I Heard It Through The Wrigley Field Vines

“And I say the Cubs are gonna win the World Series!” Photo from Paul McCartney’s official website.

At the risk of jeopardizing whatever modicum of rock critic credibility I may have acquired over the decades, I have to admit to some major gaps in the truly essential rock icons I’ve seen perform live. The Beatles top that list, both as a band and as solo performers. So even though I didn’t have a ticket to Paul McCartney’s concert at Wrigley Field last night, I traveled from Palatine to the north side of Chicago on the chance that I could at least hear him playing, even though I would be outside the venue.

For those who aren’t familiar with Chicago or major league baseball, Wrigley Field is the home of the Chicago Cubs. It’s an open air stadium (just about the oldest left in the country), and situated in one of Chicago’s most happening neighborhoods. The Cubby Bear and Metro rock clubs are both within walking distance, and there are countless trendy bars and restaurants. As I expected, the entire area was in a festive mood when I hopped off the No. 22 bus at Belmont about 15 minutes before show time. Clark Street was busy with traffic, including some limousines, as well as a number of bicycle-powered rickshaws. One rickshaw sped by with at least six young revelers clinging to it, calling to mind the partying Who townspeople on Christmas morning in How The Grinch Stole Christmas.

One of the restaurant windows sported a handwritten sign that read, “Hey Paul, get your pints and pies in here!” Other businesses had round signs from the Central Lakeview Merchants Association welcoming McCartney to the neighborhood. I passed by a group of young women outside a bar who were greeting anyone who walked by. One of them noticed my Beatles t shirt, slapped me on the back and asked for a high five, but my momentum had already carried me past her. All kinds of people were hanging around outside Wrigley Field but there was plenty of room to wander down Addison, Sheffield, and Clark. Scalpers were hawking tickets, and some deranged homeless guys were lurching through the crowd, yelling, “Who’s got tickets?” About a half hour after the concert was scheduled to start, there was still no sound of Sir Paul emanating from the Friendly Confines. I was beginning to fear my trip would be in vain, and that I wouldn’t be able to hear the concert from outside.

As I wandered down Addison to Sheffield, I could hear the crowd inside cheering and McCartney playing “Hello Goodbye,” and the sound quality was great. What a thrill to hear Paul McCartney performing a Beatles song in person. The people gathered on Sheffield were in high spirits, singing and dancing along with the music, chatting with friends, and sometimes just grinning at what they were experiencing. A dad held hands with his two young daughters while they danced in a circle. McCartney continued with a rousing version of “Junior’s Farm.” I could hear most of his comments between songs, and got chills when he called out, “Here’s one you may remember,” before launching into “All My Loving.” I could see a puzzle piece of the big screen inside the stadium from where I was standing, and from time to time, McCartney’s face appeared on it.

I wasn’t able to catch all of the anecdotes McCartney shared with the audience, but I heard bits about how thrilled he was to be playing at such a historical venue; a tribute to Jimi Hendrix that followed “Let Me Roll It”; and memories of playing guitar with George Harrison back in Liverpool. And the great songs kept coming. “Jet,” “Drive My Car,” “On The Night Before,” “Maybe I’m Amazed,” and “Paperback Writer” were all delivered via McCartney’s high energy performance. “Is that you screaming?” he asked at one point, presumably addressing everyone in attendance. Even the more subtle tunes like “Long And Winding Road,” I Will,” and “Blackbird” drifted over the ivy-covered wall with perfect clarity.

Having a long and winding road myself back to Palatine, I departed Wrigleyville shortly after the one hour mark in McCartney's concert. It was heartbreaking to leave so early, but I had achieved what I had come for. Hearing one of the greatest performers in rock and roll.

Slumgullion #19

Comic book cover art taken from Jane Wiedlin's Facebook page.

Congratulations to The Go-Go’s for being honored with a star on Hollywood’s Walk Of Fame. Now if only this would keep them from breaking up. Meanwhile, Jane Wiedlin, whose recent injury caused the Go-Go’s to cancel their tour, is sure to be much more durable in her comic book persona, Lady Robotika. The musician is telling fans on Facebook that they need to pre-order Issue #1, which will be published by Image comics, at their local comic shops by June 24th. Maybe if the comic book-loving nerds on Big Bang hear of Wiedlin’s alter ego, it will result in a guest spot on the show for her.

Bangles guitarist-vocalist Vicki Peterson has extended her congratulations to The Go-Go’s on their Walk of Fame honor. In a separate tweet, she noted that she, sister Debbi, and Susanna Hoffs just finished a new Bangles song that will be a tribute to famed songwriter Toni Stern.

Indie rock for a good cause: The Handcuffs will be performing at a benefit for the Chicago Abused Women Coalition at The Viaduct on Saturday, June 19th. The show starts at 10PM and admission is $10. The Handcuffs will also be part of an impressive double bill when they and Phil Angotti perform in Millennium Park on Thursday, June 24th. Angotti kicks things off at 4PM, followed by The Handcuffs at 5:30PM.

Avant garde indie rockers WhiteWolfSonicPrincess are coming off a successful gig at Goose Island on north Clark Street, and will be playing from 1PM to 2:30PM Saturday afternoon at the Custer’s Art Fest in Evanston. The stage will be located at Chicago and Main Street. Leave it to radical guitarist-vocalist James Moeller to make a crack about Sitting Bull on his Facebook post.

Yesterday, I did a post about Paul Collins, and wondered if he would be coming to the Chicago area soon. I’ve just heard from Martha Westbrook, the Midwest Commander for The Beat Army, that Paul Collins will be performing at The Empty Bottle on August 25th.

Hollus, a Chicago band that exudes the look and sound of classic 1970s rock bands like The Faces and The Who, has just released its first official video. Their well-produced clip for “Songs That You Love” features the musicians and friends frolicking at various locations, and finds Hollus working in a lighter, jangling pop mode. Maybe those appearances at International Pop Overthrow are rubbing off on them. At any rate, it’s a good song and a good video.

Happy birthday to Paul McCartney. Nice to see so many contemporary musicians and groups saluting him on Facebook.

Anyone familiar with the anecdote about how Paul’s original working title for “Yesterday” was “Scrambled Eggs” will hopefully get a kick out of a running gag my wife and I have going on our comedy series, Manchester Gallery. And when I say ‘comedy series,’ I mean some short clips that can be seen on the Sunday Morning Coffee With Jeff Internet program. I play an inept and untrustworthy curator of a pop culture museum. On one episode, I displayed the scrambled eggs Paul was eating when he came up with up with “Yesterday,” and explained that they were on loan from the Treasures Room at the British Museum in London. Unfortunately, I didn’t keep a close enough eye on the eggs, and the episode ended with the Gallery’s feline mascots eating them. In a more recent clip, a private dick hired by the British Museum came by to inquire about the eggs. All of this is fictional of course, but if you’re looking to celebrate Paul’s birth in a wacky kind of way, you can check out the episode at Jeff’s blog.