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It was a long day for the boys today. First they had to play a set in Cincinnati to make up for the one that was cancelled yesterday. None of the opening acts performed, as they had been able to complete their sets before the deluge started the previous night. This meant, I guess, that the fans had to make a second trip to the stadium just to see a half-hour of music. I’m sure they were glad to do it, though.
Afterwards everyone got on a plane and flew to St. Louis, where they performed a full show for a crowd of 20,000 at Busch Stadium. It was by all accounts a rainy and miserable night, with the musicians performing under a makeshift covering with water dripping all around them. Apparently this night was a turning point for Paul, who had been somewhat holding out on the idea of retiring from touring.
It rained quite heavily, and they put bits of corrugated iron over the stage, so it felt like the worst little gig we’d ever played at even before we’d started as a band. We were having to worry about the rain getting in the amps and this took us right back to the Cavern days – it was worse than those early days. And I don’t even think the house was full.
After the gig I remember us getting in a big, empty steel-lined wagon, like a removal van. There was no furniture in there – nothing. We were sliding around trying to hold on to something, and at that moment everyone said, “Oh, this bloody touring lark – I’ve had it up to here, man.”
Pretty strong language there from Mr. McCartney.
After that show it was onto another plane and off to New York, where a show was scheduled for Shea Stadium on Tuesday.