Fans camp out for McCartney's free show

Hundreds of Paul McCartney fans equipped with folding chairs and sleeping bags lined the street outside a Hollywood record store today to secure a seat for a free show today by the ex-Beatle.

Toni Johnson, 55, stood at the front of the line wearing a Paul McCartney concert T-shirt, had flown in from Chicago late on Saturday and had been in line since Monday afternoon.

“It was noisy, cold. I was trying to sleep upright in a chair. I’m on two hours of sleep,” she said. “But for Paul, it’s worth it. His music touches my soul and puts a smile on my face like no one else can.”

Sir Paul will play an all-ages concert at Sunset Boulevard’s Amoeba Music at 7.30pm local time (3.30am tomorrow BST), his spokesman Paul Freundlich said.

“This has not been finalised, but we’re likely looking at a minimum of 300 people inside,” he said.

Released earlier this month, Sir Paul’s newest album, Memory Almost Full, has sped up the US Billboard charts and ranks No 3.

The album, his 21st solo work, received impressive reviews from critics for its blend of nostalgia and melody.

An impromptu gig by Sir Paul two weeks ago at the Highline Ballroom in New York City sparked talk of a tour, but he has no tour plans at this time, Freundlich says.

Sharon White, 43, in line with her son, Alexander, nine, said she had been a McCartney fan since she was four and first saw him with his band Wings in 1976.

This would be her son’s third time seeing McCartney, she said.

“I’m a little disappointed that it’s not in a club,” White said. “But we’ll take what we can get. To see him in a small venue is a lifelong dream.”