Ryan Paton was in attendance on a special evening at the Jacaranda as the legendary Beatle’s unique ability to bring people together was on full display at an exclusive listening event for his new album
Fans outside the Jacaranda at the world exclusive listening event for Sir Paul McCartney’s new album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane(Image: Liverpool Echo)
It was an emotional evening inside the Jacaranda last night (May 22) as fans gathered for a world exclusive listening event for Sir Paul McCartney’s new album. The Boys of Dungeon Lane will be released on Friday, May 29 and sees the legendary Beatle in an introspective mood, as he reflects on his upbringing in Liverpool and how this shaped him to change the world with the Fab Four.
Although invite only listening events have taken place in Los Angeles and Abbey Road studios, this was the first time when members of the public could listen to the album in full – and it was fitting that Sir Paul selected the venue where it all began. The Slater Street bar is a key location in The Beatles story where the band honed their live skills (the first when they dropped Silver from their name to become just The Beatles) – and a sold out crowd packed in to listen to 12 new songs from Liverpool’s greatest son.
It was an honour to be in attendance with the ECHO as one of the first in the world to listen to a piece of music history in such meaningful surroundings. Growing up in Liverpool and being exposed to the culture of The Beatles in your daily life means it’s easy to get accustomed to, and take for granted, just how important a figure Sir Paul really is.
But nights like Friday make the Walton-born icon’s significance, and how much his music has given to the world, truly hit home. Sir Paul is the 20th century’s great composer as his songs have that rare ability to make people stop, listen and feel a deep connection.
The new album proves he has lost none of that generational talent, as the wistful riff that begins opening song, As You Lie There, represents McCartney at his trademark, evocative best as he transports listeners back to his childhood in postwar Liverpool. The gentle spoken word opening brought the packed crowd in the Jacaranda to a standstill, and people clung on to every note, lyric and change of tempo across the next 47 minutes of new material.
The opening track, Days We Left Behind and Down South, which is an ode to an early memory with George Harrison, were the three standouts on the first listen. Nobody does sentiment and nostalgia like McCartney and these tracks are loaded with a meaning that it was impossible to not be deeply moved by.
Although the subject matter is Sir Paul’s childhood, the 12 tracks wear all of the musician’s 83 years and represents a special late career record in the same vein as David Bowie’s Blackstar or Johnny Cash’s America albums. The iconic musician is aging gracefully and the way his voice cracks in Days We Left Behind and Life Can Be Hard pulled at the heartstrings in a way I didn’t expect it, as it gave the songs a richer, deeper meaning of someone looking back on his early days, now that he is in the polar opposite period of his life.
Sir Paul is still releasing new music at 83, but the wistful nature of his latest album prompted a thought that is difficult to comprehend while listening to The Boys of Dungeon Lane. Although we’d like it to be different, Sir Paul won’t be able to do this forever, and it’s important to savour the unique way his music can bring people together when landmark events happen like the one at the Jacaranda last night.
The ECHO spoke to some of the people in attendance after the event – and the enduring power of his music was on full display as people had come from as far as Colombia to Liverpool.
Juliana Aurora Aragon, who lives in Bogota, told the ECHO: “I feel so lucky to be here. I would never have thought that I would be in Liverpool to live this moment. My whole life I have dreamt of being here in Liverpool. It’s something I will tell my kids when [I’m older]. I feel like Liverpool is my second home from now on. I want to come back every year if that is possible.”
Juliana Aurora Aragon from Colombia travelled to Liverpool because of her love for the Beatles(Image: Ryan Paton)
Another person I spoke to had uprooted his family from Brazil to move to Liverpool and have stayed here for the past nine years. Hamilton Ludovice said the power of The Beatles’ music meant Liverpool always felt like his emotional home, so he had to make it his physical one in 2017.
The 49-year-old said: “I live in Liverpool because of Paul McCartney. I’m from Brazil, but I have loved The Beatles since I was 12. Liverpool is a legendary place. The Jacaranda is the real place where everything started so there is no better way to listen to this album. [Because of The Beatles, Liverpool] was always my home so now I’m here.”
Juju Zoe is another who was compelled to move to Liverpool because of The Beatles, as the 34-year-old French native told the ECHO: “I’m French and I learnt English with The Beatles when I was a kid. I was translating all their songs so that’s how I learned English. I have a very special connection with The Beatles. When I moved to England, I decided to move to Liverpool and my bones for The Beatles became even stronger.
Juju Zoe taught herself English from translating Sir Paul McCartney’s music
She added: “[Hearing the album at the Jacaranda] was very emotional. I expected it to be emotional, but I still got very emotional. There were people dancing along. Some people with their eyes closed taking it in. It reminded me of when I was a kid and I was listening to The Beatles. Surrounded by all the fans as well. It was so beautiful.”
It wasn’t just people from far foreign lands in attendance, as many Merseyside natives were grateful for the way Sir Paul has rooted the album in his home city. Alex Gryba, from Halewood, said Sir Paul’s music was the “soundtrack to his life”, while Lizzie and Aisling Power have their own personal memories of Dungeon Lane, which made the title of the album particularly resonate.
Lizzie, from Kensington, added: “My kids have been playing on Dungeon Lane since they were really little so it was like a double whammy to be able to come and hear [the album].
“This is really special. I haven’t lived here my whole life, but the kids have so it’s absolutely fantastic.”
Sandi Rowley, from the Wirral, is another person from the region who holds a deep connection to Sir Paul’s music. The 61-year-old told the ECHO: “I have listened to The Beatles since I was a tiny child.”
Sandi Rowley, from the Wirral, has grew up with Sir Paul McCartney’s music
She added: “My dad had every single album. We were bRought up in a house of music. There is nobody like The Beatles and this felt like another Beatles album.
“It’s so special [Sir Paul has done this] in his hometown. The place where they first performed. Honestly, I feel on cloud nine.”
Getting an exclusive listen to Sir Paul’s new album was of course going to be special, but being able to be in the room and feel the emotion with all these people who have developed such a deep bond to the iconic musician made it truly an evening to remember. Sir Paul ends the opening track with the lyric, “I’d like to think that we could be together forever”. Through the power of his music, the legendary musician has managed to achieve this as he has brought together a community of people who will always be bonded by his music.
It’s remarkable Sir Paul is still able to find new ways to do this when he is in his ninth decade, so it’s important to embrace and celebrate that while we can. The Boys of Dungeon Lane will be released on May 29.
