Sir Paul McCartney reveals touching impact of The Beatles integrated Jacksonville show and pays an emotional tribute to John Lennon as he takes to the stage for epic London gig

Sir Paul McCartney was full of personal anecdotes as he took to the stage at London's O2 arena on Wednesday evening. 

Reflecting on his years with The Beatles the legendary musician, 82, revealed the touching impact of the band's famous show in Jacksonville, Florida. 

The Liverpudlian foursome were set to play the Gator Bowl in the city in 1964, however they were told the audience would be segregated by colour.

Recalling the story, Paul told the crowd: 'We didn't quite sort of understand it until we went there and we were playing a place called Jacksonville in the South. 

'And the promoters said "Ok tonight you are playing to a segregated audience." And we said "What are you talking about?" 

'They said there will be black people on one side and white people on the other, and we were like "No, I mean why would you do that what is the point?"' 

He continued: 'So we refused to play it [segregated] and we did play it and it was integrated.' 

Revealing the touching impact from the show, he continued: 'Just the other day I got a text from this girl who was there at the time, she was a black girl and she was sitting with some white kids. 

And she said "I had never sat with white people before." Imagine that, but she said "I loved it because we were all just Beatle fans screaming and it didn't matter".' 

Paul also paid tribute to John Lennon during the set as he spoke about his late bandmate and friend. 

Discussing how attitudes towards male emotions have changed he explained how back in the day it was viewed as strange to tell your friends you loved them. 

He told the crowd: 'Even in a group you couldn't turn to your mates and say "I love you man," it just was not done you know.'

In an emotional tribute the star then performed a rendition of the band's 1969 hit Something on a ukulele gifted to him by the late George Harrison. 

Meanwhile Paul gave The O2 Arena a veggie makeover for his final shows of 2024 with none other than Linda McCartney Foods.

The Band on the Run inspired Van on the Run food truck was outside the venue offering Linda McCartney's Best Burgers, Korean chicken bites, Vegemince Chilli nachos and Vegan Sausage corndog with chips.

Like Paul’s music has changed the world, Linda McCartney’s love of animals inspired her to become the meat-free food pioneers since 1991, and has changed the way that the UK eats plant based food.

Rebecca Fairbairn, Head of Marketing at The Hain Celestial Group, said: 'We’re excited to be taking over concessions inside the arena for a celebration of music and plant-based living. 

'While Paul McCartney has been inspiring generations through his music, Linda McCartney Foods, which is part of Hain Celestial Group’s global family of brands, has been pioneering plant-based living for over 30 years so this is a perfect collaboration of our shared values. 

'We look forward to giving fans a taste of our delicious, sustainable range for this unforgettable event and sharing the family’s best recipes!'

Earlier this week Paul played his first UK date since his career-spanning set as Glastonbury’s Saturday night headliner in June 2022. 

Taking to the stage at the Co-Op Live in Manchester, the star performed for two hours and 40 minutes in an epic set. 

We’ve been travelling around the world, and here we are up north again,’ he said, to loud cheers. ‘It’s good to be back!’

Having opened the show in a blue jacket, he removed it before the Wings song Let Me Roll It. 

‘That’s the one wardrobe change of the evening,’ he quipped. 

There was a ballad, 2012’s My Valentine, dedicated to his wife Nancy Shevell, who was watching from the sidelines: ‘This one’s for you, babe.’

The 36-song setlist jumped between songs from The Beatles, Wings and his solo career. 

A Beatles-Wings one-two of A Hard Day's Night and Junior's Farm set the tone for an opening salvo dominated by hard-rocking numbers that played to the strengths of a four-piece backing band that have now been with him for 21 years and over 500 shows.

A three-piece brass and woodwind section, the Hot City Horns, appeared in the stalls to enliven Letting Go.

A pair of Band On The Run numbers, 1985 and Let Me Roll It, further raised the tempo, with the latter containing an instrumental coda in which McCartney, playing a paint-splattered Gibson, paid tribute to legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix.

The middle section was given over largely to The Beatles. An acoustic Blackbird was sung atop a 20-foot podium illuminated with blue LED lights.