Live Review
RINGO STARR
NOKIA THEATRE at GRAND PRAIRIE
JULY 3, 2006

STARR TREATMENT AT NOKIA

While Paul McCartney gets the majority of Beatle-related praise concerning his tours and public appearances, it’s the Beatle with the big nose that has been constantly touring since 1989. For seventeen years, Ringo Starr has hit the road and played summer festivals, outdoor amphitheatres and other mid-sized venues across the U.S., Canada and even points abroad. Famous for his All Starr Band of selected hit makers from yesteryear, Ringo has put on incredible shows with such celebs as Peter Frampton, Billy Preston, Joe Walsh, Randy Bachman and the list goes on and on. The Beatle that no one dreamed could handle a solo concert, is out front having fun and leading the parade. Ringo is smart enough to realize that he can’t fill an entire show by himself. He always knew he needed  “a little help from his friends.” The All Starr Band concert at Nokia featured several three-song sets from Ringo, with his band mates taking turns crooning the hits that made themselves and their respective bands famous. In the early days of the All Starr Band, Ringo recruited musicians that were stars in the 60s and 70s. Over fifteen years later, he is running out of these friends and is now relying on some musicians from the 80s and 90s to round out the bill.

Ringo’s 2006 line up included Sheila E (Prince) on percussion and drums, Rod Argent (Zombies) on keyboards, Billy Squier and Richard Marx on guitars, Hamish Stuart (Average White Band and Paul McCartney) on bass, and Edgar Winter on keyboards and sax. When Ringo wasn’t leading the show from the front of the stage, he journeyed back to his familiar drum kit and showed that he still had the edge even at 65 years of age. Most people don’t realize it, but Starr had a respectable solo career in the years following the Beatle breakup. He enjoyed two number one records, gold albums, and a string of seven top ten singles. By 1974, he was actually doing better on the Top 40 charts than either John Lennon or George Harrison, while running a close second to Paul McCartney.

During the concert Ringo mainly played his newer solo material along with the older songs that he sang with the Beatles including Yellow Submarine and the Carl Perkins’ written, Honey Don’t. The exceptions to this were his 1970’s solo hits, It Don’t Come Easy and Photograph. Ringo also added a treat in the form of the Beatles’ rarity What Goes On. The rest of the band played a rotation of their hits including Rod Argent’s, She’s Not There, Billy Squier’s, Everybody Wants You and Richard Marx’s Don’t Mean Nothing. One highlight of the evening was Edgar Winter’s rendition of the instrumental, Frankenstein, in which he played standard and portable keyboards along with saxophone. Another highlight proved to be Sheila E’s energetic Glamorous Life in which she displayed her immense talent on Latin percussion.

At the end of the concert Ringo said, “I’m not going to go away and come back out!” So for an “encore” the band concluded the show with a rousing rendition of The Beatles’, With a Little Help From My Friends to the delight of the smallish crowd on hand at Nokia Theatre. Many second and even third generation Ringo fans were in the audience. Ringo was cool and relaxed as he interacted with the crowd. Since his birthday was just four days away, Ringo even jokingly asked the fans where his birthday presents were. With this cue, some started bringing the ex-Beatle gifts to the foot of the stage. Recently, Ringo indicated that he would like to reform the All Starr Band and tour again. As long as Ringo Starr wants to perform, you can guarantee that a crowd will be there to listen.

Kirk deCordova
dallasmusickirk@hotmail.com