On 13 April 2002, Paul McCartney performed at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada, as part of his hugely successful Driving World Tour.

This concert marked the seventh date of the tour, which would span 58 shows across North America, Japan, and Mexico. The Toronto audience of 16,169 witnessed a career-spanning set blending Beatles classics, Wings material, and solo work.

The Driving World Tour context

The 2002 tour was McCartney’s first major outing since the 1993 New World Tour, and his first extensive tour following the death of Linda McCartney in 1998. It was widely regarded as a triumphant return to large-scale live performance.

The band for the tour featured a tight, multi-instrumental lineup:

• Paul McCartney – vocals, bass, guitar, piano
• Paul “Wix” Wickens – keyboards, guitar, vocals
• Brian Ray – guitar, bass, vocals
• Rusty Anderson – guitar, vocals
• Abe Laboriel Jr – drums, vocals

Toronto performance highlights

The setlist reflected McCartney’s full musical legacy, with seamless transitions between eras. Songs such as All My Loving, Back In The USSR, and Hey Jude drew strong audience reactions, while more introspective moments like Blackbird and Here Today provided emotional contrast.

The inclusion of newer material from the Driving Rain album demonstrated McCartney’s continued creative output alongside his established catalogue.

Full concert setlist

• Hello, Goodbye
• Jet
• All My Loving
• Getting Better
• Coming Up
• Let Me Roll It
• Lonely Road
• Driving Rain
• Your Loving Flame
• Blackbird
• Every Night
• We Can Work It Out
• Mother Nature’s Son
• Vanilla Sky
• You Never Give Me Your Money
• Carry That Weight
• The Fool On The Hill
• Here Today
• Something
• Eleanor Rigby
• Here, There And Everywhere
• Band On The Run
• Back In The USSR
• Maybe I’m Amazed
• C Moon
• My Love
• Can’t Buy Me Love
• Freedom
• Live And Let Die
• Let It Be
• Hey Jude
• The Long And Winding Road
• Lady Madonna
• I Saw Her Standing There
• Yesterday
• Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)
• The End

Tour chronology (April 2002 leg)

• 1 April – Oakland Arena, Oakland
• 3 April – HP Pavilion, San Jose
• 5–6 April – MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas
• 10–11 April – United Center, Chicago
• 13 April – Air Canada Centre, Toronto
• 16 April – First Union Center, Philadelphia
• 17 April – Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford
• 19 April – FleetCenter, Boston
• 21 April – Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale
• 23–24 April – MCI Center, Washington, DC
• 26–27 April – Madison Square Garden, New York City

This Toronto performance sits at a key early point in the tour, following two nights in Chicago and preceding a dense run of major East Coast arena dates.

Legacy of the performance

Recordings from this tour—including performances of Let Me Roll It, Driving Rain, and Here, There And Everywhere—were later featured on the live albums Back In The US and Back In The World.

The Driving World Tour re-established McCartney as one of the premier live performers of his generation, combining musical precision with a deep emotional connection to audiences across multiple eras of his career.

Location

Air Canada Centre (Scotiabank Arena), Toronto, Ontario, Canada

FAQ

When did Paul McCartney perform in Toronto in 2002?

He performed on 13 April 2002 as part of the Driving World Tour.

How many people attended the show?

The concert was attended by approximately 16,169 fans.

What tour was this part of?

This was part of the Driving World Tour, McCartney’s first major tour of the 21st century.

Were any songs from this show officially released?

Yes, performances from the tour were included on the live albums Back In The US and Back In The World.