Paul McCartney performed an outdoor show in Red Square, Moscow, Russia, on 24 May 2003.
It was the 30th date of the Back In The World Tour, which lasted for 33 dates between March and June 2003.
McCartney’s band was Paul ‘Wix’ Wickens (vocals, keyboards, guitar, percussion, harmonica), Brian Ray (vocals, guitar, bass), Rusty Anderson (vocals, guitar), and Abe Laboriel Jr (vocals, drums).
They had snipers on roofs. We met Gorbachev. That was incredible. I remember halfway through the show, all of a sudden, Putin walks into the area. He came with his people, his guards. I see this ripple through the middle of the seats. He comes to the center seat, sits down, and watches it. The song we were playing, ironically enough, was ‘Calico Skies’. That tune is really about the weapons of war we despise. It’s the closest that Paul gets to a protest song.
Rusty Anderson
Rolling Stone, 11 October 2023
Rolling Stone, 11 October 2023
Concert setlist
- ‘Hello, Goodbye’
- ‘Jet’
- ‘All My Loving’
- ‘Getting Better’
- ‘Let Me Roll It’
- ‘Lonely Road’
- ‘Your Loving Flame’
- ‘Blackbird’
- ‘Every Night’
- ‘We Can Work It Out’
- ‘You Never Give Me Your Money’
- ‘Carry That Weight’
- ‘The Fool On The Hill’
- ‘Here Today’
- ‘Something’
- ‘Eleanor Rigby’
- ‘Here, There And Everywhere’
- ‘I’ve Just Seen A Face’
- ‘Calico Skies’
- ‘Two Of Us’
- ‘Michelle’
- ‘Band On The Run’
- ‘Back In The USSR’
- ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’
- ‘Let ’Em In’
- ‘My Love’
- ‘She’s Leaving Home’
- ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’
- ‘Birthday’
- ‘Live And Let Die’
- ‘Let It Be’
- ‘Hey Jude’
Back In The World Tour dates
- 25 March 2003: Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, Paris, France
- 28 March 2003: Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona, Spain
- 29 March 2003: Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona, Spain
- 1 April 2003: Sportpaleis, Antwerp, Belgium
- 2 April 2003: Sportpaleis, Antwerp, Belgium
- 5 April 2003: Hallam FM Arena, Sheffield, England
- 9 April 2003: MEN Arena, Manchester, England
- 10 April 2003: MEN Arena, Manchester, England
- 13 April 2003: National Indoor Arena, Birmingham, England
- 14 April 2003: National Indoor Arena, Birmingham, England
- 18 April 2003: Earls Court Exhibition Centre, London, England
- 19 April 2003: Earls Court Exhibition Centre, London, England
- 21 April 2003: Earls Court Exhibition Centre, London, England
- 22 April 2003: Earls Court Exhibition Centre, London, England
- 25 April 2003: GelreDome, Arnhem, Netherlands
- 27 April 2003: Kölnarena, Cologne, Germany
- 28 April 2003: Kölnarena, Cologne, Germany
- 30 April 2003: Preussag Arena, Hanover, Germany
- 2 May 2003: Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark
- 4 May 2003: Globe Arena, Stockholm, Sweden
- 5 May 2003: Globe Arena, Stockholm, Sweden
- 8 May 2003: König-Pilsener-Arena, Oberhausen, Germany
- 10 May 2003: Colosseum, Rome, Italy
- 11 May 2003: Piazza del Colosseo, Rome, Italy
- 14 May 2003: Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria
- 15 May 2003: Sportaréna, Budapest, Hungary
- 17 May 2003: Königsplatz, Munich, Germany
- 18 May 2003: Königsplatz, Munich, Germany
- 21 May 2003: AOL Arena, Hamburg, Germany
- 24 May 2003: Red Square, Moscow, Russia
- 27 May 2003: RDS Arena, Dublin, Ireland
- 29 May 2003: Hallam FM Arena, Sheffield, England
- 1 June 2003: King’s Dock, Liverpool, England, England
Last updated: 6 February 2024
Also on this day...
- 2024: Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band live: Mountain Winery, Saratoga
- 2023: Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band live: Venetian Theatre, Las Vegas
- 2015: Paul McCartney live: O2 Arena, London
- 2010: Paul McCartney to receive Gershwin Prize at the White House
- 2000: Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band live: State Theatre, New Brunswick
- 1997: Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band live: Six Flags Fiesta Texas, San Antonio
- 1976: Wings live: Madison Square Garden, New York City
- 1973: Wings live: Green’s Playhouse, Glasgow
- 1969: John Lennon and Yoko Ono fly to the Bahamas
- 1968: Demo recordings for the White Album
- 1967: The Beatles watch Procol Harum perform in London
- 1963: The Beatles live: Granada Cinema, Walthamstow, London
- 1963: Radio: Pop Go The Beatles
- 1962: The Beatles live: Star-Club, Hamburg
- 1962: Recording: Sweet Georgia Brown, Swanee River
- 1961: The Beatles live: Top Ten Club, Hamburg
Want more? Visit the Beatles history section.
