Sir Paul McCartney is stepping back into the audience and will deliver a moving version of the last Beatles’ single, “Now and Then.” Written in 1977, and with lyrics by the late John Lennon, the song was restored through the use of AI. McCartney, 82, shared a Instagram montage teasing the performance (with Lennon’s voice playing on the screen).
Lennon’s voice, restored by AI using an old cassette tape, now has McCartney duetting with his former bandmate to sing the heartfelt lyrics, “Now and then/I miss you.” The track, which also features the late George Harrison’s guitar, had remained unfinished until McCartney and Ringo Starr decided to restore it.
When some fans questioned whether the track contained artificial elements, McCartney assured them they had just rearranged tracks: “We just rearranged some tracks,” McCartney told reporters when puzzled by questions about the track’s artificiality.
This will be the first live performance of “Now and Then,” and it’ll likely have Lennon on a backup record while McCartney sings in person. This poignant turn of events is a side-effect of McCartney’s tour, as fellow Beatle Ringo Starr missed shows through illness.
Other Beatles favorites scheduled to appear on McCartney’s “Got Back” tour are I’ve Got a Feeling, Helter Skelter, and Carry That Weight. Tour dates begin in Montevideo, Uruguay on October 1, 2024, then take them to South America and Europe. McCartney will also play two gigs in Manchester and two in London — even if some Liverpool fans were angry that McCartney wouldn’t play in his native town. This tour will end at the O2 Arena in London on 19 December 2024.
McCartney said that he’s thrilled to return to the UK: I’m so thrilled to be ending my year and 2024 tour dates in the UK. And it is so cool to be able to do concerts back home.”
This will be an historic concert on stage as McCartney continues to re-imagine music through technology.
For more information about McCartney’s tour, visit Paul McCartney Official Website.
