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Driving World Tour

The Driving World Tour was a by English and former Beatle , undertaken in 2002 to promote his eleventh solo studio album, . Marking his return to the road after a nine-year absence since the 1993 , the tour encompassed 58 performances across four legs in , , and from to November. The tour's spring leg, known as Driving USA, ran from April 1 to May 18 and visited 27 shows across the and , featuring extended sets of over 35 songs spanning McCartney's career with , Wings, and as a solo artist. The fall Back in the U.S. leg followed from September 21 to October 29, revisiting American arenas with similar high-energy performances that balanced new material from Driving Rain—such as "From a Lover to a Friend"—with classics like "" and "." The itinerary concluded in November with shorter legs in (three shows, including ) and (five shows in and , three in and two in ), extending the tour's international reach. Commercially, the Driving World Tour was a resounding success, grossing $126.1 million and ranking as the top-grossing of , with an average of about $2 million per night. Critically, it was praised for its two-and-a-half-hour durations, polished production, and McCartney's renewed vitality following personal losses, including the deaths of his wife in 1998 and bandmate in 2001. The tour also inspired live recordings, such as the album Back in the U.S. (), capturing its celebratory spirit and McCartney's full embrace of his musical legacy.

Background and Development

Conception

The Driving World Tour marked Paul McCartney's return to live performances after nearly nine years, since the conclusion of his New World Tour in 1993. This extended break was shaped by profound personal losses, including the death of his wife Linda McCartney from breast cancer on April 17, 1998, and the passing of his Beatles bandmate George Harrison from lung cancer on November 29, 2001. Conceived primarily as a vehicle to promote McCartney's 2001 album Driving Rain, the tour drew direct inspiration from the record's raw, energetic sound, which McCartney recorded in a spontaneous two-week session in Los Angeles with producer David Kahne and a fresh ensemble of musicians. Released on November 12, 2001, Driving Rain reflected McCartney's emotional recovery and new beginnings, incorporating themes of love, loss, and resilience, with tracks like "From a Lover to a Friend" paying tribute to Linda. The album's post-release addition of the song "Freedom"—written in direct response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, which McCartney witnessed from a plane at JFK Airport—underscored its timely context. Initial planning for the tour commenced in late 2001, amid the national grief following 9/11, with McCartney organizing the on October 20, 2001, at as an immediate gesture of solidarity. This event, featuring "" in its live debut, helped frame the upcoming tour as an extension of live music's role in communal healing and reconnection with fans during a period of uncertainty. The basic itinerary focused on North American arenas, establishing a framework for a career-spanning setlist that prominently featured several Driving Rain tracks alongside , Wings, and solo classics.

Announcement and Promotion

The Driving World Tour was officially announced by during the pre-game performance at on February 3, 2002, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, where he debuted the new song "" and revealed the tour's name along with initial North American dates starting April 1 in . A formal followed on February 4, confirming 14 dates across 14 U.S. cities and one in , which was later expanded due to high demand, marking McCartney's first major tour in nearly a decade. Promotion closely tied the tour to McCartney's 2001 album Driving Rain, positioning it as a live extension of the record's energetic rock sound and themes of personal rebirth amid recent tragedies, including the death of his wife in 1998. Single releases from the album, such as "From a Lover to a Friend," were highlighted in marketing to bridge the studio work with the stage show, emphasizing a mix of new material, classics, and Wings hits. McCartney bolstered anticipation through media appearances, including post-Super Bowl interviews on major networks and features in outlets like , where he described the tour as a celebratory return to touring focused on renewal and connection with fans. These efforts underscored the tour's narrative of resilience, briefly alluding to motivations drawn from personal losses without delving into specifics. Tickets went on sale March 4, 2002, via , with prices ranging from $45 to $350 depending on venue and seating; presales were offered at select locations like starting March 2. Demand was immediate, with the first five shows selling out 75,000 tickets in under 24 hours, prompting announcements for additional dates, including extra nights at in and the Staples Center in . This rapid response highlighted the tour's high anticipation and McCartney's enduring draw.

Band and Production

Personnel

The Driving World Tour featured Paul McCartney as the primary performer, handling lead vocals, bass guitar, acoustic and electric guitars, piano, and ukulele throughout the performances. The core touring band included on lead guitar and backing vocals; Anderson, an American guitarist, first collaborated with McCartney on the 2001 album and brought his experience from prior work with artists like and to the stage setup. Brian Ray provided guitar, bass, and backing vocals; Ray, another American musician, joined McCartney's live band specifically for this tour after contributing to , drawing on his background in session work and bands like The Fats. Abe Laboriel Jr. served as the drummer, delivering the rhythmic foundation; the son of legendary bassist Abe Laboriel Sr., he had built a reputation as a versatile session drummer for artists including and before joining McCartney for and the subsequent tour. Paul "Wix" Wickens rounded out the group on keyboards, accordion, harmonica, guitar, and backing vocals, also acting as musical director; Wickens had been a staple in McCartney's band since 1989, contributing to albums like and earlier tours with his multi-instrumental expertise. All band members contributed backing vocals, creating layered harmonies that enhanced the live renditions of McCartney's catalog. This ensemble's versatility across instruments allowed for dynamic shifts in the setlist, accommodating acoustic sets, rock anthems, and orchestral elements from McCartney's solo, Wings, and Beatles eras. Key support staff included front-of-house sound engineer Paul "Pab" Boothroyd, who managed the audio mix for the tour's high-fidelity productions; Boothroyd had previously engineered McCartney's 1993 Paul Is Live album and continued in this role for subsequent outings, ensuring clarity in large venues.

Stage and Set Design

The stage design for Paul McCartney's Driving World Tour adopted a minimalist approach, utilizing a simple configuration consisting of five angled triangles to create an intimate atmosphere despite the large-scale . This setup, with trim heights varying from 35 to 37 feet, allowed for a clean, uncluttered visual focus on the performers while facilitating quick load-ins across the tour's 58 dates. The upstage area featured a curved supporting an iridescent backdrop that evoked a of motion, aligning with the "" album's thematic essence of journey and renewal. Lighting was handled by production designer LeRoy Bennett, who employed a dynamic array of automated fixtures—including 50 LSD Icons, 42 Martin MAC 2000s, and 50 VL2416s—to facilitate seamless transitions between songs. These elements created cascading layers of illumination that shifted dramatically, such as the psychedelic color washes during Beatles medley segments like "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," enhancing the nostalgic yet energetic vibe. The design balanced bold effects, like red-and-black palettes for high-energy tracks such as "Live and Let Die," with subtler moods to underscore the tour's blend of classic and contemporary material. Video integration played a key role through a curved LED wall spanning the stage width, mounted on VarioLift motors for fluid reconfiguration during . Provided by , the screens displayed close-up shots of McCartney and the band alongside archival Beatles footage curated by McCartney himself, notably during extended sing-alongs like "Hey Jude," where black-and-white clips interspersed with new graphics by Jay Karas and Andee Kuroda added emotional depth. Twin vertical monitors, approximately 50 feet tall and positioned like oversized speakers on either side of , ensured visibility for distant audience members. The concert structure divided into electric and acoustic segments, with a notable unplugged interlude midway through the show that stripped back to McCartney solo on for songs like "." This shift involved subtle reconfiguration of the lighting to a more intimate glow and partial retraction of video elements, fostering a raw, confessional tone before ramping up to the electric finale. Band members occasionally engaged directly with the setup during these transitions, such as adjusting microphones amid the evolving visuals.

Concert Overview

Setlist

The Driving World Tour's setlist typically featured over 35 songs performed across electric, acoustic, and encore segments, resulting in shows lasting 2.5 to 3 hours. This structure allowed to blend high-energy rock numbers with intimate ballads, drawing from his extensive catalog to engage audiences with a mix of familiarity and freshness. The electric opening segment energized crowds with upbeat tracks such as , , and , alongside Wings staples like and , often extending into improvisational jams that highlighted the band's chemistry. Transitioning into material from the album, the set included Lonely Road, Driving Rain, Your Loving Flame, and From a Lover to a Friend, showcasing McCartney's recent solo work while tying into the tour's promotional focus. The acoustic portion provided a reflective contrast, featuring Beatles classics including , Yesterday, Eleanor Rigby, Strawberry Fields Forever, Here Today, and Let It Be, performed with stripped-down arrangements that emphasized McCartney's vocal and guitar work. A standout debut was the full-band reinterpretation of Blackbird, where drummer Abe Laboriel Jr. added subtle percussion to support McCartney's acoustic delivery, transforming the solo original into a collaborative highlight. Covers like Van Morrison's Brown Eyed Girl and Wings songs such as Band on the Run, Live and Let Die, and My Love further diversified the mid-set, building emotional depth before ramping up to anthems like Hey Jude and Get Back. Encores typically closed with crowd favorites including , The Long and Winding Road, and a medley of Golden Slumbers / / , leaving audiences with a sense of triumphant closure. While the core setlist remained consistent across the tour's legs, variations emerged such as extended jams in tracks like during U.S. shows for a more improvisational feel.

Performance Structure

The Driving World Tour concerts followed a designed to build emotional and energetic momentum throughout the performance. The opening act featured an electric set of high-energy rockers, including songs like "" and "," which energized the crowd from the outset with fast-paced arrangements and dynamic band interplay. This segment typically lasted around 45-60 minutes, establishing a lively rock foundation drawn from McCartney's and Wings catalogs. In the mid-show acoustic interlude, McCartney shifted to a more intimate second act focused on ballads, often performed solo on guitar or piano, such as "," "Here Today," and "." This section provided a reflective contrast, allowing for softer, narrative-driven moments that highlighted personal themes in the songs. McCartney frequently incorporated storytelling between these pieces, sharing anecdotes about their origins. These interludes fostered a sense of connection, lasting approximately 20-30 minutes and emphasizing conceptual depth over spectacle. The third act and encores delivered an explosive climax, ramping up to high-octane renditions like "" and culminating in pyrotechnics during "Live and Let Die," which added dramatic flair with fireworks and intense lighting. Audience participation was integral here, particularly through communal sing-alongs on "" and "," where McCartney encouraged the crowd to join in the choruses, creating a shared, euphoric energy that unified thousands. The overall runtime spanned 150-180 minutes without intermission, maintaining uninterrupted flow to sustain audience engagement.

Tour Itinerary

North American Leg

The North American leg of Paul McCartney's Driving World Tour consisted of two segments in 2002, comprising 50 arena performances across the and (26 in the US and 1 in Canada for the spring segment; all 23 in the US for the fall segment) in support of his album . This portion of the tour marked McCartney's return to live performances after nearly a decade, following the deaths of his wife in 1998 and former bandmate in 2001, as well as the . The leg highlighted a mix of classics, Wings hits, and new material, drawing massive crowds to iconic venues and generating significant commercial success. The tour's first segment launched on April 1, 2002, at in , and wrapped on May 18, 2002, at National Car Rental Center in , spanning 27 dates. Key stops included multiple nights at in on April 26–27, Staples Center in on May 4, and in on April 10–11. The second segment, added amid overwhelming demand from the spring run, commenced September 21 at in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and concluded October 29 at America West Arena in , with 23 additional shows. This extension featured further multi-night stands, such as two performances at Fleet Center in on September 30–October 1 and a date at near on October 19. Reflecting the post-9/11 context, the concerts incorporated patriotic themes, particularly in encores where McCartney often closed with ""—a track penned immediately after the attacks to express and resilience. This anthemic song, a late addition to , resonated deeply with audiences, fostering emotional connections during set closers. Ticket prices, set between $50 and $250 depending on seating, posed logistical hurdles, fueling problems and inflated resale values that frustrated fans and prompted discussions on accessibility. Despite these issues, the leg's scale underscored McCartney's enduring appeal, with sold-out arenas averaging over 15,000 attendees per show and contributing to the tour's record-breaking $126.1 million gross. Following the North American dates, the itinerary continued with legs in and in .

Mexico Leg

The Mexico leg took place from November 2 to 5, 2002, consisting of three performances at in . These shows extended the tour's reach into , featuring similar setlists to the North American legs with a focus on McCartney's catalog. The performances drew enthusiastic crowds and marked McCartney's first concerts in since 1990.

Japan Leg

The Japan leg ran from November 11 to 18, 2002, with five shows: four at in (November 11, 12, 14, and 16) and one at Osaka Dome in (November 18). This segment concluded the tour, attracting large audiences in and including encores with Japanese fan favorites alongside standard hits. The shows were well-received, contributing to the tour's international success.

Reception and Impact

Critical Reviews

Critics generally praised Paul McCartney's vocal stamina and the strong chemistry with his band during the Driving World Tour, noting how the ensemble delivered a seamless blend of Beatles classics, Wings tracks, and newer material from Driving Rain. In a review of the tour's live album Back in the U.S., highlighted the joy and energy that McCartney and his band brought to the stage, emphasizing the enthusiasm that elevated the performances across large arenas. Some critiques pointed to an over-reliance on , which overshadowed the depth of McCartney's solo work. Standout reviews captured the tour's emotional and technical strengths. noted the tour's success in and performance quality.

Commercial Performance

The Driving World Tour achieved significant commercial success, grossing $126.1 million across 58 shows, establishing it as the highest-grossing of 2002. This figure encompassed four legs, with the North American portion—comprising 50 dates—accounting for over 80% of the total revenue at approximately $103 million. The tour sold nearly 1 million tickets, with reported attendance totaling 996,667 across documented shows, reflecting strong demand and near-sellouts in 80% of venues. Average nightly attendance hovered around 17,000, though U.S. arenas often drew higher crowds, contributing to the leg's dominant financial share. Ticket prices averaged $130, enabling high per-show earnings of about $2.17 million on average. Merchandise and ancillary revenue streams bolstered the tour's profitability, with robust sales of tour-specific T-shirts and the album Driving Rain at venues, capitalizing on fan enthusiasm for memorabilia tied to McCartney's return to touring. Promotional tie-ins, such as the live release Back in the U.S., further amplified visibility and sales momentum. In the post-9/11 economic landscape, the tour tapped into heightened public appetite for feel-good communal events, driving attendance despite facing backlash over premium pricing—top seats exceeded $250, far above the industry average of $46.56 for top acts that year.

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