Even at 83 years old, Paul McCartney still has energy, both big and small. When he performed in Los Angeles, he ditched the usual stadium crowds for something more personal: a small concert at the Fonda Theater.
By design, it was less like a show and more like sitting back and listening to stories from a man who had seen it all. The theme music was there, but what really attracted people were the memories, especially when he started talking about the Beatles’ first trip to America.
What did Paul McCartney say about the Beatles’ first trip to America?
Per People, Paul kicked things off with his usual charm. “Welcome to Hollywood! We’re going to have some fun!” He called out, smiling to the crowded room. The venue can only accommodate about 1,200 people, which is a small number compared to the arenas where he usually plays. He looked around the room and joked, “It’s nice to be at these little parties — I mean, it’s not that little.” Most of the audience was young, perhaps with parents born after the Beatles or even Wings. Paul seemed to like intimacy, saying, “It is good to look at the whites of your eyes.” He even felt nostalgic for the place itself, remembering when it was still called the Hollywood Music Box Theater “a hundred years ago,” before it took on the Henry Fonda name.
Now, the concert was supposed to help promote his new album The Boys of Dungeon Lane, his first in six years. But Paul admitted with a sheepish smile that he and the band had not learned the new songs yet. “But I’m glad you like it, yeah,” he laughed. So instead, indulge in the hits.And what a lineup it was: almost all the classic Beatles music you could want. Think “Help!”, “Let It Be,” “Hey Jude,” “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,” and more.
He also played “Now and Then,” a beautiful John Lennon song, and paused to say, “Thank you, John, for writing that.”Paul incorporated Wings favorites like “Jet” and “Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five,” as well as solo songs like “Every Night” and “My Valentine,” which he dedicated to his wife, Nancy Shevell, who was sitting right there in the audience. He kept the chatter light, switching between his grand piano and the famous Hofner organ, the same one from all the famous Beatles pictures.But it wasn’t all music. Paul still knows how to tell a story. Talk began about the Beatles’ first trip to America. “We didn’t really see much, and we certainly didn’t see America, so it was pretty cool,” he said. He joked about how the guys in the audience were watching their hands on the guitars at the time, trying to figure out the strings, while the girls screamed their heads off. He teased the audience by saying, “Give us a Beatles shout!” And they did it louder than ever.
You could see how much he loved it.Paul also pointed out some famous faces in the balcony: Dustin Hoffman and Morgan Neville, who just directed the new McCartney documentary “Man on the Run.” “What a story!” Paul called, smiling. “Well done, Morgan. You made a good movie.”
Inside Paul McCartney’s intimate concert in Los Angeles
Paul McCartney played two shows at the Fonda Theater in Los Angeles on March 27 and 28, 2026. If you know McCartney, you know he’s used to stadiums packed with tens of thousands of fans, not a cozy room with just 1,200 people.
This transformation changed everything. You can feel it. He even told the crowd that he likes to be close enough to “see the whites of their eyes,” as if he were back in those small clubs at the beginning of his career.Per People, the show was loose and cozy, as if McCartney was hanging out with old friends. He was joking and talking with the audience and telling stories between songs. The audience was just your average fans. Picture this: Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, John Mayer, Billie Eilish, Stevie Nicks, and even Ringo Starr, all in the same room.
It wasn’t just a concert. It has been a magnet for music royalty and Hollywood stars. Celebrities mingled, fans lost their minds, and at least for one night, everyone in the room got to see the legend up close.
The Beatles’ first trip to America: what really happened?
In February 1964, the Beatles arrived in America, already popular in Britain. Per The Hollywood Reporter, USA took things to a whole new level. Their big break came on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” which was watched by 73 million people that night.
That’s an amazing number, and honestly, it changed everything for music.At that time, the country needed something to believe in. The assassination of JFK left a dark cloud, and the Beatles brought excitement and hope. The fans exploded: screaming, fainting, and attacking airports and hotels. Their energy, charm and new sound sparked the British Invasion and turned popular culture on its head.From that first visit, the Beatles became more than just a band. They’ve rewritten the rules of music, celebrity, and what it means to be young.