On Thursday 5 July 2007, Paul McCartney performed at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London as part of the first iTunes Festival. It was the fourth show of the Secret Tour, a series of six intimate dates in promotion of his Memory Almost Full album, released on 4 June 2007.
The iTunes Festival
The 2007 iTunes Festival was a month-long series of concerts held at the ICA in London throughout July, featuring more than 60 acts over 31 nights. McCartney's appearance was the headline event of the festival. Ekow Eshun, the ICA's artistic director, said of the booking:
This is more than a music festival, this is a unique series of performances from some of Britain's most exciting and talented musicians that's set to make July at the ICA hotter than ever. The sheer pace and standard of the line-up is exhilarating.
We have an amazing history of musical firsts and landmark gigs at the ICA so to present this roster of more than 60 acts over 31 nights in our 60th anniversary year seems absolutely fitting. It's also a chance for us to say thank you to our members ā and welcome new ones ā as a set number of free tickets will be reserved exclusively for them each evening. Being able to announce this very special guest, Sir Paul ensures that this month stakes a unique place in musical history.
Ekow Eshun, Artistic Director, ICA
Six tracks from the show ā 'Coming Up', 'Only Mama Knows', 'That Was Me', 'Jet', 'Nod Your Head', and 'House Of Wax' ā were released on the digital EP iTunes Festival on 21 August 2007.
The band
McCartney was accompanied by his regular touring band:
- Paul 'Wix' Wickens ā vocals, keyboards, guitar, percussion, harmonica
- Brian Ray ā vocals, guitar, bass
- Rusty Anderson ā vocals, guitar
- Abe Laboriel Jr ā vocals, drums
The setlist
Paul McCartney performed the following 25-song set at the ICA on 5 July 2007:
- 'Coming Up'
- 'Drive My Car'
- 'Only Mama Knows'
- 'Dance Tonight'
- 'C Moon'
- 'The Long And Winding Road'
- 'I'll Follow The Sun'
- 'Midnight Special'
- 'Calico Skies'
- 'That Was Me'
- 'Blackbird'
- 'Here Today'
- 'Back In The USSR'
- 'Nod Your Head'
- 'Jet'
- 'House Of Wax'
- 'I've Got A Feeling'
- 'Matchbox'
- 'Let Me Roll It'
- 'Get Back'
- 'Baby Face'
- 'Hey Jude'
- 'Let It Be'
- 'Lady Madonna'
- 'I Saw Her Standing There'
Memory Almost Full and the Secret Tour
Memory Almost Full was McCartney's fifteenth studio album, released on 4 June 2007 on his own Hear Music label ā the first album released through a deal with Starbucks Entertainment. The album reached number three in the UK and number three in the US, and was widely praised as one of his strongest solo efforts in years.
The Secret Tour was conceived as a series of intimate, surprise performances in small venues to promote the album ā a deliberate contrast to McCartney's usual stadium-scale touring. The six dates were:
- 7 June 2007: Electric Ballroom, London, England
- 13 June 2007: Highline Ballroom, New York City, USA
- 27 June 2007: Amoeba Music, Los Angeles, USA
- 5 July 2007: iTunes Festival, ICA, London, England
- 22 October 2007: Olympia, Paris, France
- 25 October 2007: Electric Proms, London, England
The ICA
The Institute of Contemporary Arts on The Mall in London was founded in 1946 and has been one of Britain's most important venues for avant-garde and experimental art, film, and music. The 2007 iTunes Festival marked its 60th anniversary year. The ICA's relatively small capacity made McCartney's appearance there one of the most intimate performances of his post-Beatles career.
Summary
| Date | Thursday 5 July 2007 |
|---|---|
| Venue | Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), The Mall, London |
| Event | iTunes Festival (first edition) |
| Tour | Secret Tour, show 4 of 6 |
| Album promoted | Memory Almost Full (released 4 June 2007) |
| Songs performed | 25 |
| EP released | iTunes Festival digital EP, 21 August 2007 (6 tracks) |
Frequently asked questions
Did Paul McCartney play at the iTunes Festival?
Yes. Paul McCartney performed at the first iTunes Festival at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London on 5 July 2007. It was the fourth date of his six-show Secret Tour, promoting the Memory Almost Full album.
What was the iTunes Festival?
The iTunes Festival was a month-long series of concerts held at the ICA in London in July 2007, featuring more than 60 acts over 31 nights. Paul McCartney was the headline act. The festival continued annually until 2014.
What was the Secret Tour?
The Secret Tour was a series of six intimate performances by Paul McCartney in small venues in 2007, promoting his Memory Almost Full album. The dates included the Electric Ballroom and Highline Ballroom in New York, Amoeba Music in Los Angeles, the ICA in London, the Olympia in Paris, and the Electric Proms in London.
What is Memory Almost Full?
Memory Almost Full was Paul McCartney's fifteenth studio album, released on 4 June 2007 on his Hear Music label through a deal with Starbucks Entertainment. It reached number three in both the UK and US charts.
Was the ICA iTunes Festival show released?
Yes. Six tracks from the 5 July 2007 ICA show ā 'Coming Up', 'Only Mama Knows', 'That Was Me', 'Jet', 'Nod Your Head', and 'House Of Wax' ā were released on the digital EP iTunes Festival on 21 August 2007.
What did Paul McCartney play at the ICA in 2007?
McCartney performed a 25-song set including 'Drive My Car', 'Blackbird', 'Here Today', 'Back In The USSR', 'Jet', 'Get Back', 'Hey Jude', 'Let It Be', and 'I Saw Her Standing There', alongside tracks from Memory Almost Full.
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