Paul McCartney - The Space Within US

25 cameras catch Macca’s transmission

Perhaps the everlasting memory from McCartney’s 2005 US tour is the live link-up between him and the Expedition 12 Crew aboard the International Space Station. In the wider scheme of things, however, it saw McCartney present a strong live show. Not that you’d quite know it from this. Making for a disjointed flow, each song is bookended by either McCartney’s own interview clips, or an overwhelming amount of pro-Paul talk from everyone, including Bill Clinton. Too sickly sweet for even the most ardent Beatle-head, at least it distracts from the too-large stage and even larger light show that McCartney and his band are filling. The compilers have decided that the tour highlights are mostly Beatles songs, which is a shame, as Macca performed great versions of Band On The Run and Live & Let Die in 2004. They don’t surpass his Beatles work, of course, but their absence is conspicuous, and makes for a one-sided document. Mostly, though, the song-talk-song format doesn’t benefit the show, making it seem overlong. You’ll remember the good times, but not like this.

3 stars 3 stars 3 stars

510117024-2 | Warner Music Vision

Reviewed by Jason Draper
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