McCartney gives huge free concert in Kiev
2008-06-15

Category Concerts Nations Ukraine City Kiev People Paul McCartney Bands Beatles Source (AFP)

KIEV (AFP) - More than two hundred thousand people gathered Saturday under a downpour on Kiev's Independence Square, the high place of Ukraine's "orange revolution", to hear a free concert by ex-Beatle Sir Paul McCartney.

The singer greeted the audience, which included former Ukrainian and actual Georgian presidents Leonid Kuchma and Mikheil Saakashvili, by the words in Ukrainian "Pryvit, druzi!" (Hello, friends!). "Thank you for coming out in the rain tonight".

The event, called the Independence Concert, was organised by Ukrainian tycoon Victor Pinchuk and aimed to unite the country split between the pro-Western central and west and pro-Russian south-eastern regions.

The concert was played live on big screens in the centres of several major Ukrainian cities, as well as broadcast on television.

McCartney's performance included works of the Beatles, the Wings and some solo songs, which had been chosen by Internet vote, where more then 20 thousand people took part.

"And now a little bit of history", the ex-Beatle said in Ukrainian before singing "Back in the U.S.S.R.", the hit that had been perceived by the Soviet fans of The Beatles as a hint that "Liverpool four" had intentions to visit their state.