PAUL McCARTNEY IN GIJON. DRESS REHEARSAL.
24th MAY 2004

We found out that his private plane would land at six o’clock in Aviles airport. After lunch we went to there. About 17:30 a lot of journalists and photographs began to arrive.

First disappointment: On desdending, a limousine would be waiting for him in the same landing strip. So, to have the chance to access to him it would be reduced to nothing, as only the photographs with accreditation was allowed to do it.

However, we studied all the posible exits (there were only 2) and we let our car strategicaly placed in order to follow him once he leaves the airport.

From our situation, although long-distance, we could see how the plane landed and how he descended from it. It was 19:40.

Few minutes later, two limousines and two vans guarded by motorized policemen, came out of the airport at full speed, although on going in front of us, Paul greeted to us.
We took the car and we began to go after them, but because of the high speed, it was impossible to cath them.

Paul went directly from the airport to the El Molinon Stadium. Few minutes later, without changing his clothes (white shirt and blue suit), Paul began to perform some songs. We could listen to play The long & winding road, Blackbird, Midnight Special, Here Today, For no one and Lady Madonna with a new intro.

At 9 o’clock we had to leave the hotel for going to the stadium, but there was a delay of 45 minutes. The security rules were very severe: no cameras, no bags, no cells... and we had to wear dark clothes in order to slip by from the stage.

We arrived to the Stadium at 22:00. We began to listen the pre-show from outside , and we began to get upset at the beginning of JET, still outside. In the middle of the song they invited us to enter and we sat down in a corner, very far of the stage.

The feeling of seeing Paul, there, playing only for us, was unique and extraordinary, unrepeatable. All the stadium was dark, only 37 people, and Paul and his band playing as if the Stadium was crowded.

Paul wore a red shirt with white collar and a red jacket, as in the Back in the World show in Moscu.

After JET he performed GOT TO GET YOU INTO MY LIFE. When he finished, he spoke to an non-existent public with “HOLA GIJÓN, ASTURIAS, ESPAÑA” (HI GIJÓN, ASTURIAS, SPAIN), to start later with FLAMING PIE.

Again he spoke to the “audience” with a GRACIAS... HOMBRES, MUJERES... MUCHACHOS, MUCHACHAS... NIÑOS, NIÑAS... (THANKS....MEN, WOMEN, BOYS, GIRLS, CHILDREN), laughing when he finished.

The next song was ALL MY LOVING. After this song he took off his jacket saying: HACE MUCHO CALOR, APRENDI ESPAÑOL EN LIVERPOOL, A LOS 11 AÑOS, EN LA ESCUELA (IT IS VERY HOT, I LEARNED SPANISH IN LIVERPOOL, WHEN I WAS 11, IN THE SCHOOL).

LET ME ROLL IT was the next song, and later, he presented the next one in english, telling that sometimes there are songs that you record and you never play again, as the following…. And the chords of YOU WON´T SEE ME began to sound. Simply brilliant, fabolous, fantastic. One of these songs that sound better than in the record, with a real and fresh sound.

Later, Paul said: AHORA OTRA CANCIÓN FOR YOU, TONIGHT, ESPAÑA (NOW ANOTHER SONG FOR YOU, TONIGHT, SPAIN) and SHE´S A WOMAN began to sound. He introduced to the FABULOSO GUITARRISTA, RUSTY ANDERSON, RUSTICO! (FABULOUS GUITARIST, RUSTY ANDERSON, RUSTIC!) and later they performed MAYBE I´M AMAZED, with Paul at piano, and THE LONG & WINDING ROAD.

When this song finished, we had surely one of the bigger and more satisfying surprises of the tour: Paul was alone in the stage, without the band, and he said: NOW I´M ALONE WITH YOU, ESTE TEMA LO GRABAMOS EN LIVERPOOL, EN KENSINGTON. FUE NUESTRO PRIMER DISCO. (THIS SONG WAS RECORDED IN LIVERPOOL. IN KENSINGTON, AND IT WAS OUR FIRST RECORD)..., and he began to perform, alone with the acoustic guitar, the only song composed by McCartney – Harrison, IN SPITE OF ALL THE DANGER, a very simple song, but with a wonderful sound live..

But.... after this song...we suffered a let-down!!! What a disappointment for all the privileged people listening the concert: It was not without surprise that the organization invited us to leave the stadium, without any kind of explanation!!

All our complaints were no use at all!! We did not receive any reason for this behaviour. Simply, someone said that we had to leave the place. And in this way happened!!

Our disappointment was tremendous!! And although from outside we were able to see the screens with the images of the show, our state of mind was down.

Later we were able to listen Paul performing BLACKBIRD, WE CAN WORK IT OUT, HERE TODAY, ALL THINGS MUST PASS, I´LL FOLLOW THE SUN with a little reprise, FOR NO ONE with the same reprise again, CALIKO SKIES, I´VE JUST SEEN A FACE, ELEANOR RIGBY, DRIVE MY CAR, PENNY LANE and GET BACK.

Later, seeing that the end of the show was arriving, we decided to leave the area of the stadium, in order to go to the hotel where Paul stayed. You must know that this hotel was not in Gijon, but in Oviedo, 40 km far away..

We were informed that the show finished at 1 o’clock in the night, so we hoped that Paul was there about 2 o’clock.

Bearing in mind it was late at night, there was a lot of people (about 40). For this reason, our chance to get an autograph was remote.

About 2 o’clock a van appeared, followed by a coach protected by policemen. Paul was in the coach, in the first seat, and he waved . He got down the coach and he went towards us. It was great!!! Security people had to keep us from approaching him. Paul was 2 meters of distance from us. He gave thanks to all the people there, and when we asked to sign, he said: ES MUY TARDE, MAÑANA (IT IS TOO LATE, TOMORROW), doing a face as going to sleep.

Later he said GRACIAS AMIGOS (THANKS FRIENDS) ....and he went away.

We stayed few minutes more, waiting a miracle, is that to say, waiting him again, but the miracle did not came true. About 3 o’clock we returned to our hotel in Gijon.

JORDI AND AMPARO

PHOTOS BY MELGAR. PAUL ARRIVAL TO AIRPORT.

PHOTOS BY MELGAR. PAUL ARRIVING TO HOTEL RECONQUISTA
AFTER DRESS REHEARSAL.

PHOTOS BY JUAN AGÜERAS

THANKS TO JUAN AGÜERAS,
PRESIDENT OF THE SGT. BEATLES FAN CLUB, FOR HIS GREAT PHOTOS.

PHOTOS BY JAVIER TARAZONA

THANKS TO JAVIER TARAZONA,
DIRECTOR OF THE SGT. BEATLES FAN CLUB
"THE BEATLES GARDEN" FANZINE, FOR HIS FANTASTIC PHOTOS.