James McCartney at The Ambassadors Theatre

On Wednesday 27^th March in the beautiful setting of the Ambassadors Theatre, James McCartney gave a blissful rendition of the material for his forthcoming 47-date U.S. tour.

Sharing the stage with him and helping to make the night an unforgettable one, Rolling Stones legend, Ronnie Wood accompanied him on guitar for new songs, notably Mexico and Snow, making the sold-out theatre go wild with deafening cheers.

With his shyness and delicate stage presence, James presented his soon-to-be-released first album Me (out on 21^st May on ECR Music Group) in an aura of shimmering beauty, enchanting everybody with his profound voice: “For my first album I wanted to make a record that would be intimate, deeply personal, and honest. An album that would say, ‘This is who I am…both musically and personally. This is me.’” And that is exactly what he did.

No matter if a Rolling Stone was present, all eyes were focused on James as he nervously performed new tracks, unveiling them for the first time, giving a delightful taster of his new material.

Alongside this he played some of his previously released singles, including Angel and My Friend (from his debut EP Available Light) and it was then, during his dedication of one song to “Mum and Dad”, that Sir Paul surreptitiously left his seat in the audience to take the stage and, almost unnoticed, made his way behind the piano, playing backing vocals and piano to his son’s last songs, As Strong As You and It’s All About Rock ‘n’ Roll. Seeing the three on the same stage, sharing the radiant vibe fluttering around them, was a truly magical experience.

And the most striking thing was that although two of the world’s greatest music legends were there, James’ talent was not at all obscured. He made his own way through their blinding light and, better yet, he shone with them.

Verdict: ••••

Eleonora Ricotta

Photo: Danny Clifford

For further information about James McCartney and future events visit here.

Watch the video for Angel here: