Paul McCartney has performed just about everywhere including David Letterman’s marquee to rooftops. However, the next project for McCartney is a lot more delicate. The former Beatle will be writing ballet music. There isn’t much information on the ballet such as what company commissioned McCartney to write it. McCartney did tell the BBC though that he grabbed the chance to take a musical project on that he hadn’t explored yet.

McCartney said, I’m very interested to do things that I haven’t ever done before. I love to write music and this offer came up. The two things went together so I said yes. Sometimes I accept before knowing what I’m really doing. I don’t know too much about this yet, except that I will be writing music. It’s definitely a switch.

McCartney, in addition to working as a solo artist and Beatle, wrote “The Family Way movie soundtrack in 1967, has composed four releases of classical music, engaged in remixing with Liverpool Sound Collage in 2000, and also experimented with the Fireman side project with electronica.

For McCartney, it’s been a year full of firsts. Recently he became the first non-American winner of the Gershwin Prize from the Library of Congress for Popular Song. An all-star tribute was held at the White House in his honor. On McCartney’s “Up and Coming Tour” he is visiting cities and markets that he hasn’t played in before. “Band on the Run” from the Wings will also be reissued this August and contain bonus tracks and remastered sound.

On June 13, headliner Paul McCartney closed out the Isle Of Wight’s 2010 Festival from the Main Stage.

Following comedian James Corden’s pre-recorded video introduction, McCartney took to the stage. He started out with a medley of songs that included “Rock Show,” “Venus And Mars” and “Wings” and then went head first into “Jet.”

Before playing the night’s first Beatles song, “All My Loving,” McCartney greeted the crowd and told them we will have fun tonight.

The set played by McCartney spanned his entire career. He also added a Jimi Hendrix tribute. Hendrix is famous for stealing the 1970 show at the Isle Of Wight Festival. At the ending of the tune “Let Me Roll It,” McCartney added a couple “Purple Haze” bars.

Afterward, McCartney told the crowd, I was very lucky that I got to know Jimi during the 60s and hung out a little bit. He was a really great guy. When “Sgt Pepper” was released we got a big tribute from him. It was released on Friday. I saw him on Sunday. He had already learned the song. That was very cool for me.

McCartney was making just his second festival performance in the UK after being the headliner at Glastonbury 2004. He played Wings’ songs like “Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five”before playing a string of crowd pleasers that included “Hey Jude,” “Let It Be,” “Back In The USSR” and “Band On The Run.”

McCartney then rounded things out with “Helter Skelter,” “Yesterday” and a medley that included “The End” and “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”

On August 19, 2010, Paul McCartney, arguably popular music’s most successful composer and performer, will be opening CONSOL Energy Center with the Grand Opening Concert, as he brings Pittsburgh the “Up and Coming 2010 Tour.” In keeping with his special headline making concerts, McCartney and his band return to Pittsburgh after an absence of over 20 years. In February 1990 McCartney performed sold-out back to back shows in Pittsburgh Civic Arena. McCartney made his debut in Pittsburgh on September 14, 1964 as a member of the Beatles at Civic Arena.

CONSOL Energy Center is promoting the Grand Opening Concert, support is from AEG Live arranged by MPL and Marshall Arts.

On Monday, June 14, tickets will be going on sale from Mellon Arena Box Office, Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com and via telephone at 800-745-3000. American Express Card members will be able to purchase advance tickets from June 9 through June 13.

Ken Sawyer, Pittsburgh Penguin CEO and operator of the arena said, we are excited having an icon such as Paul McCartney returning to Pittsburgh after 20 years and opening CONSOL Energy Center. It will be a world class performer inside a facility that is world class. It’s a signal for the region and city that it’s not just a sports or hockey arena. This is a world class entertainment center.

In recent years, the live shows of McCartney’s have reached new levels, gaining unprecedented reviews from both critics and fans. He has pushed boundaries as he has performed in front of millions of fans and made international news with his monumental shows which include performances in Red Square in Moscow, outside Rome’s Coliseum, Ukraine’s biggest outdoor show ever, his first Tel Aviv performance and NASA space station live performance. McCartney’s Summer ‘09 tour last year started in earnest with a legendary inaugural set of shows at CitiField Stadium in New York, the past site of Shea Stadium where in 1965 The Beatles performed a show that set a precedent for stadium rock shows of the present day.

Kicking off in March, “Up and Coming 2010 Tour” are the first shows in the US for McCartney since the “Summer Live ‘09 Tour of five weeks, which was preceded by a headlining sold out set at the Coachella 2009 festival as well as surprise performance on the CBS program “Late Show with David Letterman” at the Ed Sullivan Theater marquee, where decades ago The Beatles made television history. The performance drew throngs of people that packed Broadway from Times Square to Columbus Circle.

The new show from McCartney has received rave reviews. It features a diverse set list typically. The two hour plus show has selections from Paul’s solo career as well as the music catalogs of the Wings and Beatles and tracks from “Electric Arguments,” the 2008 album from The Fireman, as well as songs that have not been been played before in the US.

Paul McCartney, just like last summer, is rolling his U.S. concert dates out one at a time.

The rock legend now has three shows for his 2010 summer “Up and Coming Tour” announced. McCartney’s most recent addition is his July 26 show in Nashville, TN at Bridgestone Arena. Previously announced dates are for July 10 in San Francisco, CA at AT&T Park and in Sandy, UT at Rio Tinto on July 13.

Public ticket sales will go on sale starting on June 7 for the show in Nashville. During the first week in June there will be various presale promotions. According to Ticketmaster.com all-in price listings, face values for tickets will cost between $57 (plus taxes and fees of $15.34) and $250 (plus taxes and fees of $26.49).

The city of Nashville is still recovering from early May devastating floods. The implication of Sir Paul’s performance will stretch well beyond his three hours on stage.

According to an Associated Press report, Mayor Karl Dean gave an early estimate for the flood damages in Nashville at about $1.5 billion, not including bridges and public roadways. Nashville Public Radio by mid month, estimated the cost of the damages had risen to almost $2 billion.

The May 1-2 flood costs also include an estimated $3.1 million worth of damages of the Bridgestone Arena, according to estimates from WTVF, Nashville station.

During his press conference to announce the McCartney concert, Mayor Dean said, this is best time for Paul McCartney to be here.

During the press conference, Steve Moore, senior vice president of AEG Live, said the concert signifies that no act is too big for playing Nashville. Some years ago that wasn’t the case. There were acts who wouldn’t play in Nashville.

The show in July will mark the first-ever performance by McCartney in Nashville, although he did live in the area for six weeks with his family in 1974. According to the official website for McCartney, his 2010 itinerary was planned around familiar markets he hadn’t visited in a long time as well as new cities he hasn’t performed in.

A few U.S. “Up and Coming Tour” spring dates have already been performed by McCartney. Ticket sales for those shows have placed the musician repeatedly on the exclusive event rankings of Ticket News. For the week that ended May 23 McCartney was at No. 5.

Next week, President Barack Obama will present Sir Paul McCartney with an award. McCartney will also give a White House performance.

The sixty seven year old former Beatle will be playing in the concert for his honor. He will be presented with the third annual Popular Song Gershwin Prize.

The concert will take place at the White House’s East Room on Tuesday. Other performers will include Stevie Wonder and Dave Grohl from the Foo Fighters.

The inaugural prize was won by Paul Simon and last year by Stevie Wonder. The Library of Congress gives the award.

The concert will air on US television on July 28. Other concert performers include Faith Hill, Emmylou Harris and Elvis Costello.

Also performing will be comedian Jerry Seinfeld, singer Jack White from White Stripes, and the Jonas Brothers.

During the announcement in November that Sir Paul had won the honor James Billington, Librarian of Congress said, it’s hard finding a performer with a more transformative effect and indelible mark on popular song.

During Paul McCartney’s 50 year career, there are only a few things he hasn’t accomplished. One of those is performing in Utah. However this summer that will change. McCartney has announced he will performing his first concert ever in Utah. On July 13th, McCartney’s “Up and Coming Tour” is visiting Sandy, Utah’s Rio Tinto Stadium.

The mission of the “Up and Coming Tour” is for McCartney to go to cities he has never visited before and markets he hasn’t performed in for some time. In addition to performing in Utah, McCartney will also be playing his first San Francisco concert since playing Candlestick Part as a member of the Beatles in August 1966. McCartney will be performing at AT&T Park on July 10. Tickets will be going on sale for both shows on May 24 to the general public.

The dates are the first U.S. gigs on his “Up and Coming Tour” since the tour’s first leg wrapped up in Miami on April 3. The trek so far has visited Phoenix, Arizona as well as two sold out Hollywood Bowl shows. The almost three hour set of McCartney’s featured songs from the entire range of his accomplished career, from the early days of the Beatles, during his years with the Wings, through to McCartney’s latest set “Memory Almost Full” and “Electric Arguments” Fireman side project.

It is hard imagining that McCartney would travel to the US in July just to do a couple of shows, particularly with “Band on the Run” from 1974 being reissued in August. Look for additional tour news from McCartney to be announced later.

On an interview with BBC Radio 4 on Thursday, Paul McCartney said it was different being famous now than when he was a member of the Beatles.

During the old days when we were first starting out, you looked to be famous from working hard, being very talented and working your way up the ranks. Today people I think are looking at having security. They will have a producer and a limo. I think this modern package is a bit scary. I don’t like things like limos and all that.

McCartney did say, however, he enjoys being famous. I’m happy to carry the weight. Once you get famous it’s a bit unseemly. The weight of being famous that you are referring to can get quite annoying.

However, McCartney also said that he knows what he needs to do to create space when necessary.

Most people, over 99 percent, are quite understanding. They understand privacy, McCartney said.

McCartney also explained his decision for contributing a Meat Free Mondays essay to the new iPhone app Ether Books.

McCartney said a friend told me about doing an app. I asked her what it was. She said, for example if in the morning you are on the train and don’t have time to read a long piece. Maybe you have 15 to 20 minutes for reading something good. We will supply that. Also the outlet is great for short stories, Many authors these days don’t have as many outlets available as before when some great magazines would publish them.

McCartney was surprised when he found out his essay was leading in sales. My friend told me it was climbing the charts. I had no idea it was number 1, said McCartney.

Paul McCartney has announced his first two dates for the “Up and Coming” 2010 tour which will be launching next month.

McCartney will be back out on the road starting in Glendale, AZ on March 29. It will be his first performance in Arizona since 2005. He will then be at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on March 30. He hasn’t performed there since 1993.

The first Hollywood Bowl appearance for McCartney came in August 1964 when he was part of The Beatles. They also performed there in 1965. Those performances were recorded, but a live album didn’t get released until 1977.

The shows just announced by McCartney are only the first two of many dates that will be part of an extensive road trip in 2010. More details will be posted on McCartney’s website very soon.

McCartney last year was on the road for five weeks for the “Summer Live ‘09 Tour.” It included a string of performances at Citi Field Stadium in New York that were recorded and released in a DVD/CD set as “Good Evening New York City.” The strong sales gave it gold certified status.

“Y Not,” the upcoming self-produced set from Ringo Starr, will be featuring several guest performers. They include Paul McCartney, Starr’s former band mate with the Beatles who will sing along with Starr on “Walk With You,” the fist single from the album. In addition McCartney will play bass on “Peace Dream,” another cut from the album.

Starr said in a recent statement that McCartney was a genius in how he laid his vocal track down for “Walk With You.” He described the song as one that was an even and moving spiritual meditation regarding friendship’s lasting power.

Starr said, Paul was going to the Grammys. He came to my house and on “Peace Dream” was playing bass. I played the other track for Paul. He went up to the microphone and invented the part that follows my vocal. It was all pure Paul McCartney. Nothing could be better. Paul makes things fuller and bigger.

The release date for the album is January 12. It also contains special guest performances from Glen Ballard, Ben Harper, Joss Stone, Don Was, Benmont Tench, Dave Stewart and Joe Walsh among other artists.

Starr said deciding to produce the album himself was based on confidence.

With the Beatles records I was the least involved, Starr added. Then when it came to my solo albums, I have worked with great producers. Then all of a sudden there came a point in my life when I just said, I will do this now. From now on, anything I make I will be producing. “Y Not” is a way for me to say, yes I can.

Zac, Starr’s son, gave the new album a positive review, thrilling his father. In a recent statement Starr said, Zac was great. He told me, Dad this rocks. It’s great. This is what you should have done forever. That’s nice to hear coming from your son, particularly when he’s a great drummer.