Yesterday Music Times brought you the story of how students with perfect attendance at a high school in Austin, TX were treated to a surprise performance from pop-rockers Phoenix. New York City, never one to be outdone, raised the bar when students at Frank Sinatra School for The Arts in Queens ended their school day with a set from Paul McCartney and band.
The event was supposed to be in promotion of his forthcoming album New, but McCartney limited himself to three new tracks while playing another ten from his time with The Beatles and The Wings. The students, some born as much as 30 years after the breakup of The Beatles, ate it up. McCartney took breaks after every few songs to field questions from his audience. One student (all of whom are aspiring artists themselves) asked the icon what the most important lesson he learned during his career.
"When we first started out, I was terrified of doing anything wrong on stage," he said. "But then I learned that people don't mind. They actually kind of like it!"
McCartney ended the day with a rousing rendition of "Hey Jude" that everyone, from school founder Tony Bennett to the youngest freshman, could sing along with. As the student body left the auditorium, the continuing chorus of "naaaa-na-na-nanana" continued.
Check out the setlist below, and be as jealous as we are. The concert will stream on ClearChannel radio stations on October 14.
01. "Eight Days a Week"
02. "Save Us"
03. "Jet"
04. "New"
05. "Lady Madonna"
06. "We Can Work It Out"
07. "Everybody Out There"
08. "Blackbird"
09. "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!"
10. "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"
11."Band on the Run"
12. "Back in the U.S.S.R."
13. "Hey Jude"
