Paul McCartney Revives ‘Help!’ Live After 35 Years at Intimate Show

At a small, 4,500-seat venue, Paul McCartney stunned fans by playing the Beatles hit "Help!," a song he last performed live 35 years ago. The surprise came during Friday's kickoff of his 2025 North American tour.

The music icon, now 83, opened the September 26 show with the complete version of the 1965 track. His last full performance was at Cardiff's Capitol Theater in December 1965, though he played a snippet in 1990 during a tribute to John Lennon.

"In this next song," McCartney told the crowd, "we'd like you to sing along," according to The Los Angeles Times. He also performed "Now and Then," a 2023 Beatles track created with archival recordings of John Lennon and George Harrison. 

This intimate show served as a preview for the Got Back tour, which started on September 29 in Palm Desert, California. McCartney delivered a tight, stripped-down set that lasted just under two hours. His performance included Beatles classics, Wings hits, and solo work that totaled 24 songs.

The show blended old and new. McCartney performed "I've Got a Feeling" with clips of John Lennon from the Beatles' 1969 rooftop show. His band brought skilled support. Paul "Wix" Wickens handled keyboards, Brian Ray played bass and guitar, Rusty Anderson played lead guitar, and Abe Laboriel, Jr. kept the beat on drums.

The tour stretches across North America. Big stops include Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, and Centre Bell in Montreal. Two final shows at Chicago's United Center on November 24 and 25 will wrap up the run. You can buy tickets and view the full schedule on Paul McCartney's website. 

Between shows, McCartney stays busy. A new Wings collection with 32 tracks hits stores on November 7. He's also making a film about his bass guitar, a lost instrument from 1972 that just turned up.