Watch Paul McCartney join Steven Van Zandt onstage in London

Steven Van Zandt and Paul McCartney onstage (Image credit: Ryan Celli)

Steven Van Zandt gave fans attending his show in London an unexpected treat on Saturday night, when he invited Paul McCartney onstage during his set at the city’s Roundhouse.

It was the first night of the The E Street Band guitarist’s UK tour under the Little Steven And The Disciples Of Soul banner – the first time in 25 years that Van Zandt has toured the country with his band.

Introducing McCartney, Van Zandt tells the crowd that the pair have “some unfinished business” referring to their performance together in 2012 at Hard Rock Calling, when their song was cut short when power was unexpectedly shut off due to the council’s curfew.

Van Zandt is on the road in support of his new album Soulfire which was released in May this year and sees the guitarist revisit songs spanning his career and focusing on “soul horns-meet-rock‘n’roll guitars.”

Van Zandt adds: “I’ve always been very thematic with my work, very conceptual. I need a big picture, I can’t just do a collection of songs – that doesn’t work for me.

“In this case, the concept became me. Who am I? I’m kind of my own genre at this point. So I tried to pick material that when you added it all up, really represented me.

“So there are a couple of covers, a couple of new songs, and some of what I feel are the best songs I’ve written and co-written over the years. This record is me doing me.”

The Little Steven And The Disciples Of Soul tour continues tonight (November 6) at Bristol’s O2 Academy.

Little Steven And The Disciples Of Soul 2017 UK tour dates

Nov 06: Bristol O2 Academy
Nov 08: Leeds O2 Academy
Nov 10: Birmingham O2 Academy
Nov 12: Glasgow O2 Academy
Nov 14: Liverpool O2 Academy
Nov 16: Newcastle O2 Academy

Steven Van Zandt: "Rock'n'roll is my religion"

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Scott has spent 37 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in 2014 before moving into e-commerce in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, highlights deals, and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more. Over the last 12 years, Scott has written more than 11,500 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from news and features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.