McCartney & Quebec City Anniversary

[rickboy88]

I recently visited Canada on work travel (Calgary & Saskatoon). It was my first time there. There was an interesting issue in the paper then, as some Quebec nationalists are upset that McCartney is to play a concert at the 400th Anniversary party for Quebec City. Apparently they they don't like the fact that his songs are in English. In typical McCartney fashion, he said everyone should smoke the "Pipes of Peace." He noted that he just wants to have fun there and play a concert for people. It would be his last one in Canada this year apparently.

[bottom4]

He played NYC / Shea Stadium Friday night with Billy Joel. No complaints about that show...

[winston]

Some (not too many I suppose but enough to make a difference) Quebecers who are of French origin appear from my vantage point in Western Canada to get a little nationalistic every once in a while. For example they really don't like the english being present on any signs in the province and they don't like to be reminded that they are part of Canada.

It's not McCartney so much that they don't want, it's what he represents.

Enough said, otherwise this thread could get political in a hurry.

But for more delightful reading read this:

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story ... signs.html

[rickboy88]

Agree with your observations. If anything, it seems that the Canadian government bends over backwards in the English speaking provinces. At the airports, all signs and announcements are also in French, but I ran into more French speaking people when on a road trip recently through "Indian Country" of the American southwest (southern Utah, northern Arizona, etc.). I don't recall hearing French at all among my fellow plane passengers.

[bitzerguy]

The half dozen idiots involved did this soley as an attention grab/publicity stunt. And they are getting their publicity (I just gave them some! Darnation!). There is always some small gang that love to globally emabarass themselves and all of us Quebecois every time there is an opportunity to get coverage. As my favorite radio announcer said this morning; "Get with the 21st Century already!". By the way, the group published an apology and withdrew their objections on Saturday morning after taking heat from the general populace and nasty coverage of their plight. I hope the 250,000 attendee message was not lost on them...

Some friends of mine made the trip and said the show was fantastic. Everyone joined in for Michelle apparently. I'm still POd that I couldn't make the show. Dang! The only opportunity to see him close to home...

[tennis_nick]

That was the most fantastic thing ever... ever.... ever.... ever....ever...


ever

[kenindfw]

Here's a link to some good shots of the concert.

http://www.neonyme.net/photos/mccartney/

There are some really nice close up's of him playing the Hofner. You can see the wear marks on the finish.

[rickboy88]

Nice images! Thanks for posting that link. I wish he'd pull the 4001S out at times, but those days may be over now.