Eavesdropping on Paul McCartney @ Wrigley Field, 8/1

By Gene Wagendorf III 

The only talent playing at Wrigley all summer

How do you put a price on seeing a Beatle? Where do you draw the line between a justifiable expense and outlandish waste? Is any one man truly worth a $165 ticket, before service fees? Luckily, I didn't have to pass that judgment on Sir Paul- I got to enjoy the entire concert for free.

I'm not bragging. Nor was I alone. A couple thousand of Paul McCartney's biggest fans surrounded Wrigley Field on Monday night to listen to some of the greatest songs ever written. When the idea was first pitched to me I was a bit hesitant. Would I actually be able to hear anything? Was it worth being in Wrigleyville for three hours just to hear some faint na-na's from "Hey Jude" while surrounded by pack of drunk fratboys puking along?

An unofficial street fest

I got more than I could have hoped for. Paul's sound system was impressive. I heard him more clearly while camped out on Waveland Avenue than I heard A Place to Bury Strangers from four people back at this year's Do Division Fest. In short, this was one of the best shows I've ever seen, and I technically didn't even see it.

As anticipation built toward the first song, small groups of Beatles fan hung around on the street, passing around joints and bottles of wine, singing "Rocky Raccoon" and "Eight Days A Week." Seemed more than appropriate, though not nearly as entertaining as the twelve year old kid who interrupted them as he bounced down Clark singing Human League's 1982 hit "Don't You Want Me."