PAUL AT TOBIN CENTER, SAN ANTONIO

Two songs into his momentous concert Wednesday at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, Paul

looked out into an audience of 1,754 — the largest crowd in the young venue's life — and asked for a “a little moment to drink this in all for myself.”

A teenager in the front row who had just met the ex-Beatle backstage needed a moment to drink it in, too.

“He looked like Paul McCartney,” Sam Turner, 16, son of Richard Turner, the longtime host of “The Best of the Beatles” on KSYM 90.1 and one of the sponsors of the concert, said about his backstage moment with a legend. “He also looked a little like my granddad.”

 That same granddad had that stunned teenager, his dad, and everyone else inside the Tobin Center rockin' out and on their feet many, many times.

But Paul's concert, an intimate one by his usual arena standards, was just as memorable for its moments when one could hear a pin drop.

And that happened during some pretty cool and touching unplugged moments like “I've Just Seen a Face” (a pivotal song for the Beatles in 1965, one that charted a direction away from the mop-top image), and during “Blackbird,” which completely hushed the audience — including Nancy.

He gave shout-outs to George (singing “Something” while playing ukulele) and to John.

Paul, backed by his energetic four-man band, also delivered the first-ever fireballs to the Tobin Center, unleashing “Wizard of Oz” and Kiss-worthy pyrotechnics during “Live and Let Die.”

The explosions were deafening, as were the screams for them. This audience members were into it — as well they should be. It was a rare moment to see the superstar in such close confines on his “Out There” tour — or on any other.

The majority of fans had dished out from $250 to $3,500 for tickets. Tickets also had been priced at $1,000, $1,250, $1,750 and $2,500 for this concert to benefit the Tobin.

It's yet to be seen how much the Tobin will benefit. But maybe that wasn't completely the point.

McCartney, who was in excellent voice, sang 28 songs, plus the ending medley from “Abbey Road.”

He praised the Tobin Center: “In a theater like this, I feel I should be doing Shakespeare.”

“We made a lot of people happy,” said Richard Turner, who could barely speak after meeting his hero.

“I would never have paid this much for a ticket, except for Paul McCartney. Paul McCartney changed my life,” said Tom Frost III, Bexar County Performing Arts Center Foundation board member who paid $2,500 for his ticket. “This was a risk. But only the Tobin could have pulled this off.”

Before the concert, Shelley Chadwick, 19, explained why she loves Paul.

“He's a Beatle, that's like my favorite band,” she said. “He's my favorite Beatle, of course. He was the hottest.”

Jonah Durdan, 20, echoed his friend's sentiment.

“The music is better then modern music,” he said. “It's the peace part, the love and the spirit is so free.”

 

Guitarist Steve Owens, co-founder of the Mo-Dels and glam pioneers Bees Make Honey summed up McCartney's lasting appeal.

“He sings like a bird,” Owens said. “He's the most natural singer I've ever seen in my life.”

Another fan had this to say: “That was the best money I've ever spent.” Of course, that was after she said, “Wow!”