Thursday 3 November 2005 | Live performance | KeyArena, Seattle, Washington, USA | By Beatles Fabdom
Paul McCartney performed at Seattle’s KeyArena on 3 November 2005. It was the 24th concert of the US Tour, a 37-date itinerary running from September to November across the United States and Canada. The Seattle show was attended by 13,492 fans.
The tour supported Chaos And Creation In The Backyard, released that September. Its songs appeared alongside Beatles favourites, Wings material and earlier solo recordings, with Paul “Wix” Wickens, Rusty Anderson, Brian Ray and Abe Laboriel Jr accompanying McCartney.
| Date | Thursday 3 November 2005 |
|---|---|
| Venue | KeyArena, Seattle Center |
| City | Seattle, Washington, USA |
| Historical listed address | 305 Harrison Street, Seattle, WA 98109 |
| Tour | The US Tour, 2005 |
| Tour position | 24th of 37 dates |
| Attendance | 13,492 |
| Latest studio album | Chaos And Creation In The Backyard |
| Previous concert | Pepsi Center, Denver, 1 November |
| Next concert | Rose Garden, Portland, 4 November |
The US Tour reaches Seattle
The tour opened in Miami on 16 September and continued through the eastern United States, Toronto and the Midwest before heading west. Seattle followed Denver and preceded Portland, with California, Texas, Arizona and Nevada still to come before the final Los Angeles concerts on 29 and 30 November.
Despite its title, the itinerary included a Canadian date at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre. Seattle was a single-night stop rather than part of a multi-night engagement. The preceding week had included Saint Paul on 26 October and Des Moines on 27 October, followed by Omaha and Denver.
The official tour archive describes an opening programme of remixes played by DJ Freelance Hellraiser and a short film before the band’s performance. McCartney’s own set opened with “Magical Mystery Tour”, followed by “Flaming Pie” and “Jet”.
McCartney’s five-piece band
| Musician | Role |
|---|---|
| Paul McCartney | Vocals, bass, guitars and keyboards |
| Paul “Wix” Wickens | Keyboards and additional instruments; vocals |
| Rusty Anderson | Guitar and vocals |
| Brian Ray | Guitar, bass and vocals |
| Abe Laboriel Jr | Drums and vocals |
The same five musicians had toured together in 2002, including the Mexico City concert on 3 November 2002. Their return in 2005 continued an established live partnership rather than introducing a new touring band.
The instrumental roles allowed McCartney to move between bass, guitar and keyboards during the programme. Ray covered both guitar and bass parts, while Wickens supplied the keyboards and additional textures needed for the changing arrangements.
Setlist
The “Foxy Lady” passage is shown with “Let Me Roll It” rather than counted as a separate full-length song.
- Magical Mystery Tour
- Flaming Pie
- Jet
- I’ll Get You
- Drive My Car
- Till There Was You
- Let Me Roll It — with Foxy Lady snippet
- Got To Get You Into My Life
- Fine Line
- Maybe I’m Amazed
- The Long And Winding Road
- In Spite Of All The Danger
- I Will
- Jenny Wren
- For No One
- Fixing A Hole
- English Tea
- I’ll Follow The Sun
- Follow Me
- Blackbird
- Eleanor Rigby
- Too Many People
- She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
- Good Day Sunshine
- Band On The Run
- Penny Lane
- I’ve Got A Feeling
- Back In The USSR
- Hey Jude
- Live And Let Die
First encore
- Yesterday
- Get Back
- Helter Skelter
Second encore
- Please Please Me
- Let It Be
- Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)
- The End
Chaos And Creation In The Backyard on stage
“Fine Line”, “Jenny Wren”, “English Tea” and “Follow Me” represented McCartney’s new studio album. Produced with Nigel Godrich, Chaos And Creation In The Backyard had been released in September 2005, shortly before the tour began.
The songs were spread through the Seattle programme rather than grouped together. “Fine Line” followed “Got To Get You Into My Life”; “Jenny Wren” appeared after “I Will”; and “English Tea” and “Follow Me” sat within the middle section, separated by “I’ll Follow The Sun”.
“Flaming Pie”, the second song of the night, came from an earlier solo album. “Maybe I’m Amazed” and “Too Many People” extended the solo selection further back, while “Jet”, “Let Me Roll It”, “Band On The Run” and “Live And Let Die” represented the Wings years.
From the Quarrymen to Abbey Road
“In Spite Of All The Danger” reached back beyond the Beatles’ commercial recordings to the Quarrymen. Its place in the show brought McCartney’s earliest recording history into a programme that also included songs from his latest album.
“I’ll Get You” and “Till There Was You” represented the early Beatles repertoire. Later selections included “For No One”, “Fixing A Hole” and “Penny Lane”, alongside more frequently performed songs such as “Blackbird”, “Eleanor Rigby” and “Hey Jude”.
“Too Many People” led into “She Came In Through The Bathroom Window”, linking solo material with an Abbey Road song. The final encore also drew on that album, ending with “The End” after the Sgt. Pepper reprise.
Complete 2005 US Tour dates
All 37 dates are listed below. Repeat nights at the same venue are grouped; linked dates lead to matching articles in our archive. Venue names follow the touring period.
| Date | City and venue |
|---|---|
| 16 September | Miami — American Airlines Arena, USA |
| 17 September | Tampa — St. Pete Times Forum, USA |
| 20 September | Atlanta — Philips Arena, USA |
| 22, 23 September | Philadelphia — Wachovia Center, USA |
| 26, 27 September | Boston — TD Banknorth Garden, USA |
| 30 September | New York City — Madison Square Garden, USA |
| Date | City and venue |
|---|---|
| 1, 4, 5 October | New York City — Madison Square Garden, USA |
| 8 October | Washington, DC — MCI Center, USA |
| 10 October | Toronto — Air Canada Centre, Canada |
| 14, 15 October | Auburn Hills — The Palace, USA |
| 18, 19 October | Chicago — United Center, USA |
| 22 October | Columbus — Value City Arena, USA |
| 23 October | Milwaukee — Bradley Center, USA |
| 26 October | Saint Paul — Xcel Energy Center, USA |
| 27 October | Des Moines — Wells Fargo Arena, USA |
| 30 October | Omaha — Qwest Center, USA |
| Date | City and venue |
|---|---|
| 1 November | Denver — Pepsi Center, USA |
| 3 November | Seattle — KeyArena, USA |
| 4 November | Portland — Rose Garden, USA |
| 7, 8 November | San Jose — HP Pavilion, USA |
| 11, 12 November | Anaheim — Arrowhead Pond, USA |
| 16 November | Sacramento — ARCO Arena, USA |
| 19 November | Houston — Toyota Center, USA |
| 20 November | Dallas — American Airlines Center, USA |
| 23 November | Glendale — Glendale Arena, USA |
| 25, 26 November | Las Vegas area, Paradise — MGM Grand Garden Arena, USA |
| 29, 30 November | Los Angeles — Staples Center, USA |
KeyArena and the Seattle Center site
KeyArena stood at Seattle Center, with the historical property address of 305 Harrison Street, Seattle, Washington 98109. The arena’s origins lay in the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair, and its distinctive roof became a protected feature of the site.
The venue of the 2005 concert should be distinguished from today’s Climate Pledge Arena. The later project substantially redeveloped the arena beneath the retained historic roof and opened in October 2021. Its current visitor address is 334 1st Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109.
The map targets that arena site specifically, rather than the wider Seattle Center campus. It marks the location of McCartney’s KeyArena concert, while the name shown by modern maps reflects the redeveloped venue.
Open the former KeyArena site in Google Maps.
Frequently asked questions
When did Paul McCartney play Seattle on the 2005 US Tour?
He performed at KeyArena on 3 November 2005, the 24th concert in the 37-date itinerary.
How many people attended?
The Seattle concert was attended by 13,492 fans.
Which new album did the tour support?
Chaos And Creation In The Backyard. Fine Line, Jenny Wren, English Tea and Follow Me appeared in the Seattle set.
Who was in McCartney’s band?
Paul “Wix” Wickens, Rusty Anderson, Brian Ray and Abe Laboriel Jr accompanied McCartney.
What were the opening and closing songs?
Magical Mystery Tour opened the show. The second encore ended with Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) and The End.
What is KeyArena called today?
The site was substantially redeveloped as Climate Pledge Arena, which opened in October 2021 beneath the retained historic roof.
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