London
(ANI):
Sir
Paul
McCartney
did
not
let
torrential
downpours
spoil
his
Ukrainian
fans
Saturday
night,
and
performed
before
an
audience
of
more
than
350,000
people
in
Kiev's
Independence
Square.
The
former
'Beatle'
rocked
the
audience
with
an
astonishing
33
hit
songs.
Given
that
abundant
amounts
of
rain
had
reduced
the
capital's
streets
to
waterways,
it
seemed
uncertain
whether
McCartney's
concert
would
go
ahead.
However,
the
show
did
take
place,
though
a
couple
of
hours
later
than
its
scheduled
time.
McCartney
was
seen
speaking
the
local
lingo,
and
waving
Ukraine's
national
flag.
"I've
waited
a
long
time
to
play
this
song
here," British
tabloid
The
Sun
quoted
McCartney
as
telling
the
crowds.
He
even
expressed
his
gratefulness
to
the
people
who
braved
thunder,
lightning
and
torrential
rain
to
reach
the
venue
for
his
concert,
which
went
on
for
about
two-and-a-half
hour.
"It's
great
to
be
here.
Thank
you
for
coming
out
in
the
rain," the
BBC
quoted
him
as
saying.
McCartney's
songs
'Let
It
Be',
'Hey
Jude',
'Back
In
The
USSR'
were
well
received
by
the
fans.
The
crowd's
loudest
screams
were
reserved
for
an
electrifying
performance
of
Bond
theme
tune
'Live
And
Let
Die',
complete
with
pyrotechnics
and
fireworks.
The
free
Independence
Concert,
organised
by
Ukrainian
billionaire
businessman
Viktor
Pinchuk,
was
broadcast
live
on
TV
across
the
country,
and
on
giant
screens
set
up
in
five
other
cities.
Ukraine,
which
gained
independence
after
the
collapse
of
the
Soviet
Union
in
1991,
has
played
host
to
a
number
of
well-known
performers
in
recent
years.
Last
June,
Sir
Elton
John
performed
to
200,000
people
in
Independence
Square.