Paul McCartney Performs ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ for First Time as Solo Artist at Taylor Swift’s Wedding Reception

Paul McCartney performed the Beatles classic “I Want to Hold Your Hand” for the first time as a solo artist at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s Madison Square Garden wedding reception, 62 years after his last live performance of the song with the Beatles, according to setlist.fm. The appearance marked a rare return to the track, which McCartney had not played live since the band’s 1964 concert at New York’s Paramount Theatre.

Wedding Reception Featured A-List Performers

McCartney, alongside Stevie Nicks, was among the high-profile entertainers at the wedding of Swift and Kelce, as reported by People. The performance took place during the reception, which followed the ceremony in the arena. A source told People that after the ceremony, guests were invited into the reception hall, where a stage had been set up for the evening’s entertainment.

62-Year Gap Between Performances

The last time McCartney performed “I Want to Hold Your Hand” live was on September 20, 1964, at the Beatles’ concert at New York’s Paramount Theatre, according to setlist.fm. The song had not been part of McCartney’s solo setlist until the wedding.

McCartney and Swift’s Longstanding Mutual Admiration

McCartney and Swift, who appeared together on the cover of Rolling Stone’s Musicians on Musicians issue in 2020, have frequently praised each other’s work. In the weeks leading up to the wedding, McCartney remarked on Swift’s global fame, comparing it to the Beatles’ fame. “You do see the parallel, you know the fame and the amount of fame,” McCartney told the BBC. “The worldwide fame that Taylor Swift has and that we had, but I don’t think she needs any advice to tell you the truth.”

Swift, in turn, hailed McCartney as an “eternally exceptional artist” following the release of his new album *The Boys of Dungeon Lane*, according to a social media post.