McCartney may star in showpiece 08 concert

Nov 11 2006 BY Kate Mansey, Daily Post

Former Beatle close to signing, reports Kate Mansey

SIR Paul McCartney is close to signing up as the star attraction at one of the showpiece events of Liverpool's Capital of Culture year.
 
It is hoped the former Beatle "and friends" will return to his home city for a spectacular concert in May 2008 at Liverpool's historic waterfront.
 
Celebrations are set to include music from the megastar, currently in the midst of a bitter divorce battle with estranged wife Heather Mills McCartney.
 
Former council leader Mike Storey, now cabinet member for special initiatives, spilled the beans about the McCartney gig at a private meeting with Liverpool's top accountants.
 
Cllr Storey said: "We desperately want an opening event with Sir Paul McCartney and that negotiation is happening and I tell you it will happen. It will be Paul McCartney and friends.."
 
Last night, officials from the Culture Company and the McCartney camp were keeping tight-lipped about the return of one of Liverpool's greatest ever sons in its most spectacular year.
 
But Cllr Storey, who is heavily involved in the culture programme, is unlikely to have revealed so much unless he was confident about the arrangements.
 
It comes at the end of a great week for the culture celebrations after the announcement of the acts planned for the special year.
 
Critics have questioned whether Capital of Culture will manage to attract the right calibre of acts but Sir Paul's concert would be a major coup for the city in 2008.
 
While sources say negotiations are at a "delicate stage", it seems unthinkable that Sir Paul would want to miss out on the city's big year.
 
Cllr Storey said he was confident Sir Paul would sign the deal.
 
"I'm pretty confident that come 2008 he will want to do something and I'm pretty sure that will happen." 

* BRITONS have voted for the nation's top 10 living icons and they include Sir Paul McCartney, Kate Moss and Sir David Attenborough.
 
The list includes only three women. Singer Kate Bush and fashion designer Dame Vivienne Westwood join supermodel Moss, who at 32 is the youngest person in the top 10.
 
The other names vying for the position of Britain's greatest living icon are playwright Alan Bennett, singers David Bowie and Morrissey and actors Sir Michael Caine and Stephen Fry.
 
The names of more than 500 Britons were suggested by viewers of BBC2 programme The Culture Show, which is launching the search.
 
The winner will be announced on The Culture Show on December 16 after voting closes on November 27.
 
kate.mansey@dailypost.co.uk

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