Dog Breath (Wings in Australia 1975)

Paul performing in Perth 

 Dog Breath

By Brandon Stewart

Hamersely News

November 20, 1975

    Much to the disappointment of Perth office girl Karen Tippett, I did not interview Paul McCartney on the night of his arrival in Perth, nor was I present at his only Australian press conference at the Cottesloe Civic Center. 

    However, by God's grace and Karen's, I did manage to get a ticket to the Wings concert on Saturday, November 1, at the Entertainment Centre. The concert was a sellout. In fact, all 8,000 seats were sold in a matter of three and three-quarters hours, which we calculated to be about 35 and a half tickets sold per minute. The Wings tour is probably the most publicized since Frank Sinatra's only Paul seems to get on with the press a bit better. 

    Paul McCartney's arrival at Perth airport had no reflection on that of the Beatles when they were greeted by an estimated 300,000 people at Adelaide in 1964. This time around there were more security men than fans, strange, considering the eagerness to buy tickets as Perth.

     Awaiting the concert of concerts, the Wings entourage were taking in the sights and rehearsing. At last, the magic night arrived, and Wings took to the stage to a roaring applause. A shower of glitter fell down in the spotlight as the opening number, "Venus and Mars", began, and there he was --Paul McCartney in living colour!

     The whole show broke open as the band followed into "Rock Show". And it was then that I realized what was happening, but still refused to believe it. The initial impact was carried on with "Let Me Roll It," and "Spirits of Ancient Egypt" before bouncing into a lively "Little Woman. Love." The lights and sounds were excellent, but above all, the performance was very, very professional.

     At this stage, I was wrapped, but little did I realize the best was yet to come. 

    McCartney had put down his bass guitar and was sitting at the piano, and after a very emotional "Maybe, I'm amazed", we were hit with "Lady Madonna" and "The Long and Winding Road". I closed my eyes for the first time and just listened. This wasn't Wings, it was the Beatles all over again!

     With "Live and Let Die", Wings stole back the show, complete with smoke bomb theatrics, only to drop the tone down with "Picasso's Last Words (Drink to me)", where Paul sat down with an acoustic guitar. The mood continued through a Simon and Garfunkel style, "Richard Corey", a Wing style, "Bluebird" and a Beatles style, "Blackbird". How versatile can you get? With "Yesterday", the concert reached a climax, although it was far from finished. Following "You Gave me the Answer", and "Magento and Titanium Man" came, with the quote of the night from guitarist Denny Laine, "This was when I was with a better band," and led Wings into his old Moody Blues hit, "Go Now". 

    Then we were burst into a barrage of lights for "Call Me Back Again", "My Love," "Listen to What the Man Said" and "Letting Go." Jimmy McCulloch was featured as the vocalist on his composition "Medicine Jar". And by this time a great number of the audience were out of their seats and moving dangerously close to the stage. Following a rocking "Junior's farm", another ace up the sleeve was brought out with "Band on the Run." Behind the group was a film of the picture from the album cover.

     The crowd that had been milling around the front of the stage had become more hysterical, almost dragging Paul off the stage at one point. A couple of girls got up on the stage, but were quickly removed by security men. It was like Beatlemania all over again, but on a smaller scale. Wings led the stage to a thunderous applause, only to return for two encores. The first was their controversial "High, High, High." The second I failed to catch because my ears were so wiped out.

     The entire performance was quite an emotional experience for many, bringing some almost to tears, and I think that next time they come, it's going to be just the same.