FILM: ‘A MusiCares Tribute to Paul McCartney’
If a music award can be won, chances are Paul McCartney has won it. And in 2012, Macca added “MusiCares’ Person of the Year” to his long list of accolades. MusiCares, founded by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, provides a safety net for musicians in times of need and annually honors a great musician who is also a great humanitarian. McCartney, with his long history of animal and human rights work, certainly fits the bill.
MusiCares celebrates their Person of the Year with a tribute concert featuring a lineup of illustrious musicians performing the honoree’s work. And while there are no shortages of similar programs honoring Macca, A MusiCares Tribute to Paul McCartney stands out from the rest.
From the opening moments of Cirque du Soleil’s Beatles tribute, Love, to the final notes of “The End,” the tribute radiates joy and taps into the special place that McCartney and the Beatles have held in so many lives. And like McCartney himself, the lineup of artists honoring him are unique and innovative. Each and every performer, without fail, built on McCartney’s genius to make these classic songs new again. Highlights include Norah Jones’ soulful “Oh! Darling,” and Alicia Keys’ heartfelt and deeply personal rendition of “Blackbird.” Alison Kraus & Union Station (feat. Jerry Douglas)’s unique take on Wings’ “No More Lonely Nights,” featuring cello and violin, was also a standout.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX6T-dRnZNM
Other notable moments included Duane Eddy’s haunting instrumental version of “And I Love Her,” and Neil Young inserting a variation of McCartney’s original lyric in “I Saw Her Standing There:” “She was just 17/and she wasn’t a beauty queen.” A lyric thankfully purged from the final song, but a wonderful tribute to McCartney’s early days, and a hidden treat for Beatles fans.
Only one thing topped these performances — McCartney himself, who spent almost as much time on stage as he did being honored. Macca and his fantastic touring band (Rusty Anderson, Abe Laboriel, Jr., Brian Ray, and Paul “Wix” Wickens) are in top form throughout, especially on the post-Beatles material, giving audiences a taste of just how exciting a live McCartney concert still is. The band came back to support other performers, offering the added delight of watching McCartney’s energetic and animated drummer, Abe Laboriel, Jr., in action. (Seriously, if this guy doesn’t make you smile, you must be the Grinch.)
After quickly accepting his award with a short and heartfelt speech, Macca runs (yes, runs… wow, he’s in great shape!) back to the stage to close out the show with his newest song at the time, “My Valentine” from 2012’s Kisses on the Bottom, followed by Wings’ “1985,” and closing with “Golden Slumbers/Carry that Weight/The End,” accompanied Dave Grohl and Joe Walsh. The energy Macca and the band express as they bring the evening to a close is exciting, inspiring, and uplifting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaKoBq9AU2c
McCartney fans will undoubtedly notice that the bulk of the songs are from the Beatles years; in fact, of the four Wings/solo songs included, three were performed by McCartney himself. Though this is typical of nearly any tribute to Macca, viewers are missing out on more than 40 years of outstanding material that is an integral part of Paul McCartney’s career.
The special runs just under an hour, and the passion and talent packed into that short time most definitely leaves viewers wanting more. But this reviewer was disappointed that there was nothing more to be found. There are no DVD extras; given the program’s length, exclusive features like behind-the-scenes footage, an overview of McCartney’s charitable work, or even a short film about MusiCares’ mission would have greatly added to the experience. And the special itself is an abridged version of the original concert, cutting out at least three songs, including one from McCartney. But even so, the quality of the performances that did make the cut, and the fact that the proceeds support such a worthy cause, make it worth every cent.
With its wide range of innovative performances and an outstanding contribution from McCartney himself, A MusiCares Tribute to Paul McCartney is a must-have for any Beatles or Macca fan.
A MusiCares Tribute to Paul McCartney is out on March 23 from Shout! Factory. Pre-order your copy now on Amazon!
