Wings Concert Soars -- Surpass Expectations (Los Angeles 1976)

 Wings Concert Soars - Surpass Expectations

By Matt Aragorn Pavin

Ventura County Star

June 26, 1976

    Mix an excited audience with a legendary artist, and the stage is set for a real concert event. Add a performance that surpasses all expectations, and the result is a night to remember. Such was the case Tuesday evening at the Fabulous Forum. It was the middle of a three-day Los Angeles engagement. It was the next-to-last stop on the most publicized tour since the Who's cross-country trek in 1973. It was one of the debut American appearances by the world's most popular group (Sorry, Elton): Wings. It was a legendary bassist, pianist, and guitarist named Paul McCartney, and it was good. 

    The aura of nervous anticipation surrounding the Forum was a sure indication that something special was brewing. 20,000 eager faces, mostly young, many older, shared this feeling as the house lights dimmed. The energy level inside the arena was a palpable buzz. It was exciting and breathtaking. The opening strains of "Venus and Mars/ Rock Show" were greeted by the second most tumultuous response this reporter has ever heard, the loudest occurring two and a half hours later, after Wings' finale, which was "Band on the Run."

     In between were two other displays of aesthetic approval, one following a horn-punctuated version of "Lady Madonna," the first of five Beatles selections, two songs later, a stunning rendition of "Live and Let Die" through even more applause, the dynamic James Bond theme was accentuated by a pair of incredible visual effects. Just as each of the tune's intense segments began, bright smoke bombs were triggered. For the remainder of these passages, an emerald green laser light was fired from the stage towards the far wall, where its computerized patterns danced like flames. A laser was also used during "Hi, Hi, Hi", similar to the one Genesis introduced at the Starlight Amphitheater on May 1.

     Other visual aids were also put to magnificent use. A small square-screen flash slides in a crushed crescent moon atop a candle for "Maybe I'm Amazed", an antique chair for "Picasso's Last Words", and three comic book characters for "Magneto and Titanium Man". A larger rectangular screen showed a short film during "Band on the Run". Additionally, all the platforms supporting Wings' equipment were under cabaret-type lights. The entire lighting system created a striking atmosphere. 

    Then again, the mere presence of Paul McCartney was striking. The ex-Beatle was in firm command from the outset. Although 10 years absent from American Halls, Paul showed no signs of either rustiness or awkwardness. McCartney's singing was beautiful, with the lone exception of "My Love," his voice possessed the same magic that helped launch Beatlemania over 13 years ago. Not surprisingly, Paul's vocal appeal was the strongest on "Yesterday". Note perfect is an inadequate description of his rendition, as the crowd was moved and mesmerized by his emotionally powerful lyrics.

     But McCartney was not alone. A four-piece brass section spiced up approximately half of the set's 29 songs.  Linda McCartney, dressed in black, provided excellent vocal harmonies, although her keyboard playing was rather lame. Jimmy McCulloch Wing's underrated lead guitarist consistently offered tasty solos as steady chord work. Drummer Joe English performed with sturdy dependency. 

    Yet the star of the sidemen was Denny Laine, one of the original Moody Blues. His ample instrumental talents included stints on guitar, bass, and various keyboards. Moreover, he handled the vocal chores on "Spirits of Ancient Egypt", the new "Time to Hide," and the unexpected, delightful "Go Now" with a fluid, slightly bluesy brilliance. Another unexpected number was Simon and Garfunkel's "Richard Cory"; the other three Beatles songs were "The Long and Winding Road," "I've Just Seen a Face," and "Blackbird."

     17 selections, however, were culled from Wing's last three albums. Those not mentioned above were "Jet", "Bluebird", and "Let Me Roll It" from Band on the Run. "You Gave Me the Answer", "Letting Go," "Medicine Jar", " Call Me Back Again ", and " Listen to What the Man Said" from Venus and Mars.  And "Let 'Em In," "Beware My Love," and "Silly Love Songs" from Wings at the Speed of Sound.

    For those of you who are counting, the 29th tune was the second encore, an unreleased rocker with a chorus of something like "Sorry, we've got to go."

     The overall sound production was as polished as the lights. Nevertheless, the horns and McCulloch's guitar improvisations added an element of spontaneity. Correspondingly, most of the songs had a rockier feel in concert than on the albums, yet melodies were never sacrificed, and the lyrics were almost always intelligible. My expectations, however, were surpassed easily. There is nothing so entertaining as a legend at his peak.

Drumming on the Tonight Show

 

June 23, 2006 -- The Tonight Show 

Holiday Meal from a different angle

 

Photo exhibit

 

June 23, 2011 

Ringo and Mal are the Blindmen

 June 1971

Richy

 

A man and his sheep

Photos taken by Linda McCartney 

 

June 1971 in Scotland

Paul in Italy

 

June 21, 2026

No one is certain why-- but Paul was spotting in Italy yesterday.  I hope he and Nancy and going to enjoy some rest and relaxation.  Paul had been hitting it hard the last month promoting his album and need time to relex. 

McCartney and Wings Lay Egg (Los Angeles, 1976)

 In the articles I  have posted on the Wings Over America tour, the critics have been very positive.  Well -- let's look at one that isn't just for a change.   

McCartney and Wings Lay Egg

Associated Press

June 23, 1976

    It was going to be a genuine big event. It just had to be. Paul McCartney was coming to the rock music capital to perform for the first time in a decade. The Wings tour had been drawing critical praise across the country. Paul's picture was on the cover of Time, People, Rolling Stone.  Wings at the Speed of Sound was number one on the album sales charts, and "Silly Love Songs" was number one among singles, but the big event turned out to be a big dud. 

    The ex-Beatles' new band simply failed to deliver Monday night as it opened a three-night stand at the Inglewood Forum that will conclude its 21-city tour of the United States. The audience was clearly primed and ready to enjoy the show. Just the appearance of Ringo Starr in the stands shortly before the band hit the stage brought the crowd to its feet, cheering. Surprisingly, little else did.

     Wing's performance of "Live and Let Die", a hit single of a few years back, unleashed a wild response, but only because it featured three separate blinding explosions of smoke bombs and some trippy laser light effects. Much of the rest of their performance was boring, often painfully so, because of a blaring, poorly mixed sound system. Some songs came across merely as an excruciating din.

     The main problem, however, was that Wings had little to offer. Although the musicianship on the 30 songs performed during the two-hour and 15-minute concert was technically sound, it lacked the individual distinction or inspiration to make it exciting, and McCartney, an appealing singer and generally good songwriter, lacked the dynamic stage personality to overcome the band's musical shortcomings. He was bouncy and silly and talkative, but he didn't have the riveting quality of, say, David Bowie or Mick Jagger. 

    Still, McCartney did manage to infuse a few moments of magic into an otherwise disappointing evening. Significantly, he did it alone. McCartney sat on stage by himself and sang two Beatles tunes, "Blackbird" and "Yesterday", accompanied by his acoustic guitar. His voice was sweet and clear, and both songs were beautiful. He got a standing ovation after the second one. 

    Much to the audience's delight, there were three other Beatles songs in the show: "Lady Madonna", "I've Just Seen a Face", and "Baby, I'm Amazed" [sic]. Happily, the lackluster concert ended on an exciting note, though again on a non-musical note. As the band finished its second encore, Ringo appeared on stage with a bundle of flowers. He handed it to one of the guitarists, waved to the crowd, and then he and McCartney embraced. The two of them walked off stage together, Ringo carrying his former partner's guitar

The Beatles are Building a New Sound (1966)

 

The Beatles are Building a New Sound

By Judith Simons

London Express Service

June 27, 1966

    The Beatles are busy producing a new sound. The other day, as a crucial point in their progress, their latest record, "Paperback Writer", is their first since 1963 that has not gone straight to the top of all the charts. They talked about their aims.

     For the past two months, they have been working 14 hours a day, five days a week on their new LP, the longest they have ever spent recording those vital 12 to 14 songs. John Lennon and Paul McCartney, the songwriting team, told me about their new sound. "Unlike our previous LPs", said Paul, "this one is intended to show our versatility rather than a haphazard collection of songs. We use trumpets, violins, and cellos to achieve new efforts.

     "George Harrison has written three of the tracks. On past LPs, he has never done more than two, and Ringo sings, or rather talks, a children's song. This is all part of our idea of being up to date and including something for everybody.

     "We have tried to look forward; we don't intend to go back and reverse ideas of 20 years ago."

     I met the Beatles at the BBC studios, where they made their first live appearance on TV since last August. Only a handful of fans turned out to greet them, but the world's most idolized foursome showed no signs of dismay, nor has the sale of 150 million discs in just over three years blunted their ambitions to produce their best.

     Said John Lennon, "One cannot say that our basic approach has changed, but there is one thing about our new LP: there won't be many people copying our ideas. The sound is harder to emulate, although we still have the same lousy voices!"

     Lennon and McCartney are objective when one might expect them to be defensive about the not-so-successful " Paperback Writer". Paul said, "The idea was thought up because my Auny Mil said we should not do songs about love all the time." John added, "Frankly, it's not one of our best songs, but it was the only one we had ready for the record release date."

     Nobody can tell if the Beatles are going to continue on lines that will maintain their popularity until their new record is heard, and so far, no release date has been set forth in this country. They started as copyists of the American Negro Blues and evolved a flair for brilliant harmonies, expressing a brash and moral message, as in "All My Loving" and "She Loves You". 

    Later, they mellowed "Yesterday," "I Love Her", and "Michelle" showed deeper and wider musical influences. These are noted by critics of serious music, and as Paul said yesterday, "Even Beethoven got ideas from other people."

     What now? The Beatles could be on the verge of another revitalization of the pop scene if their new LP lives up to the expectations. But to say at the summit, new freshness and vitality are needed. Is this more than their joint creative talent can supply, or will the Beatles do it yet again?