It was October 15, 2016, when the desert sky itself seemed to tremble with history. At Desert Trip in Indio, California—dubbed “Oldchella” by fans—two giants of rock stood shoulder to shoulder: Paul McCartney and Neil Young.
As McCartney strummed the opening chords of “A Day in the Life,” the crowd of over 70,000 erupted. Then, in a moment no one saw coming, Neil Young stepped forward to share the mic. Together, they wove one of The Beatles’ most iconic anthems into a raw, electrifying duet.
McCartney’s steady, timeless voice blended with Young’s unmistakable grit, creating a performance that felt both familiar and brand new. When the song segued into “Give Peace a Chance,” the entire desert echoed with thousands of voices chanting for unity.
For fans, it was more than a collaboration—it was a torch passed between two eras of rock. A Beatle and a folk-rock poet proving that music’s power knows no boundaries of time or generation.
As one fan wrote that night:
“It felt like Lennon was there too, smiling at the desert sky.”
https://youtu.be/r6yAxVqjb3A
