Set list & more thoughts on Paul McCartney at Target Field

Without any announcement, Paul McCartney took the stage Saturday night at Target Field and the crowd hardly noticed him. So he delivered one of those classic McCartney mugs as if to say: "What am I, chopped Liverpool?"

Of course, the crowd started cheering. And the enthusiasm didn't let up – from the crowd or from Sir Paul – for the next 2 ¾ hours.

Sure, he repeated stories from previous tours (like the one about George Harrison's love of ukulele before Paul himself played "Something" on a uke), and the set list has remained pretty much the same since this current Out There Tour started in May 2013 (it ends in October). Even though his face was predictably animated, he wasn't a very physical performer. And, when people are paying up to $250 a ticket, can't McCartney hire horn players and a small string section because having Paul "Wix" Wickens play those parts on keyboards sounds cheesy and cheap.

But, hey, the good news is that this was far and away the best sound McCartney has had for any of the three Twins stadiums in which he's performed. (Not that the competition was ever close.) Sure, his voice was strained at times (especially during "Maybe I'm Amazed"). But, as stated in my review, his unstoppable spirit, unimpeachable repertoire and crackerjack band (which has been with him for a dozen years) made this one immensely memorable.

Here is the set list from Saturday's show:

Eight Days a Week (Beatles) / Save Us (solo) / All My Loving (Beatles)/ Listen to What the Man Said (Wings)/ Let Me Roll It (Wings) > Foxy Lady (Jimi Hendrix cover, instrumental)/ Paperback Writer (Beatles)/ My Valentine (solo)/ Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five (Wings)/ The Long and Winding Road (Beatles )/ Maybe I'm Amazed (solo)/ I've Just Seen a Face (Beatles )/ We Can Work It Out (Beatles)/ Another Day (solo)/ And I Love Her (Beatles)/ Blackbird (Beatles)/ Here Today (solo)/ New (solo)/ Queenie Eye (solo)/ Lady Madonna (Beatles)/ All Together Now (Beatles)/ Lovely Rita (Beatles)/ Everybody Out There (solo)/ Eleanor Rigby (Beatles)/ Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite (Beatles)/ Something (Beatles)/ Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (Beatles)/ Band on the Run (Wings)/ Back in the USSR (Beatles)/ Let It Be (Beatles)/ Live and Let Die (Wings)/ Hey Jude (Beatles)

ENCORE 1 Day Tripper (Beatles)/ Hi Hi Hi (Wings) / Get Back (Beatles)

ENCORE 2 Yesterday (Beatles)/ Helter Skelter (Beatles)/ Golden Slumbers > Carry the Weight > The End (Beatles)