Peter Jackson’s The Beatles: Get Back documentary unexpectedly found an encore moment on the opening night of Paul McCartney’s Got Back tour. In a breathtaking tribute, McCartney performed a virtual duet with John Lennon on the Beatles’ classic I’ve Got a Feeling, sending shockwaves through the audience in Spokane, Washington.
As McCartney and his band launched into the song, the crowd erupted in cheers when Lennon’s image appeared on the screen, his isolated vocals seamlessly blending with the live performance. While video duets have become a staple in modern concerts—often used for guest appearances like Elton John and Dua Lipa’s Cold Heart—this moment felt uniquely poignant, a bridge between past and present.
The idea stemmed from director Peter Jackson, who meticulously extracted Lennon’s vocals from the original Let It Be recordings. McCartney recalled Jackson’s enthusiastic text message: “We can extract John’s voice, and he can sing with you.” His response? A simple but excited: “Oh, yeah!”
Beyond the Lennon tribute, McCartney delivered a setlist spanning his legendary career, from Beatles classics to Wings anthems and solo hits. As he has done in past performances, he dedicated Here Today to Lennon, reflecting on his regret of never fully expressing his love to his late bandmate. Another touching moment came when he honored George Harrison, strumming a ukulele gifted to him by Harrison while performing Something.
¡Lennon y McCartney otra vez juntos sobre un escenario!#JohnLennon #PaulMcCartney pic.twitter.com/jN7Svjtdrd
— Strawberry Fields Beatles Podcast 🍓 (@SfBeatlePodcast) April 29, 2022
Addressing the elated Spokane crowd, McCartney beamed, “Well, we said we’d come back, and we got back. And believe me, we’re really happy to be back.” Taking in the moment, he added, “I’m gonna take a moment for myself to drink it all in.”
The Got Back tour marks McCartney’s long-awaited return to the stage, his last tour having wrapped in 2019. Though a planned 2020 European run was scrapped due to the pandemic, McCartney made the most of his time away, recording McCartney III—an album on which he played every instrument himself—followed by a star-studded reimagining featuring artists like Beck and Phoebe Bridgers. Now, with his return to live performance, McCartney is proving once again that his music remains as timeless as ever.
