“Paul and Linda were very chilled – a number of us stood around chatting with them on the stage during the late afternoon. They both seemed to be having a good time and were easy to talk to.”
Denzil Broadhurst, Electronic Engineering, 1975
We’ve been contacted by the team working with an Academy Award winning director to produce a documentary about Paul McCartney. One of the stories they’d like to tell is about Paul McCartney’s visit to the University of Hull. Were you there? Do you have footage or images from the evening? If so, let us know and we will pass on all information to the documentary team.
Contact us on alumni@hull.ac.uk
Below you can read the memories of the evening that we have been sent.
I was a member of Technical Committee from 1971 to 1976 who used to look after the stage lighting, sound systems, film projectors and disco equipment belonging to the student’s union. We worked alongside Entertainments Committee who sorted bookings.
We had heard that Wings had done an unpublicised gig at York University the previous day, so were hoping they would make their way to Hull for a gig.
Soon after lunch we heard they were definitely coming, so I ducked out of the physics lab afternoon and went to help my Tech Comm colleagues.
We set up the system (lighting and audio) in the West Refectory of the old student union building which was where the majority of concerts were held. We also hired a follow spot from the theatre equipment hire company in the city centre and set it up part way down the hall.
Paul and Linda were very chilled – a number of us stood around chatting with them on the stage during the late afternoon. They both seemed to be having a good time and were easy to talk to. We didn’t really talk with Denny Laine. Linda’s keyboard still had coloured dots adjacent to the keys which corresponded with coloured dots on the notes on her music – she was still learning to play the instrument.
A great evening, and we had a hall full of people – the word had clearly got round effectively in the days before mobile phones and emails.
I went on to be Chairman of Technical Committee 1973-1974
One of the many other groups who came during my time was Sparks – the two brothers were delightful to talk to and the refreshments they wanted prior to the show was a pot of tea!
Denzil Broadhurst
Electronic Engineering 1975
I remember this only too well – I was a law student at the time and was living in what was then Loten Hall. From what I recall Paul Mc Carney and fellow members of Wings just turned up one Saturday(?) and asked to put on a performance in the Student Union. How could Entsoc turn this down!!! I believe Steve Green may have been chair of Entsoc then. Anyway tickets were printed and were sold pdq as word spread around about this performance. Although I didn’t manage to get a ticket as my room was on the 6th floor of Loten and fronted out onto the Union building I was able to listen to the performance that evening for free! Just one of many memories of big names appearing at the Uni!
Brian Gunn
Law 1972
I was living in a student house (58 Cranbrook) when one of my housemates, who was studying Chemistry, came back from a session in the laboratory to tell us that there were notices in the Students’ Union to the effect that Wings would be performing in the West Refectory that night. Doors opening at 7pm (I think), cost 50p.
As we were in the habit of playing tricks on each other we did not believe him. He was adamant and so, threatening all kinds of retribution if it was a hoax, we went along to the Union. Sure enough, people were queuing and just before the doors were due to open music started playing inside the West Refec. The doors opened and we rushed in to indeed see Paul McCartney & Wings on stage.
We had a great night and I remember that when it came to an encore the band had run out of material so repeated an earlier number.
A story I have related many times.
There were always high quality live bands at weekends either in the West Refec or The Lawns during my time in Hull.
Mick Gamble
Theology 1973, PGCE 1974
In my first year at Hull, I lived in a student house on Cranbrook Avenue. One afternoon we were in the common room and a guy called round, an Ents committee member. He looked really fired up, buzzing. “You won’t believe this but…Paul McCartney… Wings… a gig tonight… no tickets, just turn up. “
“Yeah, right.”
No-one believed him, it sounded too good to be true.
But then I thought, what if it’s true? Anyway, what have I got to lose? I’ll come home, and everybody will laugh at me. So what. Steve from next door felt the same. Later that night, with our housemates’ cynical laughter ringing in our ears, Steve and I trotted over to the Union. There was an awkward pause as we stood around with the other mugs, waiting for nothing to happen.
But miraculously, something did. Actual Paul McCartney strode out onto the stage.
To be fair, it wasn’t the most polished gig I’d ever been to. Linda and Paul had on some sort of anti-fashion clown-trousers, and the set list was a bit hit-and-miss: a lot of new stuff, not all great. They even did some songs twice. But they got us all up dancing at the end (there was plenty of room, after all) and we left with that fabulous post-gig glow, ears ringing.
Back home in Cranbrook Ave, the guys were a bit sick. It was a lesson for life. Fifty years later I enrolled again at Hull, this time for an MA in Creative Writing. A cynic would say it was a waste of time at my age, but I don’t care. A cynic would have missed that Wings gig all those years ago, wouldn’t they?
Sue Nicholson
French 1975, Creative Writing 2023
I vividly remember Paul McCartney’s visit to Hull with his newly formed band Wings on 11th February 1972 in the Refectory at the University as it was my first experience of a live pop band. It was so special to see Paul McCartney who had been such an icon for me as a youngster growing up listening on a small transistor radio to Radio Caroline and then Radio 1 and the wonderful shower of pop hits during the 60s. It was also electrifying to hear the new song ‘Give Ireland Back to the Irish’ which on reflection was probably the reason for my early and continuing political decision for a unified Ireland as necessary and justified.
Roger Ferguson
Law 1974
I was there and was very thrilled that he was coming to Hull! Loved the experience but couldn’t give you a run down on the overwhelming evening! Loud, excitement, and delighted to tell friends and family that I was there….
Lesley Hazel
Latin 1974
My memory is that it was a lunch time appearance, but I may be wrong. Word spread around The Buttery that Paul McCartney and Wings had turned up. My friends and I decided to investigate without much enthusiasm and indeed we didn’t stay too long. They just weren’t cool or edgy enough for us! And of course, they weren’t The Beatles.
Ironically I know people these days, who would have given their eye teeth to be so close to the band!
Mary Kelleher
English 1973
University of Hull Alumni Association 
Fleeting mention of that day in my autobiographical book “Up the Fire Escape and Through the Kitchens” (which of course you should read!).
“Some acts were almost too keen to appear at students unions. Responding, one day, to a vague tannoy page for ‘someone from the theatre’, I appeared in the union reception and had Paul McCartney passed over to me. He announced that he, and ‘Wings’ were playing there that night. I passed him on to one of the union’s entertainment staff. This was part of ‘Wings’ barnstorming tour, in which they travelled the country, rolling up, un-announced, at university and college union buildings and playing a gig on the same evening. I gather that every university union they visited welcomed this except for one. That one would be Aston University in Birmingham.”
Cliff (Drama ’71-’74)
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i remember it well.I was part of an albeit small demonstration against it demanding that McCartney have his money to the families of Bloody Sunday.We sang give your money to the Irish and ‘ How do you sleep?’
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