Wings live: Guild Hall, Preston – 21 May 1973
Monday 21 May 1973 | Live, Paul McCartney, Wings
Guild Hall, Preston, Lancashire, England
Wings performed at the Guild Hall in Preston on 21 May 1973 — the ninth night of the 18-date Wings 1973 UK Tour. The support act was Brinsley Schwarz. The 15-song set included 'Live And Let Die', performed ahead of its single release on 1 June 1973.
A Fan's Account
A member of the Wings Fun Club, Michael Dagge, described the day in the club newsletter:
On arrival at the Guildhall we found amps being wheeled in and this raised our hopes tremendously – just as those hopes were fading what should roll up but a silver/grey luxury coach with Denny S., Denny L., and Henry and they asked US(!) where the Bull and Royal Hotel was. Almost speechless we gave them directions and followed them. Of course the obvious happened and we got their autographs, and when we asked when Paul was arriving Denny S. replied 'tomorrow perhaps!'
Whilst recovering from our stroke of luck one of the bunch shouted 'He's here!', and our first sight was a beaming smile from Paul, with Stella in his arms. Now to the concert, after a friendly nod from Paul (you see we had told him where we were sitting), the concert began. I could go on for ages about this, but I'll just say it was the best day of our lives, it was really tremendous, we only wish the ceiling hadn't cracked, because apparently we missed 3 more numbers.
Nice one Wings, and when are you coming again? – Get on the right thing.
— Michael Dagge, Wings Fun Club newsletter
The account captures the informal, accessible character of the 1973 tour — Wings arriving by coach, asking fans for directions, McCartney carrying his daughter Stella (born 13 September 1971) into the venue. The cracked ceiling — apparently caused by the volume or the crowd — cut the set short by three songs.
The Wings 1973 UK Tour
The 1973 UK Tour was Wings' first major British tour. McCartney had deliberately chosen university venues and mid-sized theatres — smaller than the arenas he could have filled — as a way of rebuilding his live performance confidence after years away from the stage. The Beatles had last performed live in 1966; McCartney had not played a proper concert tour since then. The tour had opened on 11 May 1973 at the Hippodrome in Bristol and would close on 10 July 1973 at the City Hall in Newcastle upon Tyne, with the Hammersmith Odeon shows in between recorded and broadcast by the BBC.
Wings in May 1973
The Wings line-up consisted of Paul McCartney (vocals, guitar, bass guitar), Linda McCartney (keyboards, vocals), Denny Laine (guitar, vocals, bass guitar), Henry McCullough (guitar, vocals), and Denny Seiwell (drums). McCullough and Seiwell would both leave the group abruptly in August 1973, just before the recording of Band on the Run in Lagos — reducing Wings to a three-piece of McCartney, Linda, and Laine for that album.
Brinsley Schwarz
The support act was Brinsley Schwarz, a pub rock band from Hertfordshire who were one of the most respected acts on the British circuit in the early 1970s. Their guitarist Nick Lowe would go on to become one of the most influential figures in British rock and new wave, producing Elvis Costello's debut album My Aim Is True (1977) and writing 'Cruel to Be Kind' (1979). Brinsley Schwarz disbanded in 1975.
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'
Wings 1973 UK Tour Dates
- 11 May: Hippodrome, Bristol
- 12 May: New Theatre, Oxford
- 13 May: Capitol Theatre, Cardiff
- 15 May: Winter Gardens, Bournemouth
- 16 May: Hardrock Concert Theatre, Manchester
- 17 May: Hardrock Concert Theatre, Manchester
- 18 May: Empire Theatre, Liverpool
- 19 May: University of Leeds
- 21 May: Guild Hall, Preston
- 23 May: Odeon, Edinburgh
- 24 May: Green's Playhouse, Glasgow
- 25 May: Hammersmith Odeon, London
- 26 May: Hammersmith Odeon, London
- 27 May: Hammersmith Odeon, London
- 4 July: City Hall, Sheffield
- 6 July: Odeon, Birmingham
- 9 July: Odeon, Leicester
- 10 July: City Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne
Key Facts: 21 May 1973
- Venue: Guild Hall, Preston, Lancashire
- Tour date: 9 of 18
- Support act: Brinsley Schwarz
- Set length: 15 songs (cut short by 3 due to cracked ceiling)
- Wings line-up: Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, Denny Laine, Henry McCullough, Denny Seiwell
- Notable: 'Live And Let Die' performed ahead of single release (1 June 1973)
- Stella McCartney present: Carried by Paul on arrival (born 13 September 1971)
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Wings play smaller venues on the 1973 tour?
McCartney deliberately chose mid-sized theatres and university venues to rebuild his live performance confidence. The Beatles had last performed live in 1966; the 1973 tour was his first proper concert tour since then.
Who was in Wings in 1973?
Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, Denny Laine, Henry McCullough, and Denny Seiwell. McCullough and Seiwell both left abruptly in August 1973, just before the recording of Band on the Run in Lagos.
Who were Brinsley Schwarz?
A pub rock band from Hertfordshire, one of the most respected acts on the British circuit in the early 1970s. Their guitarist Nick Lowe went on to produce Elvis Costello's debut album and write 'Cruel to Be Kind'. The band disbanded in 1975.
Why was the Preston set cut short?
According to the Wings Fun Club newsletter account, the ceiling cracked — apparently due to the volume or the crowd — and the show ended three songs early.
When was Live And Let Die released as a single?
1 June 1973 in the UK, where it reached number 9. In the US it reached number 2 and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
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