Paul McCartney says “goodbye” to touring

You can’t fault the guy can you? Sir Paul McCartney began performing live with the Quarrymen — the band that would soon become the Beatles — over 50 years ago. Since then, he’s had his hand in the most popular band of all time, churned out well-received albums with Wings in the 70s, and has remained relevant and active as a solo rock artist, classical composer, and live act. Thus, it’s fitting for the man that has done it all to cap off his prolific touring career next year with one last jaunt across the globe. Unfortunately, if you’re a guy like me who’s listened and tried to play his songs for years instead of catching him live, it looks like McCartney won’t be covering as much ground in the U.S. as he has done in the past . Instead, as The Sun in the U.K. reports, he’ll opt for gigantic arenas and odd locations such China’s famous Tiananmen Square and the historical Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin.

A source tells the publication, “Paul wants to go out with a bang. He’s played countless stadiums over his 50-year career and is on the hunt for the most unusual locations he can find. He realizes that the older he gets, the less his body will be able to cope with the demands of extended periods on the road. He might play the odd benefit gig – but other than that he’ll be putting his feet up and enjoying retirement.

McCartney will be close to 70 when the tour kicks off next year. If you’ve seen him recently on “The Late Show” or at Coachella, it’s evident he’s much more vibrant than your typical 60s rock icon. It’d be great not to have to travel hours to catch McCartney on his exit from the stage. If so, might as well travel to China, right? Right?