Paul McCartney plays in Ukraine - for free
Published: 24 April, 2008, 16:12
Ex-Beatle Sir Paul McCartney said he will perform a free concert in Ukrainian capital Kiev. Accepting an invitation from billionaire Victor Pinchuk, McCartney is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of fans to Kiev’s Independence Square on June 14.
The show, dubbed the Independence Concert will also be broadcast live by one of Ukraine’s main channels.
“Me and the band are going to be there and we’re going to have a great evening,” McCartney said in a statement.
According to Pinchuk, the key to convincing McCartney to accept his invitation was his confession that The Beatles’ music was ‘the only breath of freedom’ for many in the Soviet times.
“Ukraine cannot be a truly democratic state without hosting a Paul McCartney concert,” Pinchuk added.
In the summer of 2007 following an invitation from Pinchuk Sir Elton John played on an anti-HIV event in Kiev. His concert gathered some 200,000 fans.
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