Wings Live at the Empire Theatre, Liverpool – 18 May 1973
Friday 18 May 1973 | Live, Paul McCartney, Wings
Empire Theatre, Lime Street, Liverpool
On 18 May 1973, Wings performed two shows — afternoon and evening — at the Empire Theatre in Liverpool. It was the seventh night of the 18-date Wings 1973 UK Tour, with Brinsley Schwarz as support. For Paul McCartney, playing Liverpool was a homecoming of particular significance: the city where The Beatles had formed, where he had grown up, and where his father Jim still lived. After the second show, McCartney visited Forthlin Road — the house where he had grown up.
The Lineup
- Paul McCartney — vocals, guitar, bass guitar
- Linda McCartney — vocals, keyboards
- Denny Laine — vocals, guitar, bass guitar
- Henry McCullough — guitar, vocals
- Denny Seiwell — drums
The Shows
There were two performances on 18 May — an afternoon show and an evening show. Fan accounts published in the Wings Fun Club newsletter capture both. The first account describes the opening of the show:
"When the compere re-appeared the audience was by now expecting Wings to come on, but a poor acrobatic duo assisted by a poodle appeared. The latter receiving the well deserved applause. Five minutes later… 'Live on stage, Paul McCartney', the applause was overwhelming. The first number I hadn't heard before, then Paul announced 'Big Barn Bed'. The sound was impeccable. When The Night with really 'Beatlish' harmony followed. The next song – 'Wild Life', and then Linda's own 'Seaside Woman'. Paul then remarked that it was strange him being on stage, he said 'I used to be up there, watching Cliff!'
'My Love', equally as good minus strings, got audience approval on the opening notes.
'The Mess' gave Linda a chance to play melotron. Bloody fabulous song. Within 10 seconds girls were dancing in the aisles, within 20 seconds everyone had rushed forward to the front and the atmosphere was fantastic.
Wings came back for an encore of 'Long Tall Sally' and that was the end. As we saw daylight, we saw the queue of fans waiting to go in for the second show, and told them how super the concert was. Their memories were yet to come, mine are never to be forgotten. Wings have taken off. Long may they fly, Hi, Hi, Hi."
— Wings Fun Club newsletter
A second fan account, from K Kelly, described the evening show and the aftermath:
"It's a pity whoever wrote about the Liverpool gig, didn't see the second show. The atmosphere was even better. Before the shows we met Denny, Henry and Denny going in, but they said we'd missed Paul and Linda so we waited outside after the second show and once more we were talking to Denny, Henry and Denny, but Paul had gone out of another door, so after seeing the coach go, we made our way to the taxi stand, on the way down the coach passed and Henry waved to us. A little further on the coach stopped outside the Adelphi Hotel, so we were talking to them again, but we didn't get to see Paul and Linda at all, the two roadies said he'd gone to his dad's.
The next day I read in the paper that Paul and Linda had been to Forthlin Road, where Paul used to live, but I didn't think to go. I had been waiting outside the Cavern for about half an hour in case they went there, and then I went back to the Empire and watched the roadies loading all the equipment in, they said that half of it was the Beatles stuff."
— K Kelly, Wings Fun Club newsletter
McCartney's remark from the stage — "I used to be up there, watching Cliff!" — was a reference to Cliff Richard, whom McCartney had seen perform at the Empire as a teenager. The Empire Theatre was one of Liverpool's most prestigious venues, and The Beatles had performed there on multiple occasions between 1962 and 1965.
Forthlin Road
After the second show, McCartney visited 20 Forthlin Road in Allerton — the terraced house where he had grown up and where his father Jim McCartney still lived. It was the house where McCartney and Lennon had written many of their earliest songs together, sitting on the stairs or in the front room. The house is now owned by the National Trust and open to the public.
The Setlist
- 'Soily'
- 'Big Barn Bed'
- 'When the Night'
- 'Wild Life'
- 'Seaside Woman'
- 'Little Woman Love'
- 'C Moon'
- 'Live and Let Die'
- 'Maybe I'm Amazed'
- 'My Love'
- 'Go Now'
- 'Say You Don't Mind'
- 'The Mess'
- 'Hi, Hi, Hi'
- 'Long Tall Sally' (encore)
The Empire Theatre and The Beatles
The Beatles had performed at the Empire Theatre on 28 October 1962; 24 March, 26 May, and 22 December 1963; 8 November 1964; and 5 December 1965. Wings returned to the Empire for a final show on 15 September 1975.
Wings 1973 UK Tour Dates
- 11 May 1973: Hippodrome, Bristol
- 12 May 1973: New Theatre, Oxford
- 13 May 1973: Capitol Theatre, Cardiff
- 15 May 1973: Winter Gardens, Bournemouth
- 16 May 1973: Hardrock Concert Theatre, Manchester
- 17 May 1973: Hardrock Concert Theatre, Manchester
- 18 May 1973: Empire Theatre, Liverpool
- 19 May 1973: University of Leeds
- 21 May 1973: Guild Hall, Preston
- 23 May 1973: Odeon, Edinburgh
- 24 May 1973: Green's Playhouse, Glasgow
- 25 May 1973: Hammersmith Odeon, London
- 26 May 1973: Hammersmith Odeon, London
- 27 May 1973: Hammersmith Odeon, London
- 4 Jul 1973: City Hall, Sheffield
- 6 Jul 1973: Odeon, Birmingham
- 9 Jul 1973: Odeon, Leicester
- 10 Jul 1973: City Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne
Key Facts: 18 May 1973
- Venue: Empire Theatre, Lime Street, Liverpool
- Shows: Two (afternoon and evening)
- Tour night: 7 of 18
- Support: Brinsley Schwarz
- Songs performed: 15
- McCartney's remark: "I used to be up there, watching Cliff!"
- After the show: McCartney visited Forthlin Road and his father Jim
- Beatles at the Empire: 28 Oct 1962; 24 Mar, 26 May, 22 Dec 1963; 8 Nov 1964; 5 Dec 1965
- Wings' final Empire show: 15 September 1975
Frequently Asked Questions
How many shows did Wings play at the Empire Theatre, Liverpool on 18 May 1973?
Two — an afternoon show and an evening show.
What did Paul McCartney say from the stage at Liverpool?
"I used to be up there, watching Cliff!" — a reference to Cliff Richard, whom McCartney had seen perform at the Empire as a teenager.
Where did McCartney go after the Liverpool shows?
To Forthlin Road in Allerton — the house where he had grown up and where his father Jim still lived. The house is now owned by the National Trust.
Had The Beatles played the Empire Theatre?
Yes — on 28 October 1962; 24 March, 26 May, and 22 December 1963; 8 November 1964; and 5 December 1965.
What was the Wings 1973 UK Tour?
An 18-date tour of the United Kingdom, running from 11 May to 10 July 1973, with Brinsley Schwarz as support. It was Wings' first major UK tour.
→ 17 May 1973: Wings at the Hardrock Concert Theatre, Manchester
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