can appreciate what his music still has to communicate!

This is a very good rock video with solid presentations by Paul McCartney and his band. Footage is off several stops along the way on his big World Tour around 1990.

Paul and his group perform many of the old Beatles songs, along with his solo efforts after the famous band had broken up. The lighting in here was outstanding. I couldn't help wondering how much Paul paid just to put on these concerts. He even added fireworks to one of the numbers!

Like all good performers, McCartney has an excellent band backing him up, particularly a guitarist whose name I don't know but the guy looked like actor James Caan. Paul's wife Linda also was in the band. I didn't see her do much but it's sad to see her now knowing she died at such a young age.

For me, the finale was the best on the tape with the title song "Get Back," along with songs off the "Abbey Road," album, all of which were some of my favorite Beatles tunes.

Earlier in the concert, you see old film clips of the Beatles accompanying some of the songs, and that was nice to see. As with most concert tapes of any length, you'll get a few numbers you can skip but whatever your tastes, you'll get more than enough good rock 'n roll here.

Paul McCartney for the 90's!

Directed by Richard Lester (of 'A Hard Day's Night' and 'Help' fame back in the sixties with McCartney's "other" band), Get Back sees McCartney and a band featuring his wife, Linda, and Paul 'Wix' Wickens (who is still on keys for McCartney today, in 2023) crisscrossing the world, on a tour thirteen years in the making.

Wings and Beatles songs make up the bulk of the program (around 90 minutes' of run time) and the obligatory backstage stuff + some Beatles footage inserted during those Lennon-McCartney songs that are performed by an excellent band.

That band - also featuring Hamish Stuart, Robbie McIntosh and Chris Whitten - looks like they're having the time of their lives, and why wouldn't they be, playing THOSE songs with THAT guy. The Abbey Road medley is a heck of a way to close proceedings.

Great stuff.

I missed this tour in 1991. Two years later I saw Paul in St. Louis and the show was fantastic. Several of my friends that saw the first tour said it was good, but when they saw the next tour they felt that the Get Back Tour was just a rehearsal for the one in 1993.

Paul hadn't toured in thirteen years and when you watch the DVD it really shows. I'm really glad that I own this DVD because it feels like a bootleg of a practice gig. There are great moments, but it feels like McCarney is trying too hard to compete with Duran Duran. It must have been a little embarrassing to have 40,000 people show up every night for a practice gig.

As for Richard Lester's directing; shame! It is awful. Remember those terrible 80's videos where they just edited in stock footage of silly things that didn't really go with the music? This is a concert video with that awful gimmick. They even use footage of the Beatles. This video goes on my shelf next to "Give my Regards to Broadstreet". It is a nice reminder that Paul is great… but not perfect.