Birmingham

Wings

PAUL MCCARTNEY definitely got a taste of Tale Of Two Cities over the weekend with two widely differing gigs at first Birmingham then Leicester.

Paul blamed “a few amplification problems” at Leicester but it was probably more to do with a peculiarly staid audience who showed very much a start-of-the-week attitude (it was Monday night) and didn’t start bopping until the last few numbers, writes Peter Harvey.

Even so, there was a big reception when Paul walked on stage to open with a catchy new song, Sunny. And straight away you heard that old melodic bass giving a lift right from the bottom of the sound.

Next you found your attention drawn to the back of the stage to witness the energy going. into those drums from Denny Seiwell he’s one hell of a shit-kicking drummer. Linda was on piano and Denny Laine and Henry McCullough on guitars; a rocking good band.

It was a pity the audience took so long to get off. There was a glimmer for the powerful Wildlife, a minor rave for C Moon and a bit of a swoon for My Love, but it took a word from Paul to start things moving. 

“Do you feel like rocking?” Then Linda starts entreating: “Come on then (clapping) come on then.“

They went into The Mess and that was it. Leicester was rocking, clapping, shouting, and even screaming at the end when Paul and the band really let rip with Long Tall Sally and were then forced to repeat it for a second encore ’cause they don’t know any more numbers.

At Birmingham on Friday Wings took to the stage after a nice warm-up from Brinsley up from Schwartz, a tight country rock outfit (writes John Clegg).

Inevitably there was an immediate impact as soon as McCartney came on stage.

I went to this concert to see a childhood hero in the flesh; to see how a myth would shape up live.

I wasn’t disappointed and neither was the mainly young audience who started to bop as soon as the band came on and didn’t stop until they were ready to collapse.

At times I thought we all might have been back at Shea stadium again. There was no swooning and little screaming but that same worship atmosphere hung in the air. And that ensured Wings would be cheered for everything they played, good or bad.

Strangely enough, neither McCartney nor the group needed to be carried on a wave of hysteria. They were musically very competent, visually exciting, and they enjoyed themselves as much as the ecstatic, sweaty audience: a rare sight indeed.

Always laughing and looning around, they played a warm rocking set packed with nostalgia and surprises.

“Live and Let Die” the title track from the James Bond epic was one of the best numbers with the strobe to enhance the balalaika type sound of the guitars.

There were songs from both the first Wings album and Red Rose Speedway and a medley of songs which included C Moon, My Love, and the great Maybe I’m Amazed.

The only time they got a bit serious, they produced the best song of the night, the soulful When The Night from the first Wings album. Paul’s singing here was right on top.

Another high spot was the clever reproduction of Denny Laine’s most famous numbers: Go Now, and Say You Don’t Mind.

The set finished with some heart, gutsy, rock numbers. They were funky and funny and we all danced around and had a real good time. McCartney has always produced good records… now Wings have taken to the air and proved he’s pretty hot on stage as well.

From Record Mirror – July 14, 1973