Wings live: Hammersmith Odeon, London – 26 May 1973

Q: What was the Wings 1973 UK Tour?

An 18-date UK tour from 11 May to 10 July 1973, Wings' first major UK tour, including three consecutive nights at the Hammersmith Odeon.

Q: Who were Wings in 1973?

Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, Denny Laine, Henry McCullough, and Denny Seiwell.

May 26, 2026

Wings live: Hammersmith Odeon, London – 26 May 1973

Saturday 26 May 1973 | Live, Wings
Hammersmith Odeon, Queen Caroline Street, London, England

Wings performed at the Hammersmith Odeon in London on 26 May 1973 — the 13th night of the 18-date Wings 1973 UK Tour, and the second of three consecutive nights at the venue. The support act was Brinsley Schwarz. The show began at approximately 9.30pm.

Hammersmith Odeon (now Hammersmith Apollo), Queen Caroline Street, London — Wings performed here on 25, 26, and 27 May 1973.

The Band

Paul McCartney — vocals, guitar, bass guitar
Linda McCartney — vocals, keyboards
Denny Laine — vocals, guitar, bass guitar
Henry McCullough — guitar, vocals
Denny Seiwell — drums

An Eyewitness Account

A fan named Caroline Feeney wrote about the show in the Wings Fun Club newsletter, capturing the atmosphere of the evening:

“The greatest weekend of my life… It started on 26th May in the Hammersmith Odeon. Wings came on at about 9.30 p.m., and made the audience swing from the start. At the middle, Linda and Paul were just marvellous singing 'Seaside Woman'. I was very impressed by Linda, without her voice the song would have been nothing. Paul was better than I had ever heard him. Coming to the end of the concert Paul sang 'Hi, Hi, Hi' – (for Lord Longton!) and everyone got up, cheered and sang. It was just great to hear everyone enjoying themselves so much. Paul and Wings have got a good thing going and they deserve to be the tops. The lighting, clothes, audience reaction, and group, were all perfect and I've never enjoyed myself more.”

“Paul and Wings are nothing like the great Beatles now, and Paul may as well be unknown, because he doesn't need to be an ex-Beatle to help him. Linda despite all the bad things said about her, was fantastic. When is the next London gig?”

— Caroline Feeney, Wings Fun Club newsletter

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'

The setlist drew heavily on the recently released Red Rose Speedway album (released 4 May 1973), with 'Big Barn Bed', 'When The Night', 'My Love', and 'Little Woman Love' all featuring. 'Live And Let Die' — the James Bond theme released as a single on 1 June 1973 — was already in the set ahead of its official release. 'Go Now' was a Denny Laine showcase, the song having been a number one hit for his former group the Moody Blues in 1964. 'Long Tall Sally' — the Little Richard song that McCartney had been performing since his teenage years — closed the show.

Brinsley Schwarz

Brinsley Schwarz were a British pub rock band who served as support act on the 1973 UK Tour. The band included Nick Lowe — later a celebrated solo artist and producer — and were one of the most respected live acts on the British circuit in the early 1970s. Their association with the pub rock movement made them an interesting choice of support for Wings, whose music occupied a very different commercial space.

The Hammersmith Odeon

The Hammersmith Odeon — now the Hammersmith Apollo — is one of London's most celebrated music venues, with a capacity of approximately 5,000. Wings returned to the venue on 17 and 18 September 1975, 14 September 1979, and for their final live performance on 29 December 1979 — the last time Wings ever performed on stage.

The Wings 1973 UK Tour: Full 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 (this show)
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: 26 May 1973

Venue: Hammersmith Odeon, Queen Caroline Street, London
Tour: Wings 1973 UK Tour
Tour date: 13 of 18
Consecutive Hammersmith nights: 2 of 3 (25, 26, 27 May)
Support act: Brinsley Schwarz
Show time: Approximately 9.30pm
Songs performed: 15
Current album: Red Rose Speedway (released 4 May 1973)

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the Wings 1973 UK Tour?

An 18-date tour of the United Kingdom running from 11 May to 10 July 1973, Wings' first major UK tour. It opened in Bristol and included three consecutive nights at the Hammersmith Odeon in London (25–27 May).

Who were Wings in 1973?

Paul McCartney (vocals, guitar, bass), Linda McCartney (vocals, keyboards), Denny Laine (vocals, guitar, bass), Henry McCullough (guitar, vocals), and Denny Seiwell (drums).

What was the setlist at the Hammersmith Odeon on 26 May 1973?

'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'.