Paul McCartney, Chad Smith and Andrew Watt Cover Neil Young and The Beatles at Intimate Hamptons Gig
Photo Credit: Bill Kelly
On Tuesday, August 20, the 250-capacity Stephen Talkhouse venue in Amagansett, N.Y., hosted a 10 p.m. set billed as Smith and Watt Steakhouse. The frame of music implied an appearance by Red Hot Chili Pepper’s backbeat, Chad Smith, and 2021 Grammy Award-winning Producer of the Year, Andrew Watt, who also tapped former bandleader and co-musical director of the Saturday Night Live Band, G.E. Smith, and A-list bassist, former Beatle and one of rock’s greatest treasures, Sir. Paul McCartney.
Fan and venue-shared videos suggest the ensemble began with Neil Young’s protest anthem, “Rockin in the Free World.” As seen in the clips below, the veteran musicians merge the outro of Young’s 1989-released number into The Beatles’ “I Saw Her Standing There.” Rather than lock into the jubilant charge of the Please Please Me originator, instrumentals kept the initial undertone in line with Young’s tune before becoming The Beatles classic–fraying from the foundation of the song in favor of an increasingly improvisational take that embraced the energy of the live setting.
Notably, McCartney is amidst an extensive summer break from the road. He will continue his current trajectory through September, inevitably commencing the South American leg of his Got Back Tour on October 1, 2024, in Uruguay. The jaunt will stretch till mid-November, with a final regional date in Mexico City, before returning to Europe and picking up another series of concerts, culminating in a close on Dec. 19 in his native London. Tickets remain on sale.
Scroll down to watch video of last night’s performance in the Hamptons.
Watch fan-shot videos below. And, click here to see the venue’s clip via Instagram.
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