In a “beautiful” moment that will no doubt leave fans and music enthusiasts in awe, legendary musician Paul McCartney is bringing the spirit of The Beatles back to life by performing alongside his late bandmate, John Lennon, during his current tour.
The 81-year-old recently kicked off his highly anticipated Got Back tour with performances in Adelaide and Melbourne in which fans were treated to a moving duet between McCartney and his late friend and former bandmate John Lennon.
The awe-inspiring moment is made possible thanks to Machine Assisted Learning (MAL), with Lennon’s voice separated from The Beatles’ legendary rooftop performance soundtrack, allowing McCartney to harmonise alongside his late friend as he appears on the big screen.
In a recent interview in the lead-up to his Australian tour, McCartney revealed that being able to perform alongside his friend once again was “magic”.
“I’m playing guitar and he’s singing in his middle bit ‘Everybody had a good year’. And then I join him with ‘I got a feeling’. And so now there’s two of us together. And now I’ve got to actually really keep in with him,” he said.
“And that’s beautiful because that’s like it was when you played live, you know, to be conscious of the other person, and do your part right alongside him. So yeah, it’s very emotional for me. I love it.”
McCartney remembered the first time he and his band played the duet in front of a crowd, noting that it felt genuine even though technology made it possible.
“It was hard to hold your emotions back actually, because it was one of those … you could just get overcome,” he explained.
“Because it was the magic – it was my buddy, who’s been dead a long time, and here he was, back, and I’m working with him again.
“And even though it’s sort of mechanical trickery it feels very real.
“So it was great.”
McCartney also reflected on The Beatles’ humble beginnings, sharing the story of how he and Lennon found each other and eventually embarked on a journey together that would captivate the world.
“I look back on it and you marvel … You know, it’s just me and John, how did we get together? How did that happen?” he said.
“Well, I don’t know. I just knew a friend and he knew a friend and I met him, and we just decided we both were the only people we knew who wrote songs. So we suddenly were sitting down and writing them.”
McCartney last graced Australia’s stages in December 2017, where he earned a prestigious Helpmann Award for Best International Contemporary Concert in 2018, McCartney left audiences nationwide in awe with an unforgettable three-hour show.
“I’ve got so many amazing memories of my time in Australia over the years,” McCartney said while announcing his tour.
“Our last trip was so much fun. We had such an incredible time. Each show was a party, so we know this is going to be incredibly special. Australia we are going to rock! I can’t wait to see you.”
Got Back Tour Dates:
Wednesday 18 October – Adelaide – Entertainment Centre
Saturday 21 October – Melbourne – Marvel Stadium
Tuesday 24 October – Newcastle – McDonald Jones Stadium
Friday 27 October – Sydney – Allianz Stadium
Wednesday 1 November – Brisbane – Suncorp Stadium
Saturday 4 November – Gold Coast – Heritage Bank Stadium