Paul McCartney to perform in Oklahoma City

<br>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Former Beatle Paul McCartney will make his first appearance in Oklahoma this fall, when he is scheduled to appear at Oklahoma City's Ford Center as part of his ``Back in the

Wednesday, July 17th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Former Beatle Paul McCartney will make his first appearance in Oklahoma this fall, when he is scheduled to appear at Oklahoma City's Ford Center as part of his ``Back in the U.S.'' tour.

McCartney is scheduled to perform on Oct. 15. Tickets prices are expected to range from $53 to $253 and will go on sale Saturday at all Tickets.com outlets.

McCartney performed in 19 U.S. cities earlier this year but decided in June to return to the states for the second leg of his successful ``Driving USA Tour.''

``This is a different show,'' said Geoff Baker, press officer for McCartney. ``There will be different songs, a lot of Beatles songs.''

Baker said McCartney played 21 Beatles songs plus many solo tunes in his last tour, and that shouldn't change.

``He's come to terms with the fact that that's what he is,'' Baker said. ``Once a Beatle, always a Beatle.''

Although it will mark McCartney's first visit to Oklahoma, the late George Harrison performed in 1974 in Tulsa. Ringo Starr performed last year in Oklahoma City.

McCartney was thinking of continuing his tour before the final scheduled concert, Baker said.

``We didn't know we were doing this, but in the last week of the spring tour, McCartney got that look in his eyes, a twinkle,'' Baker said. ``I knew he was up to something.

``A month ago, he said 'Let's do it again.' It's like he's a kid. He truly enjoys what he's doing.''

For his second leg, McCartney, 60, wanted to play places he hadn't been before. Oklahoma was on the list.

In a news release about the show, McCartney talked about why he's continuing the tour and coming to Oklahoma City.

``This band is too good to be just put up on a shelf, and we're having too much fun to want to stop playing now,'' McCartney said. ``I'm looking forward to this gig because I've never played any show in Oklahoma before. We didn't do it with The Beatles, nor with Wings, but we're on our way there now.''

His band consists of Rusty Anderson and Brian Ray on guitars, Abe Laboriel Jr. on drums and Wix Wickens on keyboards.

``Back in the U.S.'' also will stop in Milwaukee; Minneapolis; Chicago; Boston; Columbus, Ohio; Raleigh, N.C.; New Orleans; Houston; Portland, Ore.; Tacoma, Wash.; Sacramento, Calif.; San Jose, Calif.; Phoenix; Hartford, Conn.; Atlantic City, N.J.; Indianapolis; St. Louis; Las Vegas and Los Angeles.