(Update 1/6): It turns out that the party’s billionaire post had issued a no-social media blackout to his guests, so clips have been posted on YouTube and then taken off faster than a Kardashian’s clothes. We’ve found a full-length clip of the performance (below) until it gets taken down!
Our original post from 1/1/17…
First, imagine you were lucky enough to be spending New Year’s Eve basking in the warmth of St. Barts, the tiny West Indies island that seems to be a draw for the ultra-wealthy who buy yachts the way you buy a can of soda.
Now, imagine you are among the hoi-polloi yourself, so when you are invited to the annual private New Year’s Eve party thrown by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, of course you reply in the affirmative. The party, which will include fireworks and an endless flow of food and drink, reportedly costs more than $6 million to put on.
Did we mention that there’s music? Rumors are making the rounds that helping to usher in 2017 will be the Rolling Stones, Guns N’ Roses (neither of whose participation has been confirmed as of yet) and The Killers, the popular American indie-rock band. You’re digging them, and just as they’re about to wrap up their set, they announce that they have a special guest who would like to sing a song with them.
Who could that possibly be, you wonder? Maybe the daughter of one of the yachtsmen? A drunk hedge fund manager? The leader of a local calypso band?
Then Paul McCartney strolls onto the stage.
WTF? Is this real? It seems that it was. Although the only video evidence to surface so far is a mere two minutes long, and cuts off both during the song and before the end, Sir Paul most definitely joined the host band onstage and…sang “Helter Skelter” with them! (Scroll down to the bottom to see it.)
“Let’s do it. Happy new year!” said Macca. “What is going on?!” The band launches into the familiar, grinding metal-esque opening chords and a finger-wagging McCartney, in duet with Killers lead vocalist Brandon Flowers, is on his way, offering up a Beatles rock classic to the lucky people, nearly all of them holding cell phones above the sea of heads to capture the moment.
By mid-song McCartney is hamming it up in a way he could never get away with at one of his own stadium gigs. “I’m coming down fast but don’t let me break you!” shouts Flowers, and Macca, smiling broadly, bouncing around, grabbing the mic stand and working the crowd as only he knows how, responds, “You won’t break me, baby!”
Toward the very end of the clipped video, McCartney, who appears to be having the time of his life, leans into the audience, shouts “Yeah!” and that’s all we get to see.
In addition to Paul and his wife Nancy Shevell, the attendees at the bash also reportedly included Stella McCartney, Puff Daddy, Kenny Chesney and other big-name celebs.
We definitely need to start cultivating our relationships with Russian billionaires.
Related: 10 private concerts by top recording artists
Here’s that video. Happy New Year from Best Classic Bands!
And here’s the full-length footage, until it gets taken down…
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