Paul McCartney - Let Me Roll It - Philadelphia - 8-14-10.MP4

Cross One Off the Bucket List--Paul McCartney's Up and Coming Tour @ Wachovia

I can say that I've seen an actual Beatle play live, and I can now cross that off my bucket list.

Leading up to the concert on Saturday, I was sure there would be some kind of cancellation. Sickness, broken hip bone, some bad veggies...something.

Paul McCartney put on a sold-out show on Saturday, August 14th at the Whatever name it is now Center in downtown Philly. In a set full of Beatles, Wings, and solo stuff, McCartney catered to every kind of fan. There were some senior citizens, no doubt. Some families, some kids for sure. Even some trust fund guidos, who managed to swine their way down for an  unbelievable night of music, though they'd probably never realize it.

Nonetheless, the man can still fucking rock.

After an opening set of Wings, he went into some more bluesy territory, much to the dismay of the audience, but not to me. In fact, many of his Solo work was played to perfection while some Beatles stuff was a little spotty ("Got to Get You Into My Life" and "Paperback Writer" come to mind).

The set was 41 songs deep, and McCartney was out there for every second of the three hour plus marathon. In between songs, Sir Paul was chatty, telling some great stories and giving heartfelt tributes to John Lennon and George Harrison (although all the backstage pyrotechnics were unnecessary for his rendition of "Here Today" and "Something", as the performances spoke for themselves.) All night McCartney belted out the highs and the lows,  moving from the Hofner Bass to guitar, acoustic guitar, piano, ukulele and round and round again in the process. I couldn't believe his energy displayed all night. If he was tired or fatigued all night there was no way anyone could tell. His band has been on what seems like an ongoing World Tour for awhile now so a little fatigue or inconsistency would be expected. I found myself thinking, "shit, this guy never gets tired of playing the same songs. He enjoys every second of it."

So did everyone else.

Towards the end of the show he invited a girl who was holding a sign in the front rows to come on stage. Her sign read that if he were to autograph her arm, she would have it tattooed. McCartney said he gets that all the time, so he decided to give this woman her wish. When she got to stage however, she changed her mind and wanted her lower back signed instead. "Not your butt, right?" McCartney joked. He soon got on knees and signed this woman's back on the stage, drawing a huge roar from the audience. Speaking of roar, I don't think I've been to a louder show.

It was a night I'll never forget. It couldn't be any more perfect.

Best part: After a strong rendition of "Let Me Roll It", McCartney playing on a paisley colored Strat breaks into a heavily distorted version of "Foxy Lady". Man, he fucking killed it on this solo. It was tremendous. After the song ended, he told a great story about how three days after the release of Sgt. Peppers, Paul attended a show that Jimi Hendrix put on in England, just as he was starting to hit it big. The opening song of the show was a cover of Sgt. Peppers, only three days since it was released. After whamming on the tremolo bar for ten minutes or so, McCartney explained that Jimi's guitar had gone out of tune. To this, Jimi asked the crowd "Is Eric here?", referring to Eric Clapton who was sitting near Paul. Jimi then asked "Eric, do you think you can tune my guitar?". Clapton was bashful, and hid his face and shook his head.

In Hendrix's biography there is a continuation to the story. After the show, Hendrix went up to McCartney's flat and he was throwing a party. When Paul answered the door, Hendrix was worried that McCartney would be pissed he covered the song so soon. Instead, McCartney handed him a huge spliff, and told him "that was fucking great man."

To get to see this show, with my lovely fiancee, I am truly a lucky man. Damn the person who thinks its cliche to like The Beatles. Honestly, I became a better person the moment I started listening to the Beatles. Music today comes and goes, changes and evolves. But no matter what, this music will always live on.

Friday the 13th is Here!!!!!

Ok its that time of year. I don't care what you do today, everyone needs to watch at least one scary movie. This coming from the guy who'd rather spend New Years Day watching the Twilight Zone Marathon in recovery, but I digress.

In honor of this special day, I present some good options for this year's Friday the 13th Movie Marathons.

1)Texas Chainsaw Massacre--The original of course
2)Friday the 13th--Dare I ask? Original.
3)If you gotta have a zombie movie...go with Dead Alive.
4)Maniac--Weird Psycho rip-off from the 70's. Tom Savini is the fucking man.

5)Sleepaway Camp--Classic cheesy slasher flick.

Jets Camp--Where Players Learn to Curse Like Mother F*@%))#)% Sailors

The Jets have been talking a mighty game this year. They believe themselves to be upcoming Super Bowl Champions. They only went 9-7 last year, but were expected to do much worse and they made the AFC East worry a bit. With all the talk and promise this team has this season, it makes sense that HBO would base their Hard Knocks show this year on the Jets.

What with a beautiful, new (unnamed) stadium up, the fan base clicking more than ever. They feel they are the rightful team to take over New York's main football team, the Giants. Much like the Mets, who too made some lofty acquisitions and also had a new stadium built on promises of championships, The Jets need to back up their words.

Those words being, fuck, shit, cunt and all other varieties and sub-varieties these words could morph into.

The Hard Knocks show was like watching a half hour version of the latest Scorsese-DeNiro mob movie. Except where you have Joe Pesci menacingly stabbing a fellow mobster with a Bic Pen yelling ten Mother Fuckers in the progress, you have Rex Ryan  simply tells the rest of the NFL "we will beat the fuck out of you".

Well they better. The Jets have a tough first few weeks with games against the Packers, the Ravens, and the Pats of course. Their star Cornerback, Darrelle Revis (Rex knows "he's fucking good), isn't signed yet.

Cursing is nothing new to sports. I can't even throw a frisbee without reciting the five dirty words. When I was a kid I remember taking score and helping out in practice in my brothers little league team (I sucked it pretty hard, so I was delegated to warm-ups and scorekeeping), the catcher John Mazzoni was a little chubby kid who's father was the assistant coach. Sporting an appropriate mullet for the mid 90's and a handlebar mustache reminiscent of Goose Gossage, John Sr. would pick on Johnny a little bit. I remember in batting practice, John Sr. throwing gas at Johnny and when Johnny missed, John Sr. charged the mound and told Johnny to "Put your feet on that fucking line! (drawing out a line with his feet) Step and swing and keep your eye on the mother fucking ball!"

Whoa guy.

I still like how Bill Parcells would talk about his players. In the 96 season, then rookie Terry Glenn was sidelined for all of Exhibition play for what Parcells thought was just a mild sprain. When Parcells was asked how Glenn was doing at camp, he only said "she's making progress."

But hey, your always going to catch a manager or a ball player cursing on the field. Difference is, there's no boom mics over their head. Rex knew all too well that a documentary was being shot, and that their rival teams were gonna tune in and hear every fucking word he says. Just better back it up come Week 1.