The opening night of Paul McCartney’s “Got Back” tour in Spokane, Washington, delivered a surprising and deeply emotional moment for fans as McCartney performed a duet with the late John Lennon—through the magic of modern technology. The iconic Beatles track “I’ve Got a Feeling” was brought to life with a video of Lennon, his vocals isolated by Peter Jackson during the making of The Beatles: Get Back documentary. When Lennon’s image appeared on the big screen, the crowd erupted in awe.
Though virtual duets have become more common in recent years—often seen in collaborations with guest artists or for big performances like Elton John and Dua Lipa’s duet on “Cold Heart”—this moment took the concept to a whole new level, blending nostalgia with cutting-edge creativity. McCartney shared that Jackson had reached out with the idea of extracting Lennon’s voice to let him “sing” alongside the live band. “We can isolate John’s vocals, and he can sing with you,” Jackson texted, to which McCartney replied enthusiastically, “Oh, yeah!”
The night continued with McCartney guiding the crowd through a mix of beloved Beatles classics, Wings hits, and solo songs. As he often does, McCartney dedicated “Here Today” to his late friend and bandmate, Lennon, reflecting on the sadness of never fully expressing his love for him while he was still alive.
The tributes didn’t stop there. McCartney also honored the late George Harrison by playing “Something” on a ukulele that Harrison had gifted him, adding another layer of sentimentality to the night.
“Well, we said we’d come back, and we got back,” McCartney said, smiling at the Spokane crowd. “And believe me, we’re really happy to be back. I’m going to take a moment for myself to drink it all in.”
McCartney’s return to the stage marked his first tour since 2019, with plans for a 2020 European leg halted by the pandemic. During that time, McCartney created McCartney III, recording every instrument himself, before reimagining the album with contributions from artists like Beck and Phoebe Bridgers.
