Timeline Albums, EPs & singles Songs Films Concerts Sessions People Interviews Articles

Thursday, May 24, 1973

Glasgow

Concert • By Wings • Part of the Wings 1973 UK Tour

Last updated on September 19, 2023


Details

Location

  • Location: Green's Playhouse

Timeline

Band members

Line-up Discover Wings 1972-1973

Some songs from this concert appear on:

Report from fans:

Since most of the girls didn’t make it to the Glasgow concert (primarily because their train passes had run out), and I did, I thought this would be a good concert to report on.  Of course, being a glutton for punishment, I couldn’t let myself miss out on even one concert!  The songs he sang and the clothes he wore were the same as the other concerts, and since I’m sure you’ve already read the full details on such matters elsewhere in this newsletter, I won’t go into it all over again.

We picked up our reserved tickets at the box office and the seats we had were fairly good (left center) — but we used Marie’s tickets instead since they were a lot closer (front left).  While we (Madeline and I) were waiting for the concert to start, two groupies with tight silk pants and lots of makeup kept wandering up and down the aisles.  They were obviously stoned out of their minds and of all things one of them came over to me and sat right down on my lap!  I nearly died!  Then she said, “May I sit on your lap?”  I imagine I had a look of my face like Iw as going to be ill and I tried to push her off, but by that time one of the security guards came over and got her.  That’s the first time anything like that had happened to me at a concert! 

I think this was one of the liveliest audiences of all.  It was like a time bomb waiting to go off.  But the security was very tight.  If someone even stood up (Paul got a standing ovation when he came out) he or she was in trouble.  They were pushed down immediately.  Later I found out from a boy how much trouble they’ve had with concerts in Glasgow so that was probably why.   I read in a newspaper that performers in Glasgow that did anything on stage that was dirty — even words to a song, would be arrested.  Good thing we didn’t have to visit Paul in jail!   I guess what we’d heard about the people being rough was true.  The same guy said, “So you can imagine with someone like Paul doing a concert why security was so tight.”

During the first part of the show, a girl sitting right behind me yelled, “Paul!”  That got his attention and he looked over and pointed.  I Was right in his line of vision, so that was nice.  Once Paul walked over to Linda while still playing his bass and whispered something to her.   That got a shriek from the audience and a skipped heartbeat for me.  “Hi Hi Hi” — people were screaming for that song all night.  “This is the one that got banned so anyone with sensitive ears out there better get out — fast!  (Just for the record, no one left).  Up until the end of that song, people were still being forced to stay in their seats.  But during “Long Tall Sally” there was no holding the crowd back, though they keep on trying.  The whole theater went insane and I had a lovely view while standing on my seat.  Then Paul, seeing that the audience only had the chance to unwind during one song did “Long Tall Sally” one and a half more times.  It was really beautiful.  Oh, the way that man moves — that brings to mind that he did a nice little swivel before “Hi Hi Hi” again — God!  Also, raised his arms several times exposing quite a lot of “midriff” which I didn’t enjoy at all. 

When he went off stage that crowd just wouldn’t calm down so he came out again and the announcer said, “They say he’s the greatest so let’s let him know it!”   They really brought the roof down and Paul looked so proud.  Then he thanked everyone again and said he’d see them next time.  The police would not let us wait around the theater so we walked to the hotel we heard he was staying.  however, we’d been misinformed and two Scottish boys took us over to the Albany Hotel where he was staying. 

He was already inside but we were lucky enough to get there just as he was walking out from the elevator to the dining room.  We had a perfect view of him from the glass windows and he waved to us all.  At one point a man came out of the restaurant and asked us if we were waiting for Paul and we said yes.  So then he said, “Well, you’re going to have a long wait because he hasn’t even had his soup yet!”  One of the Scottish boys tried really hard to get me in but it didn’t work.  Finally, we gave up and decided to leave around 1:30am.  (The police had made us move across the street anyway).  Then two Scottish girls helped us make our way back to our hotel.  Before I end this fabulous bit of writing I just want to add how really great all of the concerts were.  Paul had never sang or played better and I came home a real believer in Wings also.  Paul is really on top again — this time with Wings — and this is only the beginning for them!

From fanzine McCartney Lovers And Friends, Summer 1973 – reported by Meet The Beatles For Real blog.

Mere words can’t possibly express how wonderful the concert was at Green’s Playhouse, 24th May. I haven’t enjoyed myself so much, ever, and the proof of this is in the bruises on the palms of my hands, with applauding so hard. The black and blue marks are still on my hands, looking quite horrible, but I don’t care, I only want to know when I will get the chance to do the same again! I didn’t hope for one minute that they would achieve live the tremendous sound they do on record. But I was pleasantly surprised for if anything they’re even better live.

From Wings Fun Club newsletter #3
From Lot 309 – PAUL MCCARTNEY – SIGNED CUTTING. (omegaauctions.co.uk) – A scrap of lined paper (12.5 x 7.5cm) with inscription and signature by Paul McCartney. Lightly affixed to card with newspaper cutting from the Scottish Daily Express Friday May 1973 documenting competition winners obtaining signatures from McCartney following a concert in Glasgow of which this is believed to be an example. Authenticated by Roger Epperson prior to this sale.

Green's Playhouse

This was the 1st and only concert played at Green's Playhouse.

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. Medley

  2. Encore

See song statistics for “Wings 1973 UK Tour”


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.

Shop on Amazon

Paul McCartney writing

Talk more talk, chat more chat

Notice any inaccuracies on this page? Have additional insights or ideas for new content? Or just want to share your thoughts? We value your feedback! Please use the form below to get in touch with us.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

2024 • Please note this site is strictly non-commercial. All pictures, videos & quoted texts remain the property of the respective copyright owner, and no implication of ownership by us is intended or should be inferred. Any copyright owner who wants something removed should contact us and we will do so immediately. Alternatively, we would be delighted to provide credits.