London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Sep 18, 2025

Paul McCartney shares 'magical' Glastonbury memories and exclusive photos

Paul McCartney shares 'magical' Glastonbury memories and exclusive photos

From the explosive opening of Can't Buy Me Love, to the closing chords of The End, Sir Paul McCartney played one of Glastonbury's greatest ever sets this summer.

Over the course of three hours, he brought new life to the classics that established him as the planet's most successful and influential living songwriter.

Along the way, he duetted with Bruce Springsteen and Dave Grohl; played Something on George Harrison's own ukulele; and blew the fireworks budget for a thrilling Live And Let Die.

It was an emotional night from the outset, when fans stopped Sir Paul in his tracks by singing Happy Birthday.

"For me?" asked the star, who'd turned 80 a week earlier.

It was equally moving when Sir Paul played I Got A Feeling as a duet with John Lennon, whose vocals had been isolated for Peter Jackson's Get Back documentary.

For a moment, the two friends were reconnected and trading melodies again; Lennon frozen in time, as Sir Paul surveyed an audience they could, in a different universe, have shared.

"That is so special for me," said the star. "I know it's virtual, but there I am singing with John again. We're back together."


Sir Paul was originally due to headline Glastonbury in 2020, before Covid forced the festival to shut down

Then he strapped on a guitar and played Helter Skelter, cutting the tension with a blast of pure hedonistic energy.

Sir Paul's command of the stage is so casual that he makes it look easy. But it isn't. It's pure magic.

"It was the comeback that matched every bit of anticipation after two years of lockdown, and it brought the whole festival to tears of joy," says Glastonbury organiser Emily Eavis.

"Sometimes there is a performance where everything aligns and for us, this was it. The incredible band and guests, the untouchable set list, a packed field singing along to every word, the clear sky and the magic of the night… truly unforgettable."

Now, Sir Paul shares his personal reflections on Glastonbury with BBC News, along with a selection of backstage photos and videos - many of which have never been seen before.


Paul McCartney on playing Glastonbury


"Festivals are special, but Glastonbury is particularly so and it's a big event in lots of people's year. Because it had been cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid, it became more important to pull it off.

"I'd asked Bruce Springsteen in 2020 if he'd be happy to come onboard and he said yes, and he kept his promise two years later. So that was very exciting, having him and Dave Grohl up on the stage.

"It's a pretty impressive scene for people in the audience, but we get the whole view up on the stage with the flags and the hills going back forever, so it was quite a big deal that they said yes to joining me in that experience.

"Of course, up on stage I can't really see people's reactions but I love to hear them because I've found myself doing that at concerts. I went to see James Taylor once and started blubbing because it was just so lovely! I was thinking, 'Oh, I love this guy' - I'm getting emotional even now!

"It's a magical thing, knowing music can do that to people. We're the only animal on the planet that does that.

"Then you've got the spirituality of the place, knowing about the ley lines and everything else. When you have an event like Glastonbury and everyone comes together with good vibes and energy, I'm very happy to be part of that."

Rehearsing Glory Days with Bruce Springsteen, just a few hours before stage time

Dave Grohl had less time to rehearse, after a series of cancelled flights delayed his arrival

The show was Grohl's first concert appearance since the tragic death of Foo Fighters' drummer Taylor Hawkins

Melanie C of The Spice Girls was among the stars who came to watch the show

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds played the Pyramid Stage shortly before Sir Paul's historic set

Sir Peter Blake, who designed the cover for The Beatles' Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, caught up with his old friend

Getting ready for show time

Fans queued all day, dressed in Sgt Pepper outfits and waving flags of Sir Paul's face, as they waited for the show to start

Sir Paul and his band headed out of their dressing rooms just after 21:30, as the sun set over Glastonbury Tor

One final cup of tea before showtime...

"We've got some old songs for you, we've got some new songs and we've got some in-betweeners... and I got a feeling we're going to have a great time."

The setlist included some of rock's most seminal songs, including Love Me Do, Lady Madonna, Blackbird, Get Back and Band On The Run

Playing a week after his 80th birthday, Sir Paul became the oldest headliner in Glastonbury's history

Grohl appeared towards the end of the show to duet on I Saw Her Standing There and Band On The Run


The rock veterans shared an embrace after Springsteen's appearance

Sir Paul conducted the audience in an almost five-minute singalong of Hey Jude's iconic refrain

As the show recapped Sir Paul's musical career, images from throughout his life flashed up on the video screens

The set ended after midnight, with Grohl and Springsteen back onstage as Sir Paul played his traditional show-closer The End

And in the end, the love you take / Is equal to the love you make


Backstage at Paul McCartney's Glastonbury set


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Macron and his wife to provide 'scientific photographic evidence' that she is a real woman
US Tech Giants Pledge Billions to UK AI Infrastructure Following Starmer's Call
Saudi Arabia cracks down on music ‘lounges’ after conservative backlash
DeepMind and OpenAI Achieve Gold at ‘Coding Olympics’ in AI Milestone
SEC Allows Public Companies to Block Investors from Class-Action Lawsuits
Saudi Arabia Signs ‘Strategic Mutual Defence’ Pact with Pakistan, Marking First Arab State to Gain Indirect Access to Nuclear Strike Capabilities in the Region
Federal Reserve Cuts Rates by Quarter Point and Signals More to Come
Effective and Impressive Generation Z Protest: Images from the Riots in Nepal
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Sam Altman sells the 'Wedding Estate' in Hawaii for 49 million dollars
Trump: Cancel quarterly company reports and settle for reporting once every six months
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
US Launches New Pilot Program to Accelerate eVTOL Air Taxi Deployment
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
Hong Kong Industry Group Calls for HK$20 Billion Support Fund to Ease Property Market Stress
Joe Biden’s Post-Presidency Speaking Fees Face Weak Demand amid Corporate Reluctance
Charlie Kirk's murder will break the left's hateful cancel tactics
Kash Patel erupts at ‘buffoon’ Sen. Adam Schiff over Russiagate: ‘You are the biggest fraud’
Homeland Security says Emmy speech ‘fanning the flames of hatred’ after Einbinder’s ‘F— ICE’ remark
Charlie Kirk’s Alleged Assassin Tyler Robinson Faces Death Penalty as Charges Formally Announced
Actor, director, environmentalist Robert Redford dies at 89
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
JD Vance Says There Is “No Unity” with Those Who Celebrate Charlie Kirk’s Killing, and he is right!
Trump sues the 'New York Times' for an astronomical sum of 15 billion dollars
Florida Hospital Welcomes Its Largest-Ever Baby: Annan, Nearly Fourteen Pounds at Birth
U.S. and Britain Poised to Finalize Over $10 Billion in High-Tech, Nuclear and Defense Deals During Trump State Visit
China Finds Nvidia Violated Antitrust Laws in Mellanox Deal, Deepens Trade Tensions with US
US Air Force Begins Modifications on Qatar-Donated Jet Amid Plans to Use It as Air Force One
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
Elon Musk Retakes Lead as World’s Richest After Brief Ellison Surge
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
×