09.26.08
The Long and Winding Road to Israel
Forty-three years ago Israelis missed the opportunity of a lifetime. A planned Beatles concert in Israel was canceled when authorities determined that Beatles performances caused hysteria and mass disorder among young people, not to mention that they had “no artistic merit”. Of course this was not only decades before I moved to Israel, it was years before I was even born. Somehow, it always felt like the whole country had experienced a collective lost opportunity.
Then the unimaginable occurred: we heard the incredible news that Sir Paul McCartney was planning on coming to Israel to perform. A long-standing Beatles’ fan, I flipped out! I tried not to get my hopes up, for who knew what would really end up happening? But nothing, short of a canceled concert, was going to stop me from going; this was my dream come true! Maybe we would even take the whole family! Then I heard the price: 490 shekels for the cheapest tickets. My plans evaporated like a puff of smoke – I was devastated. But I felt I was making the responsible decision, and I tried desperately not to dwell on it.
A few days before the concert, my friend Dani posted a message on Facebook that he was going to see McCartney. I was terribly jealous, but happy for him and messaged him in kind. It didn’t take him much to convince me that this was the chance of a lifetime, and how could I miss it? He was right. My husband Lawrence didn’t feel as strongly as I did, but didn’t mind if I went without him. Suddenly, a light bulb went on over my head: if I buy one ticket, instead of two (or more!) it kind of feels like I’m paying half-price for the concert. I made a spontaneous decision, and ordered my one ticket. I felt as good as if I’d won a million bucks! Then I posted my own excitement on Facebook, and my friends Dudy and Shamai were inspired and bought tickets as well. It seems that as it got down to the wire, people just realized that this was really the chance of a lifetime – it was now or never!
We left Neve Daniel four hours before the event, hoping to beat the traffic, and knowing we would have to get there early enough to find and lay claim to our own patch of grass at this open-air concert. Luckily, our friends Oran and Yehudit beat us there and saved space for us. Finding them among the throngs of thousands was another story, but luckily we did, and got ourselves settled about an hour before the concert.
I always said that when we made Aliyah on the very first Nefesh B’Nefesh charter flight, back in 2002, the arrival was reminiscent of when the Beatles arrived in North America. 400 olim were disembarking from the plane, while 1000 people, including media and dignitaries, were cheering and greeting us on the tarmac. Hah! That’s what I thought. At this concert which was only ¼ of the Beatles in Israel for the very first time, he was ‘greeted’ by a crowd 50,000 strong. Now that’s an arrival!
The anticipation was palpable. We sat on the grass and watched the teeming multitudes arrive, as we munched on snacks, patiently waiting. Clouds of cigarette smoke hovered over the ever-increasing crowds – often smelling a bit more suspicious than your typical tobacco – as people killed time while they waited for the historic concert to begin. Many were speculating on just which of the long list of incredible songs Paul might choose to sing.
At 8:00 PM precisely, the concert’s scheduled starting time, the entire crowd spontaneously stood up, apparently all thinking that if they were sitting they would risk missing a glimpse of Paul the very moment he showed up on the stage. I know because I was thinking the very same thing. As if he wasn’t about to remain on stage for a two hour concert! Once everyone stood, we never sat again. We barely noticed.
At just about 8:30 - no warm-up act, no announcers – Paul just got on stage. The crowd went wild as he immediately began the Beatles’ classic “Hello, Goodbye”, playing bass guitar. I hadn’t realized just quite how excited I was, until the moment I saw him onstage, and I became so emotional that tears sprung into my eyes.
For the next half hour Paul alternated between popular Beatle hits, and some of his more obscure, later music. Then he announced in Hebrew, “Hashir hazeh mukdash l’Linda” (“this song is dedicated to Linda” – referring to Paul’s beloved wife of 29 years who died of cancer in 1998) and then broke into the old Wings song, “My Love”, which he actually did write for Linda, 35 years ago. The whole crowd was incredibly moved. It was the first of three emotional dedications.
A consummate musician and entertainer, Paul alternated between numerous guitars, piano, and other instruments. But it took us all completely by surprise when he pulled out a ukulele - an instrument that George was very fond of playing – to use for his dedication of the Beatle’s song “Something” – a huge hit penned by George Harrison - to George. As he played, nostalgic images of George, Paul and the rest of the Beatles flitted across the screen. People were absolutely moved to tears.
Another awesome dedication and incredible performance was “A Day in the Life”, dedicated to John Lennon. I think the audience really appreciated the homage paid to those members of the Beatles who would never have this incredible opportunity.
Paul really connected with the multi-generational, multi-cultural audience which sang every song along with him, whether or not they knew the words. He sang, played, joked, and even reminisced a bit, like about jamming with George in his house when they were teenagers. Somehow what he did up there on stage made him feel so real and yet so much larger-than-life at the same time! Of course the two massive screens flanking the stage helped a lot with that larger-than-life image…
As someone who missed the opportunity to ever go to a Beatles’ concert because I was born too late, and now living in a country that missed the same opportunity for having come to their senses too late, this concert made amends for everything. Viewing the many nostalgic Beatles clips that played simultaneously on the screen, while this music icon – adorable in the Beatle’s prime, yet every bit the brilliant artist he always was at 66 – was just unbelievable. Two encores after the end of the show, and I think the audience could have gone for hours longer. I know I could have. But did the 50,000 of us who took advantage of this opportunity feel satisfaction? Guaranteed.
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