Paul McCartney performs at Coors Field on Oct. 11, 2025. (Peter FitzGerald/CU Independent)
From college girls swooning over The Beatles in the 1960s to fans of all ages packing stadiums for his solo shows, Paul McCartney continues to draw massive crowds. But does he still have the same audience? Or are new generations of college girls still obsessed?
The Beatles forever changed pop music, sparking what people called the “British Invasion” in the early 1960s and uniting an entire generation through sound and culture.
McCartney began touring solo in 1989, and his most recent “Got Back” tour marks his first extensive run across the U.S. and Canada since 2022. The tour kicked off on Sept. 29, in Palm Springs, Calif. , and wraps up with two finale shows on Nov. 24–25 at the United Center in Chicago, Ill.
When McCartney took the stage at Denver’s Coors Field on Oct. 11, the stadium was packed with superfans, ranging from original Beatles fans to younger audiences who grew up hearing his music through their parents. At 83, McCartney still commands the stage with incredible energy, charisma, and charm.
Fans from every generation were ready to see McCartney perform no matter what. Mirilla Downey drove 10 hours from Texas with her mom to see him live. When the tour dates were announced, she didn’t think she’d be able to go because of the cost and distance, but her mom made it happen.
“I’m so excited and grateful I get to see him. He’s been so influential in the music world and industry, he’s a pillar of music,” she said.
Downey, in her early 20s, said her love for The Beatles started in childhood.
“I’ve loved The Beatles since I was a little girl. My parents made me grow up with them,” she said. “If I was alive when The Beatles were touring, I would’ve 100% been there. Paul McCartney is giving me that chance now.”
The Beatles used the recording studio as a creative playground. They were influential in pioneering the creative use of techniques like multitrack recording, backward recording and more, moving beyond being just a collection of singles and creating art through their albums.
Shane Bieber, an elementary school teacher from Baltimore, emphasized the impact McCartney made in the music industry. “He’s the foundation of music, he inspires every artist today,” he said.
His passion for McCartney runs deep, wearing a bright blue Sgt. Pepper suit.
“This is my sixth time seeing Paul McCartney. I wear the suit every time,” he stated. “I was known as the Beatles kid growing up, people thought my last name was McCartney. I love them so much.”
The front row was lined with more superfans like Bonnie Green who has followed McCartney for decades.
“This is my fifth show. I was at the Vegas show last week, but this girl kept jumping up and down and blocked my view of Paul, so this time I’m front row, no one’s blocking me,” she laughed.
“I’ve been listening to The Beatles since the 70s. I flew in from Arizona to see this show, and even though I know exactly what’s going to happen, I get to really settle in and experience it all again,” she said
From lifelong fans to a new generation discovering McCartney through their parents’ playlists, one thing is clear: his music continues to bridge generations. The screams might be less frantic than in the 60s, but the devotion remains just as strong.
McCartney, and all the Beatles, created songs with deeply meaningful lyrics that still resonate today. “Let ’Em In,” “Blackbird,” and “Let It Be,” to name a few, carry messages that continue to inspire.
Bieber summed it up best. McCartney has shaped his life and philosophy in one simple lesson:
“All you need is love.”
Contact CU Independent Arts Editor Lou Leclercq at louison.leclercq@colorado.edu
