Aidan Moyer from Atwood braves the chilling weather and shares a recap of Paul McCartney’s third show at the Bowery Ballroom during his unexpected residency in New York City.
@aidanmoyer
So, what do you do now?!! #paulmccartney enters the Bowery Ballroom for his third night of residency!! #newyorkcity #beatles
♬ 1 Minute Silent Sound – Hev Abby
Drenched in freezing rain, feeling unsteady, and my spirits waning, I lamented standing on this unforgiving ground without a tent to shield me.
After a long Amtrak ride from Philadelphia to New York, I marked this moment as the 25th hour without rest. Our considerable gamble seemed fruitless at this point –
“No show today, no tickets sold! GO HOME.”
Disheartened, we were all stuck in place, until whispers emerged. Official-looking staff in black coats began marking our spots along a lengthy queue. A shift was occurring.
Had I known at that time what I know now, I would have eagerly waited 13 hours just to see Paul McCartney at the Bowery Ballroom in any position.
On Tuesday, February 11, at noon, McCartney's official message announced a surprise performance at the Bowery Ballroom. Doors opened at 5, the show began at 6, with only a few hundred seats up for grabs – this was the “pop-up” scenario Macca envisioned for the Beatles during the January 1969 Get Back sessions. “We’ll just show up like the old days, under a different name, and perform for a few hundred people!” The Fabs didn’t take the bait. Wings attempted something similar in February 1972, performing unplanned gigs at UK universities where a shaggy Macca showed up at cafeterias asking if they could "come and play." Over 50 years later, history was repeating itself.
My community of Paul aficionados quickly sprang into action. Could we abandon everything and rush from Pennsylvania to New York in time? Thankfully, reason prevailed. We had to settle for hearing secondhand stories of the most intimate McCartney performances since the PreFab days. I had become used to such disappointments; in 2018, my grandfather and I had dinner at Grand Central Station, hoping to score tickets for a surprise show for Egypt Station. I listened from outside the venue.
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On Wednesday, February 12, at 10 am – a second message dropped, and another opportunity at the coveted Bowery tickets arose. Observant fans began noting that acts originally scheduled at the Bowery were shifting to different locations. Thursday and Friday became glaringly open.
It was time to enlist an expert.
Kenneth Bachor, a close friend and bandmate, has been capturing New York gigs for two decades. His infectious enthusiasm quickly convinced me: we would camp out and take a chance on a third Thursday show. In under an hour, our travel plans were arranged and a “go bag” was prepared. Vintage Wings tour necklace? Check. Toothbrush? Check. And a final good luck charm – a 1991 Hamilton Gifts Beatle Paul figurine. Let the Magical Mystery Tour begin!
Around midnight, we received reports of confusion. Those already in line heard from staff that the third show was now expected to be on Friday. Some lost hope, while others held their ground, and we faced a tough choice. After 40 tense minutes, we summoned an Uber.
In a blur of unique Brooklyn beards and puzzled bystanders, I resolved – I. Will. Not. Move. We stood firm throughout the night and into the early afternoon, and soon, Bowery staff began to hustle. It turned out that plans to sell tickets on Friday afternoon changed once the venue and Macca's team saw footage of the eager crowd. At 1:40 PM, a collective cheer erupted as we received this text:
PAUL McCARTNEY ROCKS THE BOWERY – Night 3
Friday, February 14th.
Bowery Ballroom, New York
5:00 pm Doors
6:30 pm Showtime
Tickets are on sale now.
A bemused Scotsman appeared with a roll of blue carnival tickets. We were asked politely but firmly in a thick accent – “What time did you arrive? What’s your favorite Beatles song?”
Ken humorously replied, “This weather is looking pretty Scottish!” The Scotsman chuckled.
© Kenneth Bachor
We were in!
Early on Friday afternoon, about 40 eager fans gathered by the barricade for a glimpse of Paul’s entry. By 12:15, Ken and I had secured front-row positions and were assigned to cover the concert. We met Adrian, who had
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Atwood’s Aidan Moyer faces the chill as he reflects on the third performance of Paul McCartney’s intimate and spontaneous residency at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City.