Wings UK Tour 1979


On 23 November 1979, Paul McCartney's band Wings began a 19-date concert tour of the United Kingdom to promote their recent album, Back to the Egg.

History

Wings' lineup for the tour was Paul and Linda McCartney, Denny Laine, Laurence Juber and Steve Holley, together with a brass section from the previous tour led by Howie Casey.
Following the main part of the tour, Wings teamed up with an all-star cast of musicians and took the name Rockestra to perform a series of Concerts for the People of Kampuchea at the Hammersmith Odeon in London.
It was originally to have been the first leg of a planned world tour, with further stops scheduled in Japan, Europe and America. However, it became Wings' final concert tour, after McCartney's marijuana arrest in Tokyo the following January.

Releases

A recording of "Coming Up" from Glasgow on 17 December 1979 of the tour was released on the single in April 1980 taking the A-side in the United States and becoming a number one hit. The Glasgow show itself was widely bootlegged under the title 'Last Flight'.
Six songs of the Hammersmith Odeon performance, three by Wings and three by Rockestra, were released on a Concerts for the People of Kampuchea live album.
With the beginning of Paul McCartney Archive Collection album reissues in 2010 more songs from a Glasgow show have been released. Band on the Run reissue received "No Words" and "Band on the Run" as pre-order bonus tracks, McCartney included "Every Night", "Maybe I'm Amazed" and "Hot as Sun" and McCartney II included "Coming Up" as bonus tracks.

Tour dates

After a live rehearsal at the Liverpool Royal Court attended by pupils of Liverpool Institute, McCartney's alma mater and of John Lennon's former school, Quarry Bank.
DateCityCountryVenue
23 November 1979LiverpoolEnglandRoyal Court Theatre
24 November 1979LiverpoolEnglandRoyal Court Theatre
25 November 1979LiverpoolEnglandRoyal Court Theatre
26 November 1979LiverpoolEnglandRoyal Court Theatre
28 November 1979ManchesterEnglandManchester Apollo
29 November 1979ManchesterEnglandManchester Apollo
1 December 1979SouthamptonEnglandGaumont Theatre
2 December 1979BrightonEnglandBrighton Centre
3 December 1979LondonEnglandLewisham Odeon
5 December 1979LondonEnglandThe Rainbow Theatre
7 December 1979LondonEnglandWembley Arena
8 December 1979LondonEnglandWembley Arena
9 December 1979LondonEnglandWembley Arena
10 December 1979LondonEnglandWembley Arena
12 December 1979BirminghamEnglandBirmingham Odeon
14 December 1979Newcastle upon TyneEnglandNewcastle City Hall
15 December 1979EdinburghScotlandEdinburgh Odeon
16 December 1979GlasgowScotlandThe Apollo
17 December 1979GlasgowScotlandThe Apollo
29 December 1979LondonEnglandHammersmith Odeon

;Festivals and other miscellaneous performances

Tour set list