Paul McCartney Plays Intimate Club Show Between Desert Trip Gigs
With a week off between Desert Trip gigs, Paul McCartney squeezed in a decidedly different type of show, lining up an intimate performance at a small nearby club.
The surprise concert, which took place at Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace in Yucca Valley, started coming together a couple of months ago when McCartney's reps — unbeknownst to the owners — scouted out the venue through a series of emails and in-person visits. As co-owner Robyn Celia told the Desert Sun, although she and McCartney share a friend who's been trying to convince him to play there for years, it wasn't until two weeks ago that he reached out directly to inquire about performing.
"I’m a huge fan of the Beatles," said Celia. "I’m a huge fan of Wings. I was really happy. He’s brought so much joy to everybody’s life. I’m sorry for everybody who couldn’t get in, but I’m glad for the people that did get in."
The list of people who couldn't get in was far longer than the lucky few who managed to acquire tickets. Although the show wasn't announced until 10 the morning of the gig, Pappy and Harriet's quickly became a pilgrimage point for McCartney fans. According to the Hi-Desert Star, the line soon numbered into the thousands — in spite of specific instructions not to line up until 3PM.
"This is the biggest gig we ever played," McCartney was quoted as quipping during the show, a portion of which you can watch via fan-shot footage above. "We thought it would be a good idea to come out to a little roadhouse like this."
McCartney ultimately ended up delivering a 21-song set — shorter than some of the epic performances he's put together during his current One on One tour, but definitely not bad for a weeknight show between festival gigs. He'll be back at Desert Trip for its second and final weekend Oct. 14-16 — after which he'll presumably take a few days to relax before getting back to work on his next album.
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