FLUSHING, N.Y., June 3, 2009 – Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Paul McCartney will perform the historic first concerts at Citi Field – the new home of the Mets – Friday, July 17 and Saturday, July 18.
Tickets go on sale Monday, June 15 at 10:00 A.M. ET online exclusively at www.507TIXX.com and by phone at 718-507-TIXX. These concerts are rain or shine
These inaugural concert events at Citi Field mark the latest in a series of landmark performances that link the beloved Beatle with New York City and the home of the Mets. Beginning with The Beatles’ legendary musical christening of Shea Stadium in 1965, and continuing with McCartney’s special appearance at Billy Joel’s “Last Play at Shea” show that closed the stadium last year, McCartney’s summer shows at Citi Field will once again mark a momentous occasion in the history of New York – and rock n’ roll itself.
“I am really excited about playing Citi Field - The Beatles were the first to play at Shea Stadium and along with Billy Joel, I was the last to sing at the old Shea,” said Paul McCartney. “So to be the first to play this stadium is incredible. I am really looking forward to a buzzing show.”
“Every time Paul McCartney steps on a stage is a special event because of the timelessness of the music and the enthusiasm and verve that this icon gives to each performance,” said Randy Phillips, President & CEO of AEG Live. “Christening Citi Field as a venue will give this concert the added weight of the historical significance of The Beatles appearance at Shea Stadium 44 years ago.”
"There's no more appropriate artist in the history of rock and roll to play the first concert at Citi Field," said Jeff Wilpon, COO, New York Mets. "The era of big-time rock and roll concerts started with Paul and The Beatles at Shea and we're thrilled to continue that tradition at our new home."
The Citi Field concerts on July 17 and July 18 will feature classics from McCartney’s extensive catalog, including Beatles, Wings and solo career hits as well as selections from his most recent album Electric Arguments, released under his alias The Fireman.
Additionally, the Citi Field shows will be McCartney's first U.S. appearances since his recent headlining stand at the first night of this year's Coachella festival and the same weekend's record-breaking one-off opening of the new Joint in Las Vegas . Reactions to the two sold out 2.5 hour performances were unanimously ecstatic from fans and critics alike:
"McCartney remains a sharp and agile performer, his voice as supple, warm and elastic as ever... Macca signatures Let It Be and The Long and Winding Road ... still have the power to raise gooseflesh." -- USA TODAY
"The verdict from his Coachella debut on Friday? Never underestimate the power of a Beatle... The night belonged to Paul." -- LOS ANGELES TIMES
"For almost two and a half hours, he had the attention of what seemed to be the entire multigenerational festival" -- THE NEW YORK TIMES
"Everything you could ask for in a McCartney set. Stunning. Beautiful." -- LA WEEKLY
"The concert of a lifetime" -- LAS VEGAS CITYLIFE
The Beatles gave the first-ever concert at Shea Stadium on August 15, 1965, in front of more than 55,000 fainting, crying, and screaming fans. It was, and remains to this day, the most historic concert ever, as it was the first time in history that a sports stadium was used for a rock concert. The groundbreaking Beatles concert at Shea set new attendance records at the time; it was the first large-scale, outdoor concert that demonstrated such events could be hugely successful and profitable.
On July 18, 2008, Paul McCartney returned to Shea for the first time in 43 years for an unannounced guest performance at Billy Joel’s “Last Play at Shea” concert. His signature Hofner bass in hand, McCartney jumped on stage – surprising not only Joel but also the sold-out audience of 55,000 – and launched straight into “I Saw Her Standing There.” McCartney closed the night with his seminal anthem “Let It Be” featuring Joel on backing vocals, giving the legendary Shea Stadium a truly memorable send-off. That show ended just as McCartney’s first-ever performance at Shea with The Beatles had started – with a deafening response from the massive crowd.
AEG Live, the live-entertainment division of Los Angeles-based AEG, is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performance. AEG Live is comprised of touring, festival, exhibition, broadcast, merchandise and special event divisions, fifteen regional offices, and thirty state-of-the-art venues. The company is currently producing tours and productions including Bette Midler “The Showgirl Must Go On” and Cher at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas , and The Color Purple. The concert tour roster includes artists such as Taylor Swift, Leonard Cohen, Michael Jackson, Bon Jovi, Celine Dion, Hannah Montana, Britney Spears, Kenny Chesney, Paul McCartney and American Idols Live. AEG Live is the largest producer of music festivals in North America from the critically acclaimed Coachella Music & Arts Festival to Stagecoach and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. For more information, go to www.aeglive.com.
