It was a show to remember for nearly 17,000 fans at the Bell Centre, as Paul McCartney performed in Montreal Thursday night for the first time in two decades.

The energy in the arena was unbelievable as fans young and old danced and drank in the nostalgia as McCartney and his band played a three-hour set.

With a songbook that has made him a living legend, McCartney dipped into his repertoire and played plenty of tunes from his days as a Beatle, as the lead in Wings, and from his solo career.

It was impossible for McCartney to play all of his songs -- or even all of his songs that hit number one -- so some fans were disappointed that their particular favourite tunes weren't heard.

But the overwhelming majority of those in attendance were simply blown away by the show.

One woman is bringing away a permanent reminder of Thursday night's performance.

Jessica Dionne was holding a sign indicating she wanted a tattoo, so Paul McCartney brought her up on stage and signed her arm.

Friday morning she went to a St. Sauveur tattoo parlour and had the signature permanently marked on her arm.