Sir Paul McCartney reveals touching impact of The Beatles integrated Jacksonville show and pays an emotional tribute to John Lennon as he takes to the stage for epic London gig
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Sir Paul McCartney was full of personal anecdotes as he took to the stage at London's O2 arena on Wednesday evening. Reflecting on his years with The Beatles the legendary musician, 82, revealed the touching impact of the band's famous show in Jacksonville, Florida.
![[The Liverpudlian foursome were set to play the Gator Bowl in the city in 1964, however they were told the audience would be segregated (John Lennon, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and Paul L-R pictured 1964 in Liverpool)]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/19/12/93311785-14209599-image-a-18_1734609637243.jpg)
The Liverpudlian foursome were set to play the Gator Bowl in the city in 1964, however they were told the audience would be segregated. Recalling the story, Paul told the crowd: 'We didn't quite sort of understand it until we went there and we were playing a place called Jacksonville in the South.
![[Recalling the story, Paul told the crowd: '[Promoters] said there will be black people on one side and white people on the other, and we were like](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/19/12/93311727-14209599-image-a-20_1734609651510.jpg)
'And the promoters said "Ok tonight you are playing to a segregated audience." And we said "What are you talking about?". 'They said there will be black people on one side and white people on the other, and we were like "No, I mean why would you do that what is the point?"'.
![[The musician then revealed he recently received a text from a black woman who was at the Jacksonville gig who said: 'I had never sat with white people before']](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/19/12/93311713-14209599-image-a-19_1734609645816.jpg)
Sir Paul McCartney has revealed the touching impact of The Beatles integrated Jacksonville show as he paid an emotional tribute to John Lennon at the London O2 Arena on Wednesday. The Liverpudlian foursome were set to play the Gator Bowl in the city in 1964, however they were told the audience would be segregated (John Lennon, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and Paul L-R pictured 1964 in Liverpool).
![[Paul also paid tribute to John Lennon during the set as he spoke about his late bandmate and friend (pictured in 1963)]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/19/12/93311923-14209599-image-a-22_1734609886054.jpg)
He continued: 'So we refused to play it [segregated] and we did play it and it was integrated.'. Revealing the touching impact from the show, he continued: 'Just the other day I got a text from this girl who was there at the time, she was a black girl and she was sitting with some white kids.
![[The 36-song setlist jumped between songs from The Beatles, Wings and his solo career]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/19/12/93311717-14209599-image-a-21_1734609656953.jpg)
