HOW CAN HE BE RUNNING ONSTAGE?? HE IS 84 YEARS OLD!!
Ok, just sit down and relax, Shelley. Your shock is filled with admiration and a feeling of irony that someone who was so sick as a child and endured a few medical strifes when grown is so spry and active now. When the All Starrs walk out, a roar arises from the audience. When Ringo jumps up the stairs and runs over to the microphone, the crowd explodes! These men are all stars of our past, present AND future, led by a Starr among the other stars who brought music to life in a quartet of emerging talent called Beatles. They will always be MY John, Paul, George and Ringo. Jack Levin said I could have them. He didn't want them.
Matchbox
And already staff is running out and exchanging guitars with the players. This goes on all night. I did not keep track if each guitar was different or whether they each used 2-3 guitars and kept switching them. The very fact this was happening gave an awe-inspiring effect to the stage.
It Don't Come Easy
"We will now start left to right. Steve Lukather (Toto) will begin."
Rosanna
This man is a marvel with a guitar and having Warren Ham (also Toto plus Kansas) onstage to sing tenor vocals and play every woodwind instrument created so far makes this song expand and fill up the arena. You can almost see the cloud of music grow over the audience.
Now on to Hamish Stuart (Average White Band) who leads the instrumental 'Pick Up the Pieces.' Also, a stellar guitarist. As Ringo has already said, "Each of these musicians is a star in their own right."
The third guitarist, Colin Hay (Men at Work), jumps into 'Down Under,' a song that my Cockatiel loves even more than I do. I always wondered, "How does she know her ancestors are from Australia?"
Boys
Back to Ringo to give us the song he covered early on in The Beatles after he heard a girl group (The Shirelles) perform it on a B side 45 record.
"My friend John" ... timely pause while the audience reacts in screams ... "gave me this next song. He said, 'It's too heavy for me, Ringo. You do it."
The Greatest
Yellow Submarine-"And where are we going Captain? Uncasville!"
And now we bring you to the Magical Musical Moment of the show, where Ringo heads off for a cup of tea, (or a costume change) and the All Starrs run us ragged with 'Cut The Cake' that has a middle layer of guitar riffs and drum solos from songs of different decades. Gregg Bissonette, as the other drummer of this incarnation, is one of the best I have seen and heard. He gave talks at last year's Fest for Beatles Fans and so impressed me with his ability to explain how drumbeats are selected and then performed at recordings. As well, he gave an explanation and followed with demonstrations of Ringo's techniques in being a left-handed percussionist. I had never taken the time before to appreciate how he accomplished so much. It is evident that Gregg admires Ringo and cries his praises in panel discussions.
A bit of a change. Ringo is back and tells Lukather that he is free to pick any song to perform next. The riff of 'Day Tripper' begins. "NO! But we're not going to do that!" shouts Ringo. Another Beatle riff begins. "NO! NO! We're not doing that one either! But we WILL do this one!"
Octopus' Garden
Back Off Boogaloo
During Boogaloo, Ringo runs up some stairs to jump on the drums to finish this song and the next six. When Ringo sits at his drum kit, he appears as if a king holding court in a castle of light stars and circular masses of spinning light. He is appropriately regal.
Overkill - Colin Hay
Jazz Odyssey - Steve Lukather in a comic mood stating this is the indication of music to come in the future. It is the most impromptu drumming and guitar mis-match ever. "You should have seen your faces when I was playing that!" Let's move on, Steve.
Africa
Work to Do - Hamish Stuart
"Are there any young ladies out there? What? Seven of you? I said, are there any young ladies out there? (loud reaction) OK! I'm gonna sing you all a song."
I Wanna Be Your Man
Who Can It Be Now - Colin Hay
Hold The Line - Steve Lukather
Ringo is back down front to take a photograph of the audience.
Photograph
With A Little Help From My Friends
How to end this? Ringo puts up his double peace signs, the back-drop changes to psychedelic peace signs and the song?
John Lennon, singing 'Give Peace a Chance'
The All Starrs shout Ringo's praises and their gratitude that they are able to perform with him all during the show. How does he show his appreciation? He bows, leaves the stage and allows the All Starr players to remain, join their arms at the front of the stage and take bows separately.
Everyone there came to have a good time, and not complain. And let me tell you A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL!
Shelley J Sweet-Tufano
NE Correspondent
Forgotten Hits
Sadly, Ringo had to cancel the last two stops on this leg of his tour due to taking ill. Doctor's orders suggested he rest instead.
A great show with more dates to come. (kk)
