Paul McCartney, whose Beatles gave Shea Stadium its first concert in 1965, will inaugurate the New York Mets’ new home, Citi Field, with two shows next month, promoters said.
McCartney’s Citi Field concerts are set for July 17 and 18, one year after he made a surprise guest appearance at Billy Joel’s “Last Play at Shea” show that closed the baseball stadium. “So to be the first to play this stadium is incredible,” McCartney said in the announcement. “I am really looking forward to a buzzing show.” The Beatles’ Shea show 44 years ago was a landmark event in rock ‘n’ roll, with 55,000 screaming fans — mostly teenage girls — surrounding the Fab Four in the center of the baseball field. McCartney’s unannounced appearance near the end of Billy Joel’s show in front of 55,000 excited fans — mostly former teenagers — was a sentimental event, with McCartney singing “Let It Be.” The Citi Field show will include McCartney songs recorded during his days with the Beatles and Wings, as well as his solo career, the announcement said. McCartney will also perform songs from his most recent album, “Electric Arguments,” released under his alias the Fireman. Tickets, which go on sale at 10 a.m. June 15, will be sold by the New York Mets’ online ticket distributor, 507tixx.com.
