The last time both Paul and Ringo both performed in
Kansas City in the same year they were onstage together at Municipal
Stadium.
Ringo reacted to an enthusiastic Starlight Theatre audience Saturday.
Ringo gave his first performance in the
area since 1992 on Saturday night, only three months after McCartney’s
concert at the Sprint Center.
Starlight Theater wasn’t quite full,
but judging from the crowd’s reaction to “Yellow Submarine” and “With A
Little Help from My Friends” many people had waited a long time for
this moment.
Several members of Ringo’s All-Starr band were also
making belated returns. Bass player Richard Page congratulated the
Royals for their playoff success and noted that last time he played
Kansas City his band Mr. Mister was opening for Tina Turner, and the
Royals had just won the World Series. Guitarist Steve Lukather said he
couldn’t remember the last time he was here.
Now in its 25th year and 13th iteration, the All-Starr Band works as a
round-robin jukebox with each musician taking the spotlight, then
introducing the next band member up. Guitarist Todd Rundgren was the
biggest name on the bill aside from the headliner. While the other names
may not have been as familiar, the songs they helped take to the top of
the charts – “Rosanna,” “Evil Ways,” “Broken Wings” – definitely were.
The
seven-piece band had the most opportunity to stretch out and show off
on the Santana numbers – “Evil Ways,” “Oye Como Va” and especially
“Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen” – lead by organist Gregg Rolie, a
founding member of the Santana band. Lukather handled lead guitar duties
for most of the night, but seem to save his best solos for those songs.
Surprisingly, the band also jammed over a slowed-down Bo Diddley beat
during Toto’s “Roseanna.” Rundgren’s “Bang on the Drum” incorporated a
bit of “Low Rider” during Page’s bass solo.
The only unfamiliar
song in the two-hour set was Page’s “You Are Mine.” Rundgren’s amazing
guitar arrangement for the ballad showed why he has been an influential
and in-demand producer for several decades.
Steve Lukather, (left) formerly with Toto and the All-Starr band performed Saturday at Starlight Theatre.
As expected, the
Beatles material and early Ringo solo singles drew the biggest response.
Starr opened and closed the set with a trio of songs and peppered
another five in between. His contribution to “The Beatles” album (known
as “The White Album”), “Don’t Pass Me By” was a fun surprise. Lukather,
Rundgren and Page were clearly having a ball playing their hero’s songs.
All three huddled together, sharing one mic on the choruses of “Boys”
and “I Wanna Be Your Man.”
The night closed with the introduction
of Billy Shears and “With a Little Help from My Friends.” As the song
was winding down, the band jumped into John Lennon’s “Give Peace a
Chance,” a fitting tribute to the man who has made peace and love his
motto.
Setlist: Matchbox, It Don’t Come Easy,
Wings, I Saw the Light, Evil Ways, Rosanna, Kyrie, Bang the Drum All
Day, Boys, Don’t Pass Me By, Yellow Submarine, Black Magic Woman/Gypsy
Queen, Honey Don’t, Anthem, You Are Mine, Africa, Oye Como Va, Love is
the Answer, I Wanna Be Your Man, Broken Wings, Hold the Line,
Photograph, Act Naturally, With a Little Help from My Friends > Give
Peace a Chance.
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