Sir Paul McCartney performed a duet with the late John Lennon using footage from Peter Jackson’s acclaimed Beatles documentary as he returned to the stage for the first time in more than two years.
The musician, 79, launched his Got Back tour in Spokane, Washington state, on Thursday night by performing for nearly three hours and treating his fans to classics including Get Back, Hey Jude, and Live And Let Die.
He also performed other Beatles songs for the first time in more than 10 years, including Getting Better, You Never Give Me Your Money and She Came In Through The Bathroom Window.
So glad we got back! #PaulMcCartneyGotBack pic.twitter.com/PXC0bNju27
— Paul McCartney (@PaulMcCartney) April 29, 2022
He duetted with Lennon on I’ve Got A Feeling, using Jackson’s restored footage as it was shown on a big screen.
He told the crowd: “Peter Jackson said: ‘I can pull John’s voice out if you’d like me to’.”
Jackson’s three-part documentary series, entitled Get Back, is compiled from nearly 60 hours of unseen footage shot in January 1969, and more than 150 hours of unheard audio, most of which has been locked in a vault for more than half a century.
Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go Spokane! 👋 Are you ready to get back? #PaulMcCartneyGotBack 🎸 pic.twitter.com/KTMXrf8KdX
— Paul McCartney (@PaulMcCartney) April 28, 2022
It follows Sir Paul, Lennon, George Harrison and Sir Ringo Starr and their creative process as they write and rehearse 14 new songs in preparation for their first live show in more than two years.
The film also features the Beatles’ final live performance as a group, the rooftop concert on London’s Savile Row. The Beatles split in 1970.
Sir Paul ended his Spokane show by bringing a Ukrainian flag out on stage, drawing cheers from the sold-out crowd.
His tour moves to Seattle, Washington on May 2 before he headlines Glastonbury Festival in June.