Paul McCartney live: Esprit Arena, Düsseldorf – 28 May 2016

Saturday 28 May 2016 | Live, Paul McCartney
Esprit Arena, Düsseldorf, Germany

On Saturday 28 May 2016, Paul McCartney performed at the Esprit Arena in Düsseldorf, Germany — the 13th show of the One On One Tour, which ran for 77 dates between April 2016 and December 2017. The day also produced an unexpected creative moment: the guitar riff that would eventually become Slidin’ on McCartney’s 2020 album McCartney III originated from the soundcheck on this very day.

The Slidin’ Connection

During the soundcheck at the Esprit Arena, McCartney and his band jammed on a guitar riff that caught his ear. The jam was recorded and later developed into Slidin’, which appeared on McCartney III — the solo album McCartney recorded entirely by himself during the COVID-19 lockdown of 2020. The Düsseldorf soundcheck recording was issued as a bonus track on some versions of the album, giving fans a direct link between a 2016 German arena and a 2020 lockdown record.

The Band

• Paul ‘Wix’ Wickens — vocals, keyboards, guitar, percussion, harmonica
• Brian Ray — vocals, guitar, bass
• Rusty Anderson — vocals, guitar
• Abe Laboriel Jr — vocals, drums

Soundcheck Setlist

1. Honey Don’t
2. Blue Suede Shoes
3. One After 909
4. Drive My Car
5. Let ‘Em In
6. C Moon
7. Mrs Vandebilt
8. San Francisco Bay Blues
9. I’ll Follow The Sun
10. Ram On
11. Midnight Special
12. Lady Madonna

Concert Setlist

1. A Hard Day’s Night
2. Save Us
3. Can’t Buy Me Love
4. Letting Go
5. Temporary Secretary
6. Let Me Roll It
7. I’ve Got A Feeling
8. My Valentine
9. Nineteen Hundred And Eighty-Five
10. Here, There And Everywhere
11. Maybe I’m Amazed
12. We Can Work It Out
13. In Spite Of All The Danger
14. You Won’t See Me
15. Love Me Do
16. And I Love Her
17. Blackbird
18. Here Today
19. Queenie Eye
20. New
21. The Fool On The Hill
22. Lady Madonna
23. FourFiveSeconds
24. Eleanor Rigby
25. Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite!
26. Something
27. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
28. Band On The Run
29. Back In The USSR
30. Let It Be
31. Live And Let Die
32. Hey Jude
33. Yesterday
34. Hi, Hi, Hi
35. Birthday
36. Golden Slumbers
37. Carry That Weight
38. The End

One On One Tour Dates

• 13 April 2016 — Save Mart Center, Fresno, USA
• 15 April 2016 — Moda Center, Portland, USA
• 17 April 2016 — KeyArena, Seattle, USA
• 19 April 2016 — Rogers Arena, Vancouver, Canada
• 20 April 2016 — Rogers Arena, Vancouver, Canada
• 30 April 2016 — Verizon Arena, North Little Rock, USA
• 2 May 2016 — Denny Sanford Premier Center, Sioux Falls, USA
• 4 May 2016 — Target Center, Minneapolis, USA
• 5 May 2016 — Target Center, Minneapolis, USA
• 15 May 2016 — Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, Córdoba, Argentina
• 17 May 2016 — Estadio Ciudad de La Plata, Tolosa, Argentina
• 19 May 2016 — Estadio Ciudad de La Plata, Tolosa, Argentina
• 28 May 2016 — Esprit Arena, Düsseldorf, Germany
• 30 May 2016 — AccorHotels Arena, Paris, France
• 2 June 2016 — Estadio Vicente Calderón, Madrid, Spain
• 10 June 2016 — Olympiastadion, Munich, Germany
• 12 June 2016 — Pinkpop Festival, Landgraaf, Netherlands
• 14 June 2016 — Waldbühne, Berlin, Germany
• 16 June 2016 — O2 Arena, Prague, Czech Republic
• 24 June 2016 — Koengen, Bergen, Norway
• 27 June 2016 — Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning, Denmark
• 30 June 2016 — Rock Werchter Festival, Werchter, Belgium
• 8 July 2016 — SummerFest, Milwaukee, USA
• 10 July 2016 — US Bank Arena, Cincinnati, USA
• 12 July 2016 — Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, USA
• 17 July 2016 — Fenway Park, Boston, USA
• 19 July 2016 — Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey, USA
• 21 July 2016 — FirstOntario Centre, Hamilton, Canada
• 7 August 2016 — MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, USA
• 9 August 2016 — Verizon Center, Washington DC, USA
• 10 August 2016 — Verizon Center, Washington DC, USA
• 13 August 2016 — Busch Stadium, St Louis, USA
• 15 August 2016 — Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, USA
• 17 August 2016 — Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, USA
• 18 August 2016 — Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, USA
• 4 October 2016 — Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, USA
• 5 October 2016 — Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, USA
• 8 October 2016 — Desert Trip, Indio, USA
• 13 October 2016 — Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, Pioneertown, USA
• 15 October 2016 — Desert Trip, Indio, USA
• 25 April 2017 — Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan
• 27 April 2017 — Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan
• 29 April 2017 — Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan
• 30 April 2017 — Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan
• 7 July 2017 — American Airlines Arena, Miami, USA
• 10 July 2017 — Amalie Arena, Tampa, USA
• 13 July 2017 — Infinite Energy Arena, Duluth, USA
• 15 July 2017 — CenturyLink Center, Bossier City, USA
• 17 July 2017 — Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, USA
• 19 July 2017 — Intrust Bank Arena, Wichita, USA
• 21 July 2017 — Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, USA
• 23 July 2017 — CenturyLink Center, Omaha, USA
• 25 July 2017 — Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, Tinley Park, USA
• 26 July 2017 — Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, Tinley Park, USA
• 11 September 2017 — Prudential Center, Newark, USA
• 12 September 2017 — Prudential Center, Newark, USA
• 15 September 2017 — Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA
• 17 September 2017 — Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA
• 19 September 2017 — Barclays Center, New York City, USA
• 21 September 2017 — Barclays Center, New York City, USA
• 23 September 2017 — Carrier Dome, Syracuse, USA
• 26 September 2017 — Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, USA
• 27 September 2017 — Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, USA
• 1 October 2017 — Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, USA
• 2 October 2017 — Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, USA
• 13 October 2017 — Estádio Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre, Brazil
• 15 October 2017 — Allianz Parque, São Paulo, Brazil
• 17 October 2017 — Estádio Mineirão, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
• 20 October 2017 — Itaipava Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador, Brazil
• 28 October 2017 — Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico
• 2 December 2017 — nib Stadium, Perth, Australia
• 5 December 2017 — AAMI Park, Melbourne, Australia
• 6 December 2017 — AAMI Park, Melbourne, Australia
• 9 December 2017 — Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia
• 11 December 2017 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, Australia
• 12 December 2017 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, Australia
• 16 December 2017 — Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand

Key Facts: 28 May 2016

• Venue: Esprit Arena, Düsseldorf, Germany
• Tour: One On One Tour, show 13 of 77
• Band: Wix Wickens, Brian Ray, Rusty Anderson, Abe Laboriel Jr
• Concert songs performed: 38
• Soundcheck songs: 12
• Notable: Soundcheck jam became the basis for Slidin’ on McCartney III (2020)

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the setlist at the Esprit Arena, Düsseldorf on 28 May 2016?

38 songs including A Hard Day’s Night, Blackbird, Eleanor Rigby, Hey Jude, Yesterday, Golden Slumbers, Carry That Weight, and The End.

What is the connection between the Düsseldorf soundcheck and McCartney III?

A guitar riff jammed during the soundcheck at the Esprit Arena on 28 May 2016 became the basis for Slidin’, a track on McCartney’s 2020 lockdown album McCartney III. The soundcheck recording was released as a bonus track on some versions of the album.

What was the One On One Tour?

A 77-date world tour running from April 2016 to December 2017, covering the USA, South America, Europe, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand. The Düsseldorf show was the 13th date.

Who was in Paul McCartney’s band in 2016?

Wix Wickens (keyboards), Brian Ray (guitar/bass), Rusty Anderson (guitar), and Abe Laboriel Jr (drums).

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