Update II (9/3/01) In response to an email (thanks, Kevin Heverin), we went over our notes and found we'd left "Boys" out of the set list. Also added that Howard Jones sang a little of "Hey Jude" in "Things Can Only Get Better." You'll find some pictures from the Concord show here. (Thanks to Brandon Smith.)
Update (9/3/01) One other thing we forgot to mention: We noticed Ringo was smiling as Ian Hunter sang the lines, "My brother's back at home with his Beatles and his Stones; he never got off on that revolution stuff" during "All the Young Dudes."
Update (9/2/01) Some additions: The song we thought was "Welcome Back, My Friends" was actually titled "Karn Evil 9: 1st Impression, Part 2." As in several other places, Ringo and the band did not leave before the encore but stayed onstage, letting the audience cheer as if they had left. Silly, but who cares?
(9/1/01) Here's our review of this show:
The lineup for Ringo Starr and the NEW All-Starr Band, as they were labeled this time out, appeared to be an eclectic group that would be musically intriguing and maybe, with people like Howard Jones and Greg Lake involved, get the All-Starr Band into a slightly progressive sound, somewhere previous Bands hadn't gone. The result was not as progressive as some might have hoped, but this band was quite tight and, most of all, seemed to be enjoying themselves quite a bit, thanks, in part, to some band members who were obviously very happy to be there and a very enthusiastic audience. The result was one of the liveliest and enjoyable All-Starr Bands that Ringo has put together and a show that was a great evening of musical fun.
The first thing we thought when we saw Ringo was that we hoped we look as good as he does when we get to his age. He bounced through the entire 2½-plus set with energy that would have some younger performers green with envy. Ringo wore a nice looking Bob Marley t-shirt, which went along well with the odor wafting through the crowd. We only wish Ringo had done more new songs. All of his songs had been done on past All-Starr Band tours. He did, however, tone down the "What's my name?" and "Peace and love" chants.
The band members that sparked the most response from the audience were two local folks: Roger Hodgson, who hails from nearby Grass Valley and who joked that most of the town was at the show, and Sheila E, who's from nearby Oakland.Sheila's performances have been acclaimed by both fans (in reviews on this site) and music critics throughout the tour and we finally had a chance to see why: She had an infectious smile that rarely left her face and played with an incredible amount of enthusiasm and energy. She obviously was giddy over the fact she was playing alongside a Beatle and certainly wasn't hiding it. Maybe our favorite moment was during "Glamorous Life" when she used her foot as a drumstick without missing a beat. If there was a most valuable player from this All-Starr Band, she most definitely was it.
Hodgson deserves mention, as well. It seems as though every All-Starr Band has at least one member (and sometimes more) whose presence gets an unexpectedly large response from the audience. (We'll never forget the incredible -- and to us, surprising -- reaction to Randy Bachman.) This year, that title would have to go to Hodgson. We knew Sheila E's great performance would get a great response, but Hodgson's songs, especially "Logical Song," got great cheers of recognition as he began each one. We were surprised that Greg Lake didn't get the same kind of reaction.
We were looking forward to seeing Ian Hunter, who we last saw many years ago with Mott the Hoople on a bill with (no lie!) Bachman-Turner Overdrive and then-newcomers Aerosmith (who opened the show). We were surprised that half of Hunter's songs were relatively obscure, a fact that goes against the "do your hits" philosophy of the All-Starr Band. My friend Keith pointed out that Hunter might have been better off doing "Ships," a song covered by Barry Manilow written by Hunter, than "Irene Wilde." We were disappointed he didn't do "All the Way From Memphis." During "Cleveland Rocks," as he's been doing all through the tour, Hunter has been mentioning local sports teams. So during the chorus, he pulled out a piece of paper and shouted in this order: "Raiders rock!" (good response), "Giants rock! (good response), "Dodgers suck!" (big response), "L.A. sucks!" (big response). Being a Giants fan ourselves, we were quite pleased! Hunter had some very enthusiastic fans in the audience, as befitting his status as a "rock icon," as he was introduced during the show.
On the other hand, response to Howard Jones and Greg Lake was basically subdued. Frankly, we expected more of a huge response to Lake from the FM-radio and Emerson, Lake and Palmer fans in the audience. Lake's best number was "Karn Evil No. 9," which was done with only Jones, Lake and E. Never thought I'd say this, but the song missed the pomposity of Keith Emerson. Jones did add some great piano licks at points in the show, including a wonderfully inventive honky tonk piano during "Act Naturally." And his bass note on "Lucky Man" literally shook the pavilion, which is a sizeable outdoor facility.
Also deserving of mention is Mark Rivera, the only member besides Ringo who's a real all-star All-Starr and a veteran of every incarnation of the Band. He's been somewhat in the background on past All-Starr tours, but now, as musical director, he seems to have taken a more upfront role and the band is better for it. Rivera's flute solo on "In the Court of the Crimson King" was just one highlight, but his contributions to the show made him an integral member and not just a bit player.
Overall, this was a fun show. Anytime a group of desparate musicians such as this enjoys what they're doing this much, the audience benefits in a big way. And that was the case last night. We hope Ringo's next edition of the All-Starr Band works just as well.
And a little true story: As we were taking notes during the show, a woman next to us leaned over and asked who we were covering the show for. After we told her we were writing it up for our Beatle web site, she asked if we were going backstage. I said, somewhat offhandedly, "No...I wish..." She then handed me two backstage passes. (Thank you, Linda!!!!) You should have seen my face!! Having never met a Beatle, all sorts of things were racing through my mind. We went to the backstage area before the show ended and by the time the security guard let us in, the band, unfortunately, had all left. But just the possibility really put a spark in our evening.
Here's the full set list: