On Monday 9 July 1973, Wings performed at the Odeon in Leicester, England. It was the 17th night of the Wings 1973 UK Tour – the penultimate show of an 18-date run that had opened in Bristol on 11 May. The support act was Brinsley Schwarz. Tickets were priced at 60p, 80p, £1, £1.30, and £1.60.
The tour had been interrupted by a six-week gap after the May dates – the Leicester show on 9 July and the Newcastle finale on 10 July were the final two concerts of the run, added after the main body of the tour had concluded. By July 1973, Wings were a significantly more established proposition than they had been at the start of the Wings Over Europe Tour a year earlier. Band on the Run was still months away – it would be recorded in Lagos in August and released in November – but the 1973 UK Tour had demonstrated that Wings could fill theatres and Odeons across Britain.
The Wings Lineup
The Wings lineup for the Leicester show and the 1973 UK Tour was:
- Paul McCartney – vocals, guitar, bass guitar
- Linda McCartney – vocals, keyboards
- Denny Laine – vocals, guitar, bass guitar
- Henry McCullough – guitar, vocals
- Denny Seiwell – drums
This would prove to be one of the final tours with this lineup. Both Henry McCullough and Denny Seiwell left Wings in September 1973, just weeks before the band flew to Lagos to record Band on the Run. McCartney, Linda, and Denny Laine recorded that album as a trio – a circumstance that became one of the defining stories of Wings' career.
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The Setlist
Wings performed 15 songs at the Odeon, Leicester on 9 July 1973:
- 'Soily'
- 'Big Barn Bed'
- 'When The Night'
- 'Seaside Woman'
- 'Wild Life'
- 'Little Woman Love'
- 'C Moon'
- 'Maybe I'm Amazed'
- 'My Love'
- 'Live And Let Die'
- 'Go Now'
- 'Say You Don't Mind'
- 'The Mess'
- 'Hi, Hi, Hi'
- 'Long Tall Sally'
'Live And Let Die' – the James Bond theme McCartney had written and recorded with Wings for the 1973 film – was a centrepiece of the set. Released as a single in June 1973, it had reached number nine in the UK and number two in the US. Performing it live, with its dramatic orchestral arrangement translated for a five-piece band, was one of the highlights of the tour.
'Go Now' was a nod to Denny Laine's past: the song had been a number one hit for the Moody Blues in 1964, with Laine on lead vocals. Its inclusion in the Wings set was both a showcase for Laine and a reminder of the depth of musical history the band contained.
'Long Tall Sally' – the Little Richard cover that The Beatles had recorded in 1964 – closed the show, a direct link back to McCartney's Beatles past and the rock and roll roots that had always underpinned his music.
'Seaside Woman' was a Linda McCartney composition. 'The Mess' had been recorded live on the Wings Over Europe Tour in 1972 and released as the b-side of 'My Love'. 'C Moon' and 'Little Woman Love' had been released as a double a-side single in December 1972.
Brinsley Schwarz: The Support Act
The support act for the Wings 1973 UK Tour was Brinsley Schwarz, a pub rock band from Hertfordshire who were one of the most respected live acts on the British circuit in the early 1970s. The band included Nick Lowe on bass and vocals – who would go on to produce Elvis Costello's debut album and have a successful solo career – and guitarist Brinsley Schwarz himself.
The pairing of Wings with Brinsley Schwarz was an interesting one: McCartney's polished pop-rock alongside the more stripped-back, Americana-influenced sound of the pub rock scene. Brinsley Schwarz were not a commercial act in the conventional sense, but they were critically admired and had a devoted following. Their presence on the tour reflected McCartney's interest in credible, musician-friendly support acts.
Wings 1973 UK Tour: All Dates
The full 18-date Wings 1973 UK Tour itinerary:
- 11 May 1973: Hippodrome, Bristol, England
- 12 May 1973: New Theatre, Oxford, England
- 13 May 1973: Capitol Theatre, Cardiff, Wales
- 15 May 1973: Winter Gardens, Bournemouth, England
- 16 May 1973: Hardrock Concert Theatre, Manchester, England
- 17 May 1973: Hardrock Concert Theatre, Manchester, England
- 18 May 1973: Empire Theatre, Liverpool, England
- 19 May 1973: University of Leeds, England
- 21 May 1973: Guild Hall, Preston, England
- 23 May 1973: Odeon, Edinburgh, Scotland
- 24 May 1973: Green's Playhouse, Glasgow, Scotland
- 25 May 1973: Hammersmith Odeon, London, England
- 26 May 1973: Hammersmith Odeon, London, England
- 27 May 1973: Hammersmith Odeon, London, England
- 4 July 1973: City Hall, Sheffield, England
- 6 July 1973: Odeon, Birmingham, England
- 9 July 1973: Odeon, Leicester, England (this show)
- 10 July 1973: City Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne, England
The Last Tour with McCullough and Seiwell
The Leicester show on 9 July 1973 was one of the final concerts Henry McCullough and Denny Seiwell would play with Wings. Both musicians left the band in September 1973, citing creative and personal differences. Their departures came at a critical moment: McCartney had already booked studio time in Lagos, Nigeria, to record what would become Band on the Run.
Rather than cancel or delay, McCartney, Linda, and Denny Laine flew to Lagos as a trio and recorded the album with session musicians and overdubs. Band on the Run, released in November 1973, became Wings' commercial breakthrough – reaching number one in both the UK and the US and establishing McCartney as a major solo force in his own right.
The audience at the Odeon in Leicester on 9 July 1973 saw the five-piece Wings at one of their last performances together. Within weeks, the lineup that had toured Europe in 1972 and Britain in 1973 would be gone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Wings tour the UK in 1973?
Yes. Wings performed an 18-date UK tour in 1973, running from 11 May to 10 July. The tour opened in Bristol and closed in Newcastle upon Tyne, with three nights at the Hammersmith Odeon in London and dates across England, Wales, and Scotland. The support act was Brinsley Schwarz.
What did Wings play at Leicester in 1973?
Wings played 15 songs at the Odeon, Leicester on 9 July 1973: Soily, Big Barn Bed, When The Night, Seaside Woman, Wild Life, Little Woman Love, C Moon, Maybe I'm Amazed, My Love, Live And Let Die, Go Now, Say You Don't Mind, The Mess, Hi Hi Hi, and Long Tall Sally.
Who was in Wings in 1973?
The Wings lineup for the 1973 UK Tour was Paul McCartney (vocals, guitar, bass), Linda McCartney (vocals, keyboards), Denny Laine (vocals, guitar, bass), Henry McCullough (guitar, vocals), and Denny Seiwell (drums). Both McCullough and Seiwell left Wings in September 1973.
Who was Brinsley Schwarz?
Brinsley Schwarz was a British pub rock band from Hertfordshire, active in the early 1970s. The band included Nick Lowe on bass and vocals. They were the support act for the Wings 1973 UK Tour.
How much did Wings tickets cost in 1973?
Tickets for the Wings 1973 UK Tour were priced at 60p, 80p, £1, £1.30, and £1.60, depending on the seat.
More from On This Day in Beatles History
- Wings live: Châteauvallon, Ollioules – 9 July 1972
- Wings Over Europe Tour Mixing Sessions – 16 April 1973
- Wings Record 'Mary Had A Little Lamb' – 29 March 1972
- On This Day in Beatles History – full archive
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