Las Vegas Weekly

February 7, 2009 · 12:19 PM

It’s Joint time for McCartney

By John Katsilometes

Paul McCartney, shown during a 2002 show at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Photo: Sam Morris

It’s refreshing to see Paul McCartney’s name rolled into a story about a joint and not have it center on herbal jazz cigarettes. More than a year ago it was reported that Sir Paul was the world’s most famous stoned knight after he sparked up at the Led Zeppelin reunion show in December 2007. But “McCartney” and “Joint” share space in Vegas because it was announced yesterday that McCartney, or “Macca” to indoctrinated Sir Paul devotees, will help open the New Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel on April 19. Tickets go on sale noon Valentine’s Day and ya gotta love it. Sale points are the Hard Rock Hotel box office, all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com or charge-by-phone at 800-745-3000. The Vegas-bred Killers are also onstage opening weekend at the new venue, which is across Paradise Road from Club Paradise on the hotel’s east entrance, on April 17.

“I’m looking forward to rockin’ The Joint!” McCartney told me in a Facebook chat.

Actually, that quote was plucked from a news release.

McCartney is seeking to reach a younger audience these days. At least, younger than his own 66. He’s also playing Coachilla this year (as are the Killers), and too bad Jillian’s closed, or we’d see him there, too. The 4,000-seat Joint is far the smallest venue he’s played in Vegas, where he’s previously performed solely at the 16,000-seat MGM Grand Garden Arena. Allow for some pure speculation here: Another member of British royalty, Elton John, is leaving the 4,000-seat Colosseum. Shows there are promoted by Concerts West/AEG Live, which also has a promotional deal with The New Joint. Maybe there’s a possibility for McCartney there. … Or, maybe I’m just smoking something.

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