Have returned! Paul McCartney says ‘let’s party’ as he announces UK tour dates

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Sir Paul McCartney has announced he will end the year with four arena shows in London and Manchester as part of his critically-acclaimed Got Back tour.

The 81-year-old Beatles legend last performed in the UK in 2022 when he headlined the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival.

The new dates will also mark his first Manchester show since 2011 and his first London show in six years, as he plays two nights at the O2 Arena and two dates at Co-op Live respectively.

The Liverpool-born singer-songwriter, one of the most successful musicians of all time, will perform a set spanning 60 years of classics such as ‘Hey Jude’, ‘Let It Be’, ‘Band on the Run’, ‘Get Back”. ” and “Lady Madonna”.

“I’m delighted to wrap up my 2024 UK tours,” McCartney said in a statement.

“It’s always such a special feeling to play shows on our soil. It’s going to be an amazing year-end. Let’s get ready to party. I can not wait to see you.”

McCartney launched his Got Back tour in 2022, playing a run of 16 dates in the US before landing at Glastonbury in June of that year, where he headlined alongside rapper Kendrick Lamar and pop singer Billie Eilish.

In 2023, he played a further 18 shows on the tour in Australia, Mexico and Brazil.

Writing about his performance at Glastonbury in a glowing five-star review, the independent’Critic Mark Beaumont called it “your grandchildren’s honour” to see the ‘Blackbird’ singer make his second appearance at Worthy Farm.

“McCartney’s available canon is the greatest in music to such an extent that any two hours plucked from it at random would be the best concert of any given year,” he said.

McCartney will perform with his longtime band, featuring Paul “Wix” Wickens on keyboards, Brian Ray on bass and guitar, Rusty Anderson on guitar and Abe Lobriel Jr on drums.

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He is joined by the Hot City Horns (Mike Davis on trumpet, Kemji Fenton on sax and Paul Burton on trombone), who joined him for the first time in 2018 when he performed at Grand Central Station.

During his Got Back shows, the singer also used ever-improving audio and video technology, including John Lennon’s isolated and remixed vocals from The Beatles’ London rooftop concert Apple Corps on January 30, 1969.

Using a technique developed by The Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson, the stems allow McCartney to “duet” with his late bandmate on “I’ve Got a Feeling,” from their 1970 album. Let it be.

Tickets for McCartney’s UK shows go on sale at 10am on Friday 21 June.

UK tour dates are as follows:

Saturday 14th December – Co-op Live, Manchester, UK

Sunday 15th December – Co-op Live, Manchester, UK

Wednesday 18 December – The O2, London, UK

Thursday 19 December – The O2, London, UK