McCartney makes the classic hits feel fresh

Rock legend revisits all-timers in an intimate show at the Santa Barbara Bowl before resuming his world tour

- MIKAEL WOOD POP MUSIC CRITIC

MICHAEL OWEN BAKER For The Times

ENGLISH MUSICIAN Paul McCartney performs favorites at Friday night's show, including a take on the Beatles' "Help!"

In this next song," said Paul McCartney, "we'd like you to sing along.'

Oh, this was the one?

By an hour or so into his concert Friday night at the Santa Barbara Bowl — basically somebody's backyard by the standards of the former Beatle - McCartney had already gotten the capacity crowd to join in on a bunch of all-timers including "I've Just Seen a Face," "Love Me Do," "Jet," "Getting Better," "Lady Madonna," "Let Me Roll It" and "Got to Get You Into My Life."

But for Sir Paul, even (or especially) at age 83, there’s always a way to take an audience higher.

So as his keyboard player plunked out the song’s lovably lopsided lick, McCartney and his band cranked through a fast and jumpy rendition of “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” that left nobody any choice but to hop up and holler about the sweet certainty of life’s going on.

Photographs by MICHAEL OWEN BAKER For The Times

PAUL MCCARTNEY played for a relatively tiny audience of 4,500 in Santa Barbara ahead of the next leg of his world tour, returning after a nine-month break.