Names and Faces

Paul McCartney returned to a concert stage Saturday after being sidelined for two months because of a virus, spinning out songs from The Beatles, Wings and a solo career that has spanned more than 50 years of rock ’n’ roll. “It’s great to be back,” said McCartney, who turned 72 last month. McCartney was briefly hospitalized in Tokyo in May because of the viral infection. The illness forced him to cancel a Japanese tour and a concert in South Korea and reschedule several June dates in the U.S. before resuming his Out There tour in Albany, N.Y. McCartney opened with The Beatles’ “Eight Days a Week.” The 38-song show contained a mix of expected hits like “Hey Jude” and “Let it Be,” four songs from McCartney’s latest album and a generous sampling from more obscure corners of his catalog, including The Beatles’ songs “Lovely Rita” and “Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite” and Wings work such as “Another Day” and “1985.” During his second encore, he invited a couple onstage after a woman held up a sign saying her boyfriend wouldn’t marry her until he met McCartney. After the man led the audience in a verse of “When I’m 64” to honor his age, he proposed to his girlfriend. “And he booked us for the wedding,” McCartney joked. It’s a busy year for McCartney. He has 19 U.S. shows scheduled, including one at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, where The Beatles made their final concert appearance in 1966.

Jessica Simpson is a newlywed. The singer and TV personality married retired NFL player Eric Johnson on Saturday at San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, Calif., said her publicist, Lauren Auslander. Simpson and Johnson began dating in 2010. They have a 2-year-old daughter, Maxwell; and a 1-year-old son, Ace. Auslander said Ace served as a ring bearer, and Maxwell walked down the aisle as a flower girl. It is the second marriage for both Simpson, 33, and Johnson, 34. Simpson was previously married to singer Nick Lachey. The two co-starred on a VH1 reality series Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica for three seasons. The couple split up shortly after their third wedding anniversary.

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