McCartney's free Quebec concert ruffles sovereigntists

Several prominentQuebec artists and sovereigntists are complaining aboutPaul McCartney's highly anticipated concert this coming weekend,accusing the former Beatle of "Canadianizing" the city's 400th birthday celebration.

A group ofpoliticians and artists, including Parti Qubcois culture critic Pierre Curzi andactress Pol Pelletier have lent their name to an open letter that denouncesMcCartney's free July 20 concert on Quebec City's Plains of Abraham.

The open letter's original author artist Luc Archambault writes that McCartney's appearance misrepresents the spirit ofthe 400th anniversary celebrations, which commemorate the fight for the survival of the French language in North America.

The concert reflects a general "Canadianization" of the 400th anniversary celebrations, Archambault concludes.

Heexpresses his wish that McCartney wouldinvite Quebec folk legend Gilles Vigneault up on stage Sunday night tosing Gens du Pays, Quebec's unofficial anthem.

McCartney's Sunday show is expected to draw between 150,000 and 300,000 people.