McCartney Beatles about

Sir Paul McCartney today revealed plans for his first London concerts in 10 years - marathon gigs that will comprise twice as many Beatles hits than have ever been played live in Britain before. The two concerts, each lasting around two hours and 45 minutes, will take place on 18 and 19 April at Earls Court.

The former Beatle said he would sing 23 of the band's tracks - some of which have never been heard at a gig in the UK. McCartney told the Evening Standard: "I had a lot of fun touring this show around America last year, but now I'm bringing it on home to London and that's special to me as I always look forward to playing to a home crowd. I think people are going to like this gig.

"When I was thinking of what songs to play I just imagined myself as one of the audience, thinking, 'What would I like to hear him play? Because I know if I go to see the Stones, I really hope they are going to do Satisfaction and Honky Tonk Women and Jumping Jack Flash, and I'd be disappointed if they left them out.'"

The Beatles material will stretch from early pop hits such as I saw Her Standing There to epic tracks like Hey Jude - during which the audience gets a starring role. "A production guy had the idea of turning our cameras on the audience during the song and putting them up singing on big screens around the stage. It's made the song very interactive; it's a great 'people moment' in the show," said McCartney.

The playlist will also include songs by Wings and McCartney's more recent work, including material from the album Driving Rain. "I'm treating the tour as a kind of tour of my songs. It's representative of the whole span," he said.

There will also be a solo acoustic set - something the veteran musician has never done before this tour. "There's just me on stage," he said. "I've never stood on a stage with just a guitar, there's always been somebody else to lean on. That was a daunting prospect but, coming out of doing poetry readings, I fancied the idea. People seem to enjoy the one-on-oneness, it's just you and me, babe."

There may also be some reworkings of Beatles classics. "I'm interested in it. I'm a bit ambivalent about whether the audience wants me to do it," said McCartney. "There are a couple of numbers we might be able to reinvent. I tend to try do them like the record. The Beatles always tried to do that, assuming people say, 'Oh, I love that, but they did it funny.' But I've got a fancy for Hello Goodbye, it's got like a modern beat. Coming Up could also be updated."

And the millionaire musician stressed the gigs do not signal he is about to hang up his guitar: "I never think it's my last tour. I've always said I'll be wheeled on when I'm 90. And that might be a dreadful prediction that comes true. You age, but you don't think you do. I certainly don't."

Don't miss Thursday's Evening Standard for your chance to win tickets to see Sir Paul McCartney on one of his UK dates.