Paul McCartney made a Nov. 6 stop in Nashville, Tennessee, for an unforgettable evening of live music and heartfelt audience interactions at The Pinnacle. Throughout his performance, McCartney spent over two-and-a-half hours singing songs encapsulating a career spanning over 60 years, from speaking about personal anecdotes to playing fan-favorite songs by The Beatles, Wings and McCartney himself. 

Even though McCartney needs no introduction, which his performance surely proved, he spent the entire evening bringing fans through every corner of his musical discography — even the parts lesser known by longtime fans. McCartney is most widely known for being a leading vocalist and songwriter for The Beatles, alongside John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. Following the band’s disbandment in 1970, McCartney continued his work in the 1970s with Wings before eventually beginning his solo career. 

 The concert’s atmosphere was like nothing I had seen before: There were long lines 30 minutes before the show was scheduled to begin, and attendees were required to store all electronic devices in a Yondr pouch, which prohibited the use of phones during the show. Even though I was very disappointed with not being able to personally photograph the show, it was also reminiscent of concerts of the past and likely evoked a similar experience to a performance with all four members of The Beatles during the 1960s. It also allowed celebrities to freely experience a concert in plain sight, from Sabrina Carpenter to McCartney’s wife, Nancy Shevell. 

 Upon arrival, fans were greeted with a screen that featured a house with a variety of colors and imagery, such as images of The Beatles during the 1960s, more recent images of McCartney and a Ukrainian flag. As the screen continuously scrolled forward, many of McCartney’s songs played with a backing disco track. Eventually, McCartney made his way to the stage and opened with the classic Beatles song “Help!” 

 “You know what? I think we’re going to have a lot of fun in this room tonight,” McCartney said after finishing “Help!” 

Gallery • 5 Photos

Savannah Walske

Paul McCartney and bandmate Rusty Anderson look to each other while playing their guitars, as photographed on Nov. 6, 2025. (Hustler Multimedia/Savannah Walske)

Despite McCartney having been a household name for more than half a century, he still made sure to have one-on-one conversations with audience members and ensured to make connections all throughout the evening. From exchanging blown kisses with fans to asking for a “Beatles scream,” McCartney made sure that this would be an unforgettable experience for everyone in the room. 

The interaction that stood out the most was when McCartney began reading fan signs. One sign he read said, “I’m gay, help me come out,” and had a fan join him in chanting “I’m gay” together out loud three times to come out officially. It was an incredibly heartfelt moment that was celebrated by the entire crowd when it happened. 

A key, prevalent theme throughout the entire show was honoring previously deceased members of The Beatles. John Lennon, who died in 1980, and George Harrison, who died in 2001, were represented in a multitude of ways throughout the evening. After performing “Now and Then,” the most recent release from The Beatles based around a demo of Lennon’s voice, McCartney thanked Lennon for his songwriting. 

“Thank you, John, for writing that beautiful song,” McCartney said. 

McCartney also spoke about his love of singing “I’ve Got a Feeling” because he had the ability to sing with Lennon again as he appeared via an old video recording of Lennon singing his verse in the song. 

“I love that one because I get to sing with John again,” McCartney said. 

Before singing “Something,” a song written and performed by George Harrison, McCartney brought out a ukulele gifted to him by Harrison. He began his performance of the song by singing the first verse completely alone, with just him and the ukulele, as if he were channeling Harrison in the moment. 

Almost two hours after the show started, McCartney closed with “Hey Jude,” one of the most recognizable Beatles hits, and he made sure to incorporate the audience’s singing before he exited the stage. Not even a minute after they took a bow, McCartney and his band returned to the stage as they waved flags of the United States, the United Kingdom, Tennessee and an LGBTQ+ pride flag. McCartney sang an additional six songs and closed with “The End,” one of the last tracks from their quintessential album “Abbey Road.” McCartney then took his final bow with his band and exited The Pinnacle’s stage for the final time. 

Seeing a legend like Paul McCartney perform live is a bucket list item that not many are able to attain. This experience, however, exceeded whatever expectations I could have possibly had. The opportunity to see a living legend spend over two hours performing some of his greatest hits, along with an encore, easily serves as an incredible, life-changing experience. As McCartney prepares to close this tour, I can’t help but wonder what is next for him – even as he nears the end of his career, the 83-year-old showed no signs of slowing down.