Sir Paul wows at intimate concert

Sir Paul wows at intimate concert Sir Paul McCartney wowed a select group of fans at a secret concert in London on Thursday night. The former Beatle performed for just 1 000 people, including a host of celebrities and lucky competition winners, at Camden's Electric Ballroom, in what was his most intimate show in years. The surprise concert was organised the night before and tickets for the event were snapped up in just 13 minutes.

Stars in attendance included Kate Moss, former Bond star Pierce Brosnan, McCartney's fashion designer daughter Stella, British actress Emma Thompson and actor Mackenzie Crook - who stars in the rocker's new video. McCartney, 65, debuted tracks from his eagerly anticipated new album, Memory Almost Full, but the set comprised mostly of Beatles classics, to the delight of the crowd. The legendary musician opened with Drive My Car to rapturous applause before playing new songs Only Mama Knows and Dance Tonight both of which were received well.

After playing Wings track C Moon, McCartney played a clutch of Fab Four hits, including The Long And Winding Road, I'll Follow The Sun and the delicate acoustic classic Blackbird, which was listened to in an almost silent reverence. McCartney then dedicated Here Today - taken from his 1982 solo album Tug Of War - to his dead Beatles bandmates John Lennon and George Harrison as well as his late wife Linda. He introduced the number by saying: "This one was written for John.

I would like to dedicate this song to all our fallen heroes - John, George, Linda and all the lovely people." The second half of the set saw McCartney take the roof off the intimate basement venue with more Beatles classics such as Back In The USSR, I've Got A Feeling and Get Back. The rocker enthusiastically fed off the crowd all night, and jokingly responded to one fan's request for Helter Skelter by saying: "I can play anything I like you know.

" But it was the performance of Hey Jude that brought the biggest cheer of the night and sparked a mass sing-a-long. Before launching into the track, McCartney said: "You've been a fairly good audience, let me rephrase that. You've been a fantastic audience, and the momentum is only building.

" After leaving the stage, the audience continued to sing the hit prompting McCartney to return for the encore and join in for a few more bars. He closed the show with Let It Be, Lady Madonna and I Saw Her Standing There - the opening track from The Beatles' debut album Please Please Me, released forty-four years ago in 1963. McCartney - who is going through a bitter divorce battle with wife Heather Mills - then joined his band to bow to the audience and thank everyone for coming.

The music legend was visibly moved by the support and love of the crowd, and was obviously happy to back on the stage he loves and out of the courtroom. Bang Showbiz director Rick Sky said: "If anything can cure McCartney's badly broken heart it will the love and adulation of his adoring fans. There was so much love in the room for him that night.

McCartney once sung all you need is love and this show should convince him that the genuine affection people have for him can heal all pain. One fan added: "He may be a few days away from his sixty-fifth birthday but he rocked like someone in his twenties. It was the most amazing show I have ever seen.