Sir Paul McCartney welcomed his former Beatles bandmate Sir Ringo Starr to the stage on Thursday night while playing to a packed crowd at London’s O2 Arena.
“We’ve got another surprise for you,” McCartney told the audience. “Bringing to the stage the mighty, the one and only Mr Ringo Starr!”
Arriving on stage to thunderous applause, Sir Ringo, 82, said: “I’ve had a great night tonight… how about you? Shall we rock?”
To which Sir Paul joked: “We can only rock if you can get on your kit, ma.”
The pair then tore through Helter Skelter and Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, before The Beatles’ drummer left, adding: “I’m off now, I’ve had a great night and I love you all.”
Sir Paul was also joined by Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood for the song Get Back, which saw him play his original Hofner 500/1 bass for the first time in 50 years, after it was stolen in 1972.
Sir Ringo and Sir Paul have reunited a number of times since leaving The Beatles, including on Sir Paul’s 2019 Freshen Up tour, and at Sir Ringo’s 2015 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction.
The performance was the last in Sir Paul’s Got Back Tour, which began in October, with the veteran singer playing dates in Paris, Madrid and Sao Paulo, as well as two dates at Manchester’s Co-Op Live and The O2.
Sir Ringo was seen enjoying the show alongside stars like Kate Moss, Hannah Waddingham, and Ed Sheeran, as well as McCartney’s daughter, fashion designer Stella McCartney.
Fans also took to social media to share snaps with George Clooney, Judi Dench, Martin Freeman, and Professor Brian Cox.
During the show, Sir Paul treated fans to a jumbo set packed with the hits of The Beatles and Wings, and more.
Opening with a raucous rendition of the Fab Four’s A Hard Day’s Night, the 82-year-old kept up his tradition of having no opening act, performing just under 40 tracks from one of the most impressive songbooks the UK has produced.
It appears I’m in the VIP area at Paul McCartney.
— Rachel Doyle 🐝 (@Rachel_Doyle72) December 19, 2024
I just fist bumped RINGO STARR!
Sat and chatted to George Clooney. Said hello to Martin Freeman. Chatted to James McCartney. Judy Dench sat in front of me!! Met Brian Cox too! pic.twitter.com/Pi9tFYhH0F
At the start of the night, Sir Paul told the crowd: “Oh London, this is the last night of our current tour, we’ve been around South America and all over the place.
“So it’s great to be back and we’re going to have some fun tonight.”
The audience was thrown into Wings’ prog rock song Junior’s Farm and the bluesy grind of Letting Go, before Sir Paul prompted hysteria with Drive My Car.
Later in the set, the singer played a snippet of the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s Foxy Lady and took to a second elevating stage to perform The Beatles’ Blackbird and solo track Here Today.
After playing the Hendrix snippet, Sir Paul said: “I was lucky enough to know him a bit in the 60s and he was a great guy, a great guitar player but a very humble person.”
He also played The Quarrymen’s (Sir Paul’s first band which he played in alongside John Lennon and George Harrison) In Spite Of All The Danger, before performing what is thought will be The Beatles’ last single in 2023’s Now And Then.
The set also saw him repeat his virtual duet with John Lennon on I’ve Got A Feeling, played during the Liverpool band’s infamous rooftop concert on top of Apple Corps’ headquarters in London.
Other set highlights included Sir Paul’s attempt at Sweet-esque glam in Jet and a euphoric rendition of Wings’ James Bond theme Live And Let Die, which prompted fireworks and pyrotechnics, replicating the film’s opening title.
Sir Paul was also joined by a children’s choir for Wonderful Christmastime, adding some festive cheer to the evening.
