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More from year 1972
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September 1972 • From EXTRA
Jul 29, 1972 • From Record Mirror
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About
On this day, Wings performed two consecutive shows in Paris at the Olympia (The Beatles had played a series of concerts in this venue in January / February 1964).
No recordings of this concert are known to exist.
They told us – “Watch out for Paris, the audience will be tough” – but it was great. We are very happy with the response and the way the band is getting together.
Paul McCartney – From Record Mirror – July 22, 1972
THOUGH HE later admitted he was dreading the occasion, Paul McCartney scored an undoubted triumph when he returned to give two concerts at the Olympia Theatre, Paris, on Sunday with his new band Wings, eight years after appearing there with the Beatles.
After three concerts in the South Of France, Wings showed every sign of becoming a tight, coordinated group, although the inexperience of Linda McCartney both as a singer and keyboard player is still disconcertingly apparent.
Highlights of the first Olympia concert came mostly in the second half when Paul took over on electric piano guitar and sang a loudly acclaimed “Maybe I’m Amazed” and a beautiful new song “My Love” which is easily the best thing he has written since the break-up of the Beatles. “My Love” is going to get plenty of cover versions.
“Mary Had A Little Lamb”, much derided by some writers, was also well received. Musically it is a far better song than the lyrics would have you believe.
For most of the set Paul played bass, and with two extremely fine guitarists in Denny Laine and Henry McCullough, plus the strong drumming of Denny Seiwell, the band really sounds good. There are still some rough edges to be smoothed out but the band gains a lot from the solo talents of Laine – who sang well on his own “Say You Don’t Mind” – and McCullough – who played magnificent blues guitar on “Henry’s Blue. “
If “1882”, “The Mess” and the previously mentioned “My Love” are representative samples, then the band’s new LP is going to be a real winner. “1882” is a minor key piece with strong harmony sung in 3/4 time, and “The Mess” is a powerful rocker with some fine McCullough guitar.
Another heavy rocker – and possibly the next single – is “Hi, Hi, Hi”, which closed the concert and brought the house down. The audience clamoured for an encore but were left, in the best entertainment tradition, wanting more.
The second concert on Sunday night was an even greater success with the band getting a standing ovation.
From Record Mirror – July 22, 1972
The new LP ‘Red Rose Speedway’ certainly has great potential, going by the reaction the new numbers received at the show. It is a single album, but double cover containing a booklet of colour pictures, mainly ones taken on the European Tour, and lyrics to all the songs. – The back cover pic may puzzle you, – it was taken at the Paris Olympia gig, during the interval somebody took the flowers and white soft toy on the stage and left them under Paul’s mike for when he returned.
From Wings Fun Club newsletter #1
Last updated on October 16, 2023
Olympia Hall
This was the 37th concert played at Olympia Hall.
A total of 39 concerts have been played there • 1964 • Jan 16th (Second show) • Jan 16th (First show) • Jan 17th (Second show) • Jan 17th (First show) • Jan 18th (First show) • Jan 18th (Second show) • Jan 19th (First show) • Jan 19th (Second show) • Jan 20th (First show) • Jan 20th (Second show) • Jan 22nd (Second show) • Jan 22nd (First show) • Jan 23rd (First show) • Jan 23rd (Second show) • Jan 24th (Second show) • Jan 24th (First show) • Jan 25th (Second show) • Jan 25th (First show) • Jan 26th (Second show) • Jan 26th (First show) • Jan 27th (First show) • Jan 27th (Second show) • Jan 29th (Second show) • Jan 29th (First show) • Jan 30th (Second show) • Jan 30th (First show) • Jan 31st (Second show) • Jan 31st (First show) • Feb 1st (First show) • Feb 1st (Second show) • Feb 2nd (First show) • Feb 2nd (Second show) • Feb 3rd (Second show) • Feb 3rd (First show) • Feb 4th (Second show) • Feb 4th (First show) • 1972 • Jul 16th (Afternoon show) • Jul 16th (Evening show) • 2007 • Oct 22nd
Setlist for the concert
The setlist for this concert is incomplete, or we have not be able to confirm in an accurate way that this was the setlist. If you have any clue, pls let us know and leave a comment.
1.
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
2.
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
3.
Written by Henry McCullough
4.
Written by Denny Laine
5.
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
6.
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
7.
Written by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
8.
Written by Paul McCartney
Going further
Wings Live - On tour in the 70s
This is the first detailed study of Paul McCartney's Wings on tour in the 1970s. It covers every single concert from the University Tour of 1972, ending with the abandoned tour of Japan in January 1980. A wide variety of primary sources have been consulted, including all available audio and video recordings; press reviews; fan recollections; newspaper reports and tour programmes.
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I was there Sunday night. I was seated front left stage, directly between Henry McCullough and Denny Laine. Paul was right center and Linda was seated at keyboards right stage. I broke two seats jumping especially to “The Mess” and “Hi Hi Hi”. “Indiana Wants Me” by R. Dean Taylor was played a full volume before Wings came out. I can still see McCartney sweating profusely and using a towel to wipe his face. The band exited the stage for intermission and concert end, right in front of me! No they did not come out again, even though the crowd (concert was definitely NOT a sellout by any means!) screamed for more. The fluorescent-yellow zings tour bus as parked on a side street Sunday afternoon…that was our first clue that afternoon that something was happening at the Olympia. We got tickets for the evening. Unreal memory from a special high school graduation European Study Tour for this 18 year-old from Central Florida!!! Oh, I still have my ticket stub and very large concert poster.
WOW thanks for sharing the amazing recollection of this concert ! I would be so grateful if you could send me a picture of the concert poster ! Thanks !
I would be happy to send you a picture of the poster, tour bus and ticket stub. Would you provide me direct link to attach and send! Doug Parker. 727) 804-8678
Thanks a lot Douglas. Could you send those to contact@the-paulmccartney-project.com ? Thanks !