Any Paul McCartney performance is an exciting prospect at this point, especially at a festival as big as Lollapalooza. McCartney delved into his extensive discography during his Friday set, including Beatles and Wings songs, but he also busted out a couple of big moments by doing a rendition of “FourFiveSeconds” and also bringing out Brittany Howard from Alabama Shakes for a rollicking rendition of “Get Back.”
“FourFiveSeconds” is a new addition to the McCartney canon. The song is a collaboration with Kanye West and Rihanna in its recorded version, but West and Rihanna didn’t join McCartney for this performance. As such, McCartney handled the lead vocals himself, doing so for the first time. This is also the first time he has done the song live since the 2015 Grammys, so it’s a rare treat, presuming you like the song, of course.
“Get Back,” meanwhile is a song that McCartney can feel more comfortable about people wanting to here. Howard and Alabama Shakes had played earlier in the evening, so she was available to join McCartney for his headlining set. When a former Beatle asks you to play one of his most famous songs, you don’t say no. Howard is a distinctive vocalist, and she brings a little something different to the proceedings.
Thanks to “FourFiveSeconds” and “Get Back,” McCartney’s set was even more notable than it would have been if it was just, you know, simply a living legend on the stage.
(Via Billboard)