Paul McCartney's almost three-hour, thirty-plus song, sold-out tour opening performance Wednesday night in Fresno for his nine-city "One on One" U.S.-Canadian tour has rightly garnered near ubiquitous praise from critics and fans alike. Rolling Stone's Steve Appleford noted the show "moved gracefully from the intimate to the explosive" as the lights, pyrotechnics, backing band, historical references and imagery framed, but never overpowered the musician or his music. The San Jose Mercury News said; "Paul McCartney Soars in Fresno." One 40-something local fan Bob, exclaimed on our delayed flight to Los Angeles that this was the best concert he ever attended, while a more prolific Bakersfield rock fan, Brad, dissected the performance for its place in rock history in the style of documentarian Ken Burns.
What makes the concert so special and unique, also defies most description. At a time where many rock legends are at the twilight of their touring careers, these events have significance as personal and chronologic cultural milestones, that will set the legacy memories for multiple generations. Drug abuse denied older, at least by pop music standards, icons like Elvis and Michael Jackson the opportunity to musically frame the bookends of their careers.
Also, unlike bigger, less-friendly cities, Fresno, which proclaimed Wednesday Paul McCartney day, never saw a Paul performance and both were quite appreciative of each other. This was evidenced by the reverence of the fans who noticeably refrained from disturbance, noise or drug use (but not dancing) during the show in the newer and comfortable 16,000-seat Save Mart Center arena. So all there; whether local, or carpetbaggers like me, waited years or traveled miles to see him, making the show, just a bit more special. Perhaps owing to the fact that this is Paul's only Golden State performance, fans flocked not only from Fresno, but from throughout California from San Diego to the Bay Area.
Along with the Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen, Paul has done a masterful job of capturing, not only the breadth of music that is both iconic, genre changing and emotive, but also simply fun. His opener, "A Hard Day's Night," allegedly his first live performance of the song in decades presaged both the path and history that would be made that evening as he interspersed hits with lesser known songs. The historic significance was highlighted after he recounted his meeting with Russian leaders who told him they learned English, and music to records like "Love Me Do" and "Hello Goodbye." His vignettes about "Blackbird" and Civil rights, Jimi Hendrix, George on the ukulele, his bonds with John that were never fully conveyed and George Martin's talent gave the show a subtle but real documentary gift wrap.
His long-time touring band of Paul "Wix" Wickens, Brian Ray, Rusty Anderson and Abe Laboriel Jr. on drums were players that not only made the team's pitcher shine, but themselves as well, as part of a seamless collective effort. Whether a particular song rendition matched its historic studio doppelganger misses the point and is more suited for those who might catch the Beatles-inspired Cirque de Solei Love show in Las Vegas.
Two things made the show special. First, Paul, 73, is at a stage in his life where he is probably the wisest and most comfortable he's ever been both personally and professionally, and this frames his delivery of the music. More than once he mentioned his loves and his daughter and it was clear that he was playing for them too, as his wife and daughter were in the audience. Second, as was highlighted by the background video, his fans recognize the unique place his music has not only in rock history, but more importantly in the soundtrack of their lives. Not only was Paul, authentically himself, but genuinely enjoying the moment. This included non-singing instances of recounting stories of other musicians and fellow Beatles, expressing both his gratitude and inability to multitask playing with reading numerous fan signs at the same time. One fan and her children, including son Jude, even came onstage. She now has the happy dilemma of what to do with the autographed shoulder she now sports.
It is no easy balance to reproduce musical genius without deviating from the original in a way that sours the memories of it or by preforming it by mere rote or with arrogant pretense. None, here, as Paul recreated, to the extent possible, that he was at a special place playing for friends. This bond enabled him to throw in more obscure songs, though their presence never upset the balance. Most artists could have had lengthy careers on the composite of memorable songs that Paul didn't get to play such as "Penny Lane", "My Love and Jet", but I proffer that no one was disappointed in the least. "Live and Let Die", "Yesterday", "Maybe I'm Amazed", "Hey Jude", "Let It Be", "Blackbird" among others kept fans on their feet until "Golden Slumbers" closed the music on what will go down on a historic concert that still leads us back. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 
Set List (Rolling Stone)
"A Hard Day's Night"
"Save Us"
"Can't Buy Me Love"
"Letting Go"
"Temporary Secretary"
"Let Me Roll It"
"I've Got a Feeling"
"My Valentine"
"1985"
"Here, There and Everywhere"
"Maybe I'm Amazed"
"We Can Work It Out"
"In Spite of All the Danger"
"You Won't See Me"
"Love Me Do"
"And I Love Her"
"Blackbird"
"Here Today"
"Queenie Eye"
"New"
"Fool on the Hill"
"Lady Madonna"
"FourFiveSeconds"
"Eleanor Rigby"
"Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite!"
"Something"
"Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"
"Band on the Run"
"Back in the U.S.S.R."
"Let It Be"
"Live and Let Die"
"Hey Jude"
Encore:
"Yesterday"
"Hi Hi Hi"
"Birthday"
"Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End"