With dedications to hislate wife and former bandmate to recounting memories from his youth, Paul McCartney got personal at
Coachella.

About 30
minutes into hisset McCartney, who had taken to the piano by then, announced that Friday markedthe 11 year
anniversary of the passing of his wife, Linda.

McCartney
said he had no hesitations about being on
stage after he thought about his wife’s love of the desert, music, rock and roll. Insteadhe
dedicated “My Love,” in her memory and to all those that were with theirloved ones.

He also dedicated a song to John Lennon.

The former
Beatle took to thestage a
little past 10:20 p.m., even though he was schedule to start at10 p.m. It
didn’t seem like anyone in the audience seemed to mind, since the DJwas playing
some of his hits already. (I have to agree with Wes that was a littletoo much. I
mean we were going to hear McCartney live for more than an hour, sowhy would
we want to hear recordings.)

But once he
did, McCartney wasenergized
and ready to perform.

“We’ve come
from many milesaway to
rock your roof tonight,” McCartney told the thousands in attendance.

From the
classics such as “DriveMy Car,”
and “Eleanor Rigby,” McCartney switched things up by also playing songs such
as “Highway” from his latestreleased
album, Fireman.

While a lot
of his songswere
upbeat, he stripped his show down for a couple of acoustic songs; one ofthose was
“Blackbird.”

This song,
he told everyone,was written
in the 60s during the civilrights movement.
Blackbird was symbolic of that time, he said.

Since then
so many thingshave been realized, “and now you’ve got President
Obama,” McCartneysaid.

After each of his songs, McCartney
did not hesitate to bow to the crowd, raise his guitar in theirdirection
or thank them.

“Something
tells me were goingto have a
bit of fun tonight,” he said.

And throughout his more than two-hour set, it seems
like it wasMcCartney
who was the one having fun with the crowd. He had them repeating notes as well as talking to
fans near the stage.

At one point,
he admitted that itcan be
tough performing because he gets distracted by the signs fans hold up.

“Then you
start reading thesigns,” he
said.

The signs
ranged from “I sawyou in Chicago,”to “Hey can
I have your guitar pick?”

That
prompted McCartney tosay “no
it’s mine.”

As I walked
away from theCoachella
stage, I have to admit, I did have fun.

Visit www.dailybulletin.com for McCartney photos and other performers at Coachella.