WHAT? Paul McCartney – Rearview Mirror: Liverpool-London-Paris

WHERE? Gagosian London, 17–19 Davies Street, London

WHEN? Now until 4 October. Free to view.

WHY GO? If you’re a Beatles super-fan. His musical skills need no introduction—but how much do we know about Paul McCartney’s photographic talents? Linda may be the better-known professional photographer, but Paul had an early passion for the lens too.
McCartney is a talented snapper, showcased in this convivial exhibition of photographs taken throughout the ’60s when he swapped his guitar for a Pentax and fired off shots before the band were mobbed and ‘Beatlemania’ was coined. You’ll see relaxed behind-the-scenes moments revealing camaraderie and a playful side to the Fab Four as they toured the UK and Paris, before their legendary New York debut.
Veteran fans will fondly remember their gigs at Lewisham Odeon, London Palladium, and Finsbury Park Astoria—all recorded by Paul for posterity along with their three-week residency at the Olympic Theatre in Paris. Issued in small editions, McCartney’s signed photos can be purchased—undoubtedly they will, as global Beatlemania never wanes. Please, please don’t miss this legendary exhibition if you’re one of them!

IN THE KNOW McCartney became interested in photography as a teenager, and later, when the Beatles were in Hamburg, he befriended photographers Astrid Kirchherr and Jurgen Vollmer. He appreciated their powerful visual contribution to the band’s image. He met photographer Linda Eastman in 1967—and as they say, the rest is history.