Stars turn out for Paul McCartney’s intimate Hollywood show

Rock legend played two gigs at the Fonda Theater in Hollywood after announcing his new album, ‘The Boys of Dungeon Lane’
While Bruce Springsteen was headlining a rally against “kings” in Minnesota this weekend, Sir Paul McCartney was reported to have taken his own swipe against Donald Trump during a star-studded gig in Hollywood.

The Beatles legend recently announced that his next album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane , will be released on 29 May.

In celebration, he played two rare intimate shows at the historic Fonda Theater.

Among those in attendance were Stevie Nicks, Taylor Swift , Billie Eilish and Margot Robbie.

McCartney’s former bandmate, Ringo Starr, also showed up to support him.

CNN reported that in between a set heavy with Beatles and Wings classics, McCartney, 83, poked fun at the US president’s dance moves, with a mention of his name prompting boos from the crowd.

Lucky fans who scored tickets to the 1,200 capacity venue told the outlet that the event was a much-needed salve to the political upheaval taking place across the country, as millions took to the streets to protest Trump.

“I just feel like art and community and any sort of gathering around something that’s going to uplift us or bring us closer to each other in our city, that’s the antidote to troubled times,” graphic designer Derek Heath, 39, said.

“I think that inherently this experience fits within the world of fighting back against tyranny and fighting back against hate.”
Fans were thrilled when McCartney played the classic 1968 Beatles hit “Blackbird”, inspired by the Little Rock Nine and the 1960s civil rights movement.

Other famous faces in the audience reportedly included actors Steve Carrell, Laura Dern and Dakota Johnson – who sang along as McCartney played further hits such as “Let It Be” and “Hey Jude” – and musicians Olivia Rodrigo and John Mayer.

Announcing The Boys of Dungeon Lane last Thursday (26 March), McCartney also released his first new song in four years, the poignant ballad “Days We Left Behind”.

While it is influenced by his memories of growing up in a post-war Liverpool, some of the lyrics feel strikingly pertinent today: “In the skies/ The skylarks rise/ Above the sounds of war.”
“This is very much a memory song for me,” McCartney said in a statement.

“The album title, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, comes from a lyric in this track.

I was thinking just that, about the days I left behind – I do often wonder if I’m just writing about the past but then I think, how can you write about anything else?”
He continued: “It’s just a lot of memories of Liverpool.

It involves a bit in the middle about John and Forthlin Road, which is the street I used to live in.

Dungeon Lane is near there.”
McCartney also recalled the working-class area he grew up in, Speke: “We didn’t have much at all but it didn’t matter because all the people were great and you didn’t notice you didn’t have much.”
Produced by Andrew Watt, whose other recent collaborations include The Rolling Stones and Elton John, The Boys of Dungeon Lane is out on 29 May.

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies