Paul McCartney Joins the Isley Brothers at Apollo Theater Benefit
There aren't many concerts that are worth $5,000 a ticket, but the one Paul McCartney played last Saturday (Aug. 11) just might have justified its eyebrow-raising cost of admission.
Sir Paul was on hand at the East Hamptons estate of billionaire businessman Ronald Perelman, who hosted his third annual fundraiser for Harlem's legendary Apollo Theater. Thanks to that fat ticket price, the event -- which drew an exclusive crowd of 260 that included an eclectic list of millionaires and billionaires -- raised more than $2 million for the venue.
McCartney, who was a surprise addition to a lineup of entertainers that included Bon Jovi, Usher, and Jennifer Hudson, joined the Isley Brothers on stage for a once-in-a-lifetime rendition of 'Twist and Shout,' the Phil Medley/Bert Russell classic that the Isleys turned into a hit in 1962. The Beatles, of course, followed suit with their own hit cover in 1964.
While onstage, McCartney acknowledged the Apollo's influence on the Beatles, asking the audience, "Where would we have been without you? In Liverpool. We would have stayed there."
Earlier in the evening, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora took the stage for a performance of 'Wanted Dead or Alive' that Business Week said "delivered ... memories of 1986."