Sir Paul McCartney's first UK show in six years is mesmerising and features John Lennon tribute

Beatles icon Sir Paul McCartney has kicked off his first UK tour in six whole years and The Mirror was there to see it unfold

“It’s been a hard day's night,” opens Sir Paul McCartney as he kicks off his first UK tour in six years.

The legend, who turned 82 back in June, certainly made light work of a storming three hour set at Manchester’s Co-op Live as the two year long Got Back tour finally arrives on home soil.

It's the first time Sir Paul has played on any stage here since headlining Glastonbury in 2022 and marks his first UK tour since 2018.

"Here we are, up north again. And it's good to be back,” quips Sir Paul in his first greeting to the crowd.

Getting back to almost where he once belonged, tonight's homecoming sees Sir Paul delight the crowd with a 35 song set. From Beatles anthems, Wings classics and favourites from his solo years, it's a relentless celebration of not just Paul's greatest hits but some of the best tunes of the last 60 years. And there is no need for a support act when you've got as many beloved tracks in your locker as Sir Paul.

He breezes between hits including the brooding Let Me Roll It, thumping Helter Skelter and slows it down with ballads including Blackbird which sees Sir Paul singing alone on stage with nothing but his acoustic guitar and voice still on fine form.

Sir Paul even makes time for festive classic Wonderful Christmastime as snow falls over the arena and a local theatre choir join him on stage. Speaking to the Mirror before his UK return, Sir Paul said it was important to keep the crowd guessing when you’ve been on the road this long.

And the crowd lap up every single lyric with the arena uniting into one big singalong.

After three songs, Sir Paul pauses to remove his blazer. "And that's the one big wardrobe change of the evening,” he jokes. And he’s not wrong. Sir Paul does not leave the stage the entire set. In fact he doesn't even pause for so much as a drink of water.

His energy is nothing short of mesmerising as he whips through a medley of career-spanning hits, effortlessly swapping instruments throughout as he moves from the piano, ukulele to a variety of guitars all with that famous mop top still rocking.

The set is flooded with reminders to fellow Beatles past and present. At one point Paul takes it all the way back to the Beatles first ever recorded song, In Spite of all the Danger - back when the Fab Four were known as The Quarrymen.

"We're going back in time to a little place called Liverpool. In a town there were four boys. They wanted to make a record. So they did," Paul shrugs to the crowd.

Later he plays Something, taken from the last Beatles album Abbey Road, on a ukulele he says was gifted to him by the late George Harrison. As he plays Now and Then - known as the ‘last Beatles track’ after a demo by John Lennon was restored and released last year - archive footage of the band flashes up on the screen. The song ends with Paul earnestly thanking John for writing such a beautiful song. Thanks to the wonders of technology, Paul is able to sing the ballad as a duet with his late song-writing partner. Speaking to the Mirror about performing the special track before the show Paul said: "It's very emotional for me. I love it. I love doing it, and the audience seems to love it too."

The set ends with a blistering run of Band on the Run, Get Back, Let It Be, Live And Let Die - complete with blazing pyrotechnics not out of place on a Hollywood action movie - rounded off by a singalong of Hey Jude with everyone on their feet.

As the crowd roars in appreciation, Sir Paul tells them to crank it up to a "proper Beatles scream" that he's used to.

At this point, Sir Paul finally does take a pause and leaves the stage for the first time in over two and a half hours. Only to return moments late to rapturous applause for his encore. Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, Helter Skelter, Golden Slumbers and Carry that Weight bring a night to a close.

With the Got Back Tour wrapping up in London days before Christmas, who knows when Sir Paul will be back on the road.

As he takes his final bow he says, “There's only one thing left to say... see you next time.” He might just be right.

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