After losing his wife Linda in 1998, Paul McCartney turned back to the music that first lit the fire in him—raw, rebellious 1950s rock ’n’ roll. Out of that healing came his album Run Devil Run, a mix of vintage covers and a few originals written in that same electrifying style. To bring it all to life, he pulled together a powerhouse lineup: Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour, Deep Purple’s Ian Paice, The Pirates’ Mick Green, keyboardist Pete Wingfield, and accordionist Chris Hall.
And when it came time to debut the record? There was only one stage that made sense—the Cavern Club in Liverpool, the very place where The Beatles cut their teeth.
On December 14, 1999, McCartney returned to the iconic venue for the first time since 1963, turning back the clock and giving 300 lucky fans the show of a lifetime. The BBC broadcast the performance on both radio and television, but nothing compared to being inside that sweaty little club, watching history repeat itself.
“I’m going back for just one night as a tribute to the music that has always thrilled me and always will,” McCartney said before the show. “I can’t think of a better way to close out the century than with a rock ’n’ roll party at the Cavern.”
The original Cavern was torn down in the ’70s, but the rebuilt space carried the same spirit. And on that night, it absolutely came alive. McCartney and his all-star band ripped through 13 songs, with one of the biggest highlights being a blistering version of I Saw Her Standing There that had the whole room erupting.
It wasn’t just a concert—it was a full-circle moment. A Beatle returning home, closing out the 20th century not with nostalgia, but with the same joy and energy that started it all.