Paul McCartney played out the last-ever Stephen Colbert Late Show episode with a performance that has been hailed by fans.
The Beatles and Wings member appeared on Saturday Night Live last week and has since featured on The Late Show‘s final episode. Previous musical guests include David Byrne and Bruce Springsteen. Talk show veteran David Letterman also appeared to support Colbert through his final week, with NBC opting not to renew the show following alleged pressure from President Donald Trump. The final musical guest of the show, McCartney, performed Hello, Goodbye for the first time in over a decade and his performance of the song has been hailed by viewers.
Fans took to the r/PaulMcCartney subreddit and shared their thoughts on the performance. One wrote: “He sounded 20 years younger tonight! Must be something about that building.” Another speculated: “He sounded a lot better than he did on SNL, it may be in part because he’s been rehabbing it, it could also be that Hello Goodbye is an easier song to sing than Coming Up and Band on the Run.”
A third wrote: “Nice. Enjoyable song, even if John hated it for being the A-side to the single instead of I Am the Walrus.” Others were quick to praise the song choice and say that McCartney’s early work with The Beatles has been underappreciated.
One fan claimed: “What’s so crazy is that a song that folks on Beatles subs treat as an afterthought or like a lesser Beatles song is still so iconic and brings people together singing it like an anthem 60 years later. I’m at my wife’s family’s house, watching it. Not particularly Beatles fans. And they were all singing along. So amazing to me. I love this song!”
Others shared their hopes of Hello Goodbye returning to McCartney’s setlist should he tour again. A hopeful fan noted: “I hope that it makes a tour comeback. It’s a great opening track and he can still sing it. That was the first time he performed it since 2012.”
Whether McCartney returns to the stage is yet to be seen, but with The Boys of Dungeon Lane set to be released on May 29, there are rumours of future tour dates from the veteran songwriter.
No tour dates or announcements are forthcoming, though hopeful fans believe McCartney will tour and bring his Beatles bandmate with him. A fan took to the r/PaulMcCartney subreddit and asked: “2026 tour? What’s your thoughts on whether or not he’s doing a tour this year, as he will be releasing a new album this month?”
One fan wrote: “There’s no way he’s not touring, but where is the question of the year. And I’ve been watching for Ringo to release his tour plans, but not a peep so far. Could it be a possibility that they do something together? After the couple of years Paul has had, it wouldn’t surprise me. His creativity is soaring, his energy is crazy high, and he keeps coming up with more surprises.”
Another added: “He’s definitely touring this year. He can’t not tour. He’ll probably be playing live until he can’t walk anymore, and then he’ll still he touring for a few years after.”
A third shared: “Seems likely, and I think there were rumours about touring Europe towards the end of the year as he did in 2018 and 2024. Gives him a chance to play Wonderful Christmastime in the UK.”
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