SHORT TAKES : Pittsburgh Welcomes McCartney

PITTSBURGH —  A scratchy throat limited Paul McCartney’s vocal range, but it did not matter to fans who had waited more than a quarter of a century for the ex-Beatle to return to Pittsburgh.

McCartney performed Sunday at a sold-out show before some of the same fans who chanted “Paul, Paul, Paul” during the Beatles’ only local appearance in September, 1964.

McCartney’s cold affected his upper range on songs such as “Jet” and “Got to Get You Into My Life.” He also trimmed about 15 minutes from Sunday’s show, eliminating “Band on the Run,” “Maybe I’m Amazed” and “Ain’t That a Shame” from his set list.

But fans who waved signs reading “Paul Rules” hardly noticed as they sang along with Beatles’ standards such as “Let It Be,” “Yesterday” and “Back in the U.S.S.R.”

“We used to play Beatles when we were kids, and my cousin always made me be Ringo,” said Cindy DiMartino, 33, of Youngstown, Ohio. “But I always loved Paul because he’s so good-looking.”