NEW YORK (Bloomberg) – Halfway into his two-and-a-half hour show on Friday, something in the stage roof gave way, dousing Paul McCartney's tousled head and shirt. The former Beatle, 67, shook his locks (now a curious shade of auburn) and continued with "Sing the Changes."

McCartney's concert of more than 30 songs, starting with a note-perfect replica of "Drive My Car," was familiar to many of the 40,000 screaming, adoring fans who got soaked as rain fell on July 17 at New York's $800 million Citi Field. His Friday and Saturday gigs, the first at the baseball stadium, came 44 years after his former band – the most successful in rock history – played its first US stadium concert at Shea, the Mets' former home, and gave new life to "Beatlemania."

McCartney uses some road-tested backers for his US tour: keyboardist Paul Wickens, drummer Abraham Laboriel Jr., lead guitarist Rusty Anderson, and Brian Ray on rhythm and bass guitar. Billy Joel joined for "I Saw Her Standing There."

At centre is that well-known, barely worn voice of the knighted Briton, with his slim figure and still soulful eyes.

After the second number, "Jet," McCartney said he would "take a second to just drink it all in" and gazed around for a minute.

He was looking at an arena with a capacity of 41,800 for baseball. Now, though, sections had been closed where no sight lines were possible, while the field was covered with seats. Estimates of the audience went as high as 55,000. Tickets ranged from $49.50 to $275, and undercover policemen were thwarting scalpers outside.

Sir Paul often referred to the Beatles' performances in the 1960s at Shea. At that time the quartet played through the house P.A. – which he imitated by speaking through his fist – and could barely hear themselves because of the screaming of tens of thousands of teenage girls.

McCartney had fun eliciting a contemporary version of that hysteria by referring to the girlish madness of yore.

It was the screaming that David Singleton, 63, remembered from the 1965 concert. This time, the retired investment banker, who also served as secretary of finance for the state of Delaware, stood near the stage with his wife Elaine.

"I heard about 20,000 girls screaming their heads off," Singleton said. As for the group, "Maybe I heard the beat, but I couldn't say I heard their voices."

Beatle songs dominated Friday night, including "Paperback Writer," Let It Be,'' "Blackbird," "Eleanor Rigby," "Hey Jude," "Day Tripper," "Lady Madonna" and "Yesterday."

Yet more memorable were the quiet solo performance of the John Lennon elegy "Here Today" and the literal pyrotechnics of "Live and Let Die," McCartney's James Bond theme.

Aside from the 10 flaming columns and fireworks that punctuated that song, the show relied on the charisma of Macca, as Britons call him, and the latest arena-concert technology.

Two screens flanking the stage were fed band shots by handheld, tracked and crane-mounted cameras. From 150 feet away, the sound was stunning, the instruments and vocals well defined, especially on the harmonies. "Paperback Writer" was angelic.

The video showed every twitch and sweat-bead of McCartney, and every tantrum-like scowl of the concentrated Laboriel.

McCartney raised his expressive eyebrows as he sang "Well, the rain exploded with a mighty crash." Rain had come earlier as he sat at the piano for "The Long and Winding Road." He was sometimes drowned out by people heartily singing along to each word of every oldie.

Why someone would pay $275 to drown out his or her hero with an instrument only just suitable for a shower stall is a question I'll leave to the curmudgeons. Even an otherwise objective journalist was found on occasion to be bellowing a well-loved chorus or two.

McCartney's tour continues. Next month he visits Landover, Boston, Atlanta, Tulsa and Dallas, through Aug. 19. For more information: http://www.paulmccartney.com.