Sir Paul McCartney returns to Iowa for ‘Got Back’ Tour

When Paul McCartney kicked off his "Got Back" tour in Spokane in April 2022, who would have guessed that the jaunt would continue three and a half years later?

Sir Paul has taken breaks from the road, but the octogenarian rocker is out on another leg of the endless tour.

McCartney, 83, who will perform Tuesday, Oct. 14, at Casey's Center, still delivers performance clinics. The charismatic vegan continues to render marathon shows that clock in just shy of three hours. McCartney has so many songs that the canned pre-concert tunes are from his own vast canon. Fans won't hear songs such as "Coming Up" or "Silly Love Songs" during Sir Paul's set, but the underappreciated tunes will greet listeners as they anticipate McCartney taking the stage.

Prepare for a captivating career spanning decades as McCartney dives back into his early days as a member of the Fab Four as well as delivering recent material when he performs at Casey's Center. Part of what makes McCartney's shows so great is that there is no augmentation needed. All the legend requires is his songs and under-heralded backing band, which has been the most enduring unit of his 60-plus year career.

Nothing is canned, and that was evident during a show in Seattle. McCartney flubbed "Here Today," his John Lennon tribute midway, and had to start over.

"I know it," McCartney said with a laugh after committing the mistake. "I wrote it." The reaction elicited laughter from the capacity crowd.

McCartney, who doesn't get enough credit as a bassist, charms the audience with his dry sense of humor as he delivers Beatles classics, well-constructed Wings tunes and underrated solo material. There's no rock musician who has a canon of songs greater than McCartney. Macca's 300th best song would be the finest tune composed by most recording artists.

Not only is the well deep, but McCartney impresses at any age during a two-hour, 40-minute set. Macca barely takes a sip of water while pleasing the crowd with songs, which influenced countless recording artists.

McCartney always tosses in a surprising tune that hasn't been played in years. During his 2002 tour, McCartney debuted The Beatles' "She's Leaving Home," which had never been played live.

Diehards were surprised with the out-of-left-field "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window" when he kicked off the "Got Back" tour.

McCartney gets credit for not applying the "final tour" to his jaunt. Macca doesn't need to add that sort of insurance. His shows sell out, and it's doubtful that one of the two remaining Beatles will ever retire.

McCartney has enjoyed not just one of the most successful and diverse careers as a Beatle; his career is unparalleled. No recording artist has a comparable career with the Beatle, who always gave more than he received from his bandmates.

Sir Paul has recorded classical compositions and worked on a electronica project with Youth dubbed the Fireman. McCartney collaborated with Kanye West. He's been up to every sonic challenge.

McCartney has taken an array of risks, but it's not surprising since he grew up loving an eclectic batch of music.

His love of varied sonics has impacted his work. There's the dancehall of "When I'm 64." There's the hard rock of "Helter Skelter." Is there a prettier lullaby than "Golden Slumbers?"

During an interview with one of those desert island book authors, the writer noted during our chat that the most overrated album of all time is the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper."

I asked how he could place the masterwork in proper context without being around when the breakthrough project was released. Music fans have heard "A Day in the Life" millions of times, but it must have been amazing to have experienced that stunning tune that was so ahead of its time in June of 1967.

"That album blew people's minds," singer-songwriter Steven Van Zandt said while calling from New York. "Everyone had the same reaction to that album whether you were in London, Greenwich Village or Asbury Park."

Van Zandt, who is Bruce Springsteen's consigliere in the E Street Band, gushed about McCartney and the Beatles.

"When you discuss the greatest bands ever, it starts with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Everyone else is after those bands. The Beatles changed the world. It's the reason so many people picked up a guitar in the first place,“ he said. ”The songs Paul wrote and recorded with the Beatles and after the band broke up are still so great. There's never been anyone like Paul McCartney."

Who knows how often fans will have the chance to catch McCartney? He can't play forever. The same goes for the Rolling Stones and The Who. When those icons are no longer on the concert circuit, that will truly be the day the music died.