Sir Paul McCartney announces first UK shows two years after iconic Glastonbury set-Alistair McGeorge-Entertainment – Metro

Sir Paul McCartney is heading back to the UK for some live shows (Picture: Samir Hussein/WireImage)

Sir Paul McCartney is coming back to the UK later this year for four special shows.

The Beatles legend, 81, is returning for the first time since his iconic Glastonbury festival headline slot in 2022 during the European leg of his Got Back tour.

In the lead up to Christmas, the Hey Jude hitmaker will perform at the new Co-op Live arena in Manchester on December 14 and 15, and then he’ll play two nights at The O2 in London on December 18 and 19.

In a statement, Sir Paul admitted it ‘always’ feels extra special being back in the UK playing gigs, and he promised ‘an amazing end to the year’.

He said: ‘I’m excited to be ending my year and 2024 tour dates in the UK. It’s always such a special feeling to play shows on our home soil.

‘It’s going to be an amazing end to the year. Let’s get set to party. I can’t wait to see you.’

The Got Back tour is coming to Manchester and London (Picture: Reuters/Mario Anzuoni)

As well as his first UK show of any kind since Glastonbury two years ago, this will mark his first time in London since playing The O2 in 2018, and he hasn’t had a Manchester show since 2011 at the Manchester Evening News Arena.

These shows will round off the Got Back tour for 2024, having launched the tour in 2022 with 16 massive US shows before taking to the Pyramid Stage at Worthy Farm.

Last year, he played 18 shows on the run in Australia, Mexico and Brazil, and now finally it’s the UK’s turn again.

It’s been years since The Beatles legend played a non-festival set in the UK (Picture: Harry Durrant/Getty Images)

Sir Paul will close the year with four concerts in December (Picture: Reuters/Mario Anzuoni)

Joining Sir Paul on the road is his longtime band, Paul ‘Wix’ Wickens (keyboards), Brian Ray (bass/guitar), Rusty Anderson (guitar) and Abe Laboriel Jr (drums), with the group known for their lengthy and spectacular live shows.

However, he previously told the Conan O’Brien Podcast that he blames Bruce Springsteen for top artists having to play for much longer at their concerts.

‘Back then [in the 1960s], it was a lot of people on the bill because nobody did long. Now people will do three or four hours. I blame Bruce Springsteen and I’ve told him so,’ he said.

Sir Paul has jokingly blamed Bruce Springsteen for artists playing such long shows (Picture: Anthony Harvey/REX/Shutterstock)

He is known to play for around three hours a night (Picture: Samir Hussein/WireImage)

The two legends have been close friends for decades, and frequently enjoy taking sly digs at each other.

They have performed together on numerous occasions, including back at Glastonbury in June 2022 when The Boss came out to join Sir Paul on stage.

Fans were treated to the pals teaming up on Glory Days, from Springsteen’s 1985 album Born in the USA, and I Wanna Be Your Man, from The Beatles’ second album in 1963.

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