MJ Kim/© MPL Communications Ltd.; Scott Robert RitchiePaul McCartney closed out the 2018 portion of his Freshen Up Tour on Sunday at the O2 Arena in London, and ended the concert in thrilling fashion — inviting his ex-Beatles band mate Ringo Starr and longtime Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood to join him during the show’s encore.
Billboard reports — and fan-recorded video shows — that Wood and Starr hit the stage with McCartney and his band to play a rousing rendition of The Beatles’ “Get Back.” At the start of the performance, Sir Paul first brought out Ronnie and then brought Ringo on stage, announcing to the crowd, “Ladies and gentlemen, the ever-fantastic Mr. Ringo Starr!”
Starr hugged Wood and McCartney and flashed his trademark peace signs to the audience before jumping behind a second drum kit set up directly behind his old band mate.
At the end of the song, Ringo hugged Paul and Ronnie again, then came up to the mic and told the crowd: “I don’t know about you, it’s a thrill for me. Peace and love, everybody, and have a Merry Christmas! Thank you!”
According to Billboard, this marked the first time McCartney and Starr performed together at a concert in England since 2002. More recently, the duo played several songs together at the 2015 Rock & Rock Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Los Angeles, where Sir Paul inducted Ringo into the Hall in conjunction with him receiving the Award for Musical Excellence.
McCartney will launch the 2019 edition of his Freshen Up Tour with a March 20 concert in Santiago, Chile. He’ll begin a U.S. leg of the trek on May 23 in New Orleans.
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