Córdoba

From For Whom The Bell Tells: ‘GOT BACK’ Central and South American Tour 2024, January 13, 2025:

“No One Can Buy This Love! The public showed their devotion to the legendary musician who gave an unforgettable show.” – La Voz

It’s great to have Got Back – again! – to Argentina, this time stopping in its second largest city, Córdoba. It was Paul’s second visit to the imposing Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, having previously played there in 2016 on his ‘One On One’ Tour.

A fierce storm hit the city on the day of the gig, but that did nothing to dampen the spirits of the dedicated Argentinians, nor get in the way of Team Macca ensuring that the party would be ready and waiting for them. 

Mark “Springo” Spring has been Paul’s Production Manager for 22 years, and is responsible for
the entire massive crew, and keeping them all moving. He’s the one who has to solve the problems caused when the heavens decide to open. “It just delays us,” he sighs, as we catch up later. “It just makes things take longer to happen.” But happen they do, because this indomitable team bring it all together every time.

They have to, because a tour works on a terrifically tight schedule, especially for a leg
like this, where dates are condensed and they have a lot to do in little time. The work is long hours, too. When the gig has finished, and you’re back at home in bed, those guys are still working away, packing up the stage and equipment, and often won’t get to bed until around 6am. “It’s something you learn to live with,” says Springo, who jokingly says that the biggest reward of his job is “getting out alive”. 

One of the highlights of the Córdoba show, as the newspapers praised the following morning, was Paul’s, er, colourful greeting to the 50,000-strong crowd. “Buenas noches Argentina,” he announced, “¿dónde están los culiados?” It was only later, after reflecting to someone about how wild the crowd had reacted to his address, did I learn that Paul had, in perfect Spanish, asked them, ‘Where are the fuckers?’ For full context though this is a much used local greeting in Córdoba!

Learning local lingo is something that Paul intently does before each show, such is his commitment to the distinctive cultures he is welcomed so warmly into. It’s an integral part of the show, endearing him closer to each regional community, but grasping the language, he says, can sometimes feel like being back at school! “Sometimes I sit there and moan about my homework,” he confides in me with a wink. “It’s like I’m ready to sit an exam, but it’s really worth it.”

Paul and his Technical Manager, Keith Smith, sit down at each gig with translators from the city to help them put together some choice words that the fans will appreciate. “They sometimes give me slang phrases, which I like the best,” says Paul, “because the people in the audience don’t expect me to use some of these words. It’s great fun, and it goes down very well.”

Stuart Bell – Paul McCartney’s publicist – From For Whom The Bell Tells: ‘GOT BACK’ Central and South American Tour 2024, January 13, 2025