They Got Long Teeth At The Madison Square

(Before you begin this article I encourage you to read my previous article about Desert Trip so you can really follow along).

One day Paul McCartney will bring me up on stage with him and sign my foot so that I can get it tattooed to make the moment last forever.  If you think my goal is impossible because of how outlandish it is, you might change your mind after reading this story.

Before September I had tried three times to get on stage with Paul McCartney (Lollapalooza in Chicago, The Save Mart Center in Fresno, and Desert Trip).  Even though I had already sold my Mini Cooper to see Paul front row at Desert Trip, I knew there was still more that could be done to enhance my chances.


After being away from the states for quite some time, McCartney announced in April that he would continue his tour at Madison Square Garden in New York City in September and I FREAKED out!!  Even though New York is far from California, I had to make it out to the East because I am too impatient patient to wait for him to come back to the West Coast.  His show was during my birthday week too so I thought Paul's birthday gift to me could his signature.

Let's just say.......I would have never expected what ended up happening.


My friend and I planned our trip and after a couple of months of over-excitement, the day finally came where we headed out to The Big Apple.  Although the show started at 8 PM, we arrived at MSG at 2 PM near the secret entrance where we heard Paul would be arriving in his limo.  Of course, The Walrus was back so I wore my infamous costume in hopes of being recognized by Paul and his crew.  I brought a stack of Paul's favorite candy, Mars Bars (which are an extremely difficult British candy to find), with notes that read "Have a Great Show....-The Walrus" and handed them out to all of his crew members.  This included Brian, Paul's head security guard who gave me his setlist at Desert Trip.

This time, I held a sign that said "Paul I'm The Walrus that Sold My Mini Cooper to See You at Desert Trip."  My friend had a sign that read "This time....It's Her Birthday Too Yeah!  Please Sign Her."  And we had a third sign for whoever would be sitting next to us that read "This Time She Sold Her Camera...Please Sign Her."  All of these signs featured photos of me mimicking Paul photos from the '60s.  While we waited hours for Paul, I met so many wonderful and also crazy Paul fans.  Many of them already had their tattoos from being signed on stage and entertained me with their inspiring stories.  However, I heard some of them whisper that Bruce Springsteen was going to make an appearance, which meant there would be no "fan interaction".  I ignored these whispers and held on to my hopes of still meeting the legend.  Eventually, Paul's videographer Charlie interviewed my friend and I and heard our whole story.  He got such a kick out of us and checked if we had been on stage before and where our seats would be to make sure Paul would see us.

Around 5:00, there he was!  Sir Paul sticking his head out of the window of his limo waving at us from only a couple feet away.  He pointed right at The Walrus and giggled.  I was praying he would remember the crazy walrus who sold her car from Desert Trip.

The next couple of hours we shamelessly roamed around the streets of New York in my walrus suit to pass the time.  When we finally entered MSG, we got to our seats in the 4th row and looked back at the sea of people behind us at "the world's most famous arena."  Shortly before the actual show started, the seats in front of us were taken away for mysterious reasons, so we hopped over a row of seats and ended up right behind the railing at second row!  Plus there was a giant gap which meant we would have plenty of space to dance our craziest.

At 8:00, the magical moment occurred when Paul entered the stage with "A Hard Day's Night."  My friend and I went ballistic as it is always so surreal being so close to an actual BEATLE!!  The next three hours, my friend and I danced harder and crazier than we ever had before.  Combining this exercise with a full-body costume meant I was one sweaty walrus by the end of the night.  Interestingly, Charlie and Paul's photographer were cracking up the whole concert as they continuously filmed and photographed me dancing my heart out.  I guess a spastic walrus girl makes for some good entertainment?

As always, Paul's concerts turn into a full life experience rather than just another show.  Fans go through happy times, sad times, silly times, and chaotic times simultaneously as he plays his vast collection of songs from The Beatles, Wings,  his solo career, and even a song from The Quarrymen!  Once again, my whole body became so enveloped into his performance that
nothing else in the world mattered but the music.

Paul always finishes his first set with a breath-taking performance plays of one of The Beatles most-loved songs "Hey Jude."  My favorite moment was when Paul stopped singing, his band stopped playing, and he asked the audience to sing "Na-na-na-na-na-na, Na-na-na-na, Hey Jude."  It is impossible to not get chills as you are chanting along with 20,000 Beatles fans encouraging one another with the song's message of embracing positivity.

After "Hey Jude," Paul and his band left the stage to prepare for the encore.  At this moment, I saw Brian speaking with the venue's security while pointing right at me!  This sounded familiar.  Paul came back to the stage with "Yesterday," "SGT Pepper's Reprise," and "Helter Skelter."  I felt this was my moment.  It was about to happen!!!  All of a sudden Bruce Springsteen appeared filling the stage and the audience with incredible high-energy.  Paul and Bruce sang "I Saw Her Standing There" so fantastically that when they finished, they sang the same song again!  Paul then finished the night with The Abbey Road medley of Golden Slumbers, Carry That Weight, and The End.

Even though I didn't get up on stage, I was still so hyped from another life-changing night that gave me more joy than ever before.  Suddenly, the venue's security guard approached me and tossed over Paul's setlist (that Brian had given him)....again.  MY SECOND SETLIST!!!!  I was so excited to add to my collection.  As we were about to leave, Charlie called my friend and I to the front to tell me something rather exciting.

"Okay this is what happened.  Paul was about to bring you up when we went offstage before the encore.  But then he remembered Bruce was coming on stage so there wouldn't be enough time.  He said to find out if you were coming to Sunday's show because he would bring you up then."

I couldn't believe my ears!!  I started screaming and jumping just at the thought of THE Paul McCartney knowing who I was and acknowledging my presence.  Unfortunately, I had spent my life savings on this trip and concert so there was no way I could afford another show, but Charlie's words made my night anyways.  As we left the venue, everyone was coming up to us asking for my picture because I was "the walrus girl who should've gotten up on stage."  I still had no complaints or regrets from this fantastic night!

The next day I wrote what happened on my social media and caused an uproar with my friends.  They NEEDED me to go the next show so they started a Gofundme page to raise money for another ticket.  I felt terrible asking for money just for a concert, but everyone insisted I do it so I gave in!  In just a few days of exploring New York (including John Lennon's Strawberry Fields Memorial) my wonderfully amazing friends raised $950.  We then changed our flights and bought tickets for Paul's show Tuesday in Brooklyn since we were already attending a play on Sunday.  I was so stoked the Paul fun was not over yet!!

When Tuesday rolled around, I put my walrus suit back on and headed to The Barclay's Center in Brooklyn.  This time rain was pouring and the winds were heavy as we were experiencing the edge of the hurricanes occurring at that time.  At the limo arrival (we HAD TO experience that again as well), Brian came up to me and said, "You were this close" using his fingers to show how close Paul really was to bringing me up.  I knew this finally had to be the day!!  Paul arrived a couple of hours later and as he stuck his head out of the window and saw me right at the front, I could see in his face how shocked he was as he pointed at my signs and me.

We spent the next couple of hours at a pizza parlor where everyone around us was attending the show as well.  We spent the whole night bonding with fellow concert attendees over our love for The Beatles and sharing our stories of past Paul McCartney concerts.

We came back for the show at 8 PM and this time we were in the fifth row.  There was not quite as much room for dancing, but we still had a killer view of Paul.  Before the show started, Charlie spotted us and called us over.  He was so shocked and stoked to see us again and told me something that absolutely blew my mind.

"You know at Sunday's show Paul was looking for you.  After the encore, he asked us all if the walrus girl was here so he could bring her up.  When we told him you weren't there he was bummed and didn't even bring anyone else up."

I immediately fell to the ground and almost passed out at that statement.  SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY WAS LOOKING FOR ME?!!  I WASN'T EVEN THERE TO JOG HIS MEMORY!  I was mad at myself for not attending that show, but I knew it indefinitely had to happen this night then because Paul wanted me up there enough to ask about me.  Then Charlie proceeds to tell me "We have another guest tonight though...." My heart sank, but I still had hope!


As expected, Paul's show blew me away again.  I became the sweaty, dancing walrus Paul had come to know and hopefully love.  I was worried that since I had just attended Paul's show a few days before, I wouldn't feel the same giddy and chilling feelings as I did before.  Boy, was I wrong!  Even though the setlist was quite similar, it still seemed like I was seeing Paul for the first time because of how surreal his concerts are.

During Paul's encore, I still felt like I had a chance despite the warning Charlie gave me.  Then McCartney pointed out Jimmy Fallon who was sitting in the audience a few rows behind me.  It was Fallon's birthday so Paul sang "Birthday" for him.  Welp, my chance for a birthday celebration from Paul went out the window.

After not getting on stage again, many people felt terrible for me, but I don't know why.  I got to see Paul McCartney twice in one week in New York City!  I got Paul's setlist, again!  Paul McCartney knows who I am and was asking for me!  I definitley have no reason to complain.

After the show, Paul's hardcore fans were approaching me and telling me how amazing was signs and costume were.  "Front Row Phil," who attends every single one of Paul's shows on his tour and gets a front row seat each time, said my attempt was the best he's ever seen.  I received so much encouragement from all of these wonderful people who assured that I was so close and that it will most definitely happen next time, as long as no celebrity guests show up again!

My friend and I got some ice cream, went back to the hotel to pack, then headed straight to airport at 4 AM to leave all of the fun behind.  The night was worth every ounce of exhaustion I felt the next day.

Although I have yet to succeed in my tattoo dream, I have overly succeeded in achieving life-changing Paul McCartney concerts.  Through each of these attempts I have made so many friends from all over the world who share my same passions, been able to stand within feet of my most cherished musician, and danced my heart out to all of my favorite songs.  This adventure has been a blast and it is not over!  I know that wherever and whenever I do finally get to meet Sir Paul, it will be more epic than anything I could have ever imagined and I will be glad the prior attempts failed.




I'll see ya next time, Paul!
XOXO,
The Walrus Girl