MEXICO CITY.- The third time is the charm and after a presentation canceled due to the pandemic and another due to suffering from COVID-19, Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band finally performed at a concert in the Mexico City.
Starr’s first attempt was in 2020 when his shows Scheduled for October of that year, they were canceled due to the restrictions imposed during the pandemic. Starr sought to return to the country in 2022, but on that occasion he had to cancel his tour dates after contracting COVID-19.
Finally, he kept his promise and appeared at the National Auditorium in the Mexican capital. His previous visit had been in 2015, when he gave three concerts in the auditorium. For this occasion I had two dates scheduled.
Ringo Starr and his band
Starr, 83, explained at the beginning of his recital that everyone in his band is a star, hence his name. Their current lineup consists of Steve Lukather of Toto, Colin Hay of Men at Work, Hamish Stuart of Average White Band, Buck Johnson (replacing Edgar Winter), Warren Ham and Gregg Bissonette, who synchronized with Starr to perform two drums. in multiple songs. In many others, Starr left his beloved percussion instrument to sing up front alongside the guitarists.
Good night Mexico City, are you ready to have fun, are you ready to listen to good music? “That’s what we do here,” Starr said, clad in a star-studded jacket, at the beginning of the concert. Each and every one of you is going to know at least one song, he added with humor.
People shouted I love you and Ringo answered and I love you, but there were so many shouts that he took it as humorous. Yes, they’ve already told me 94 times, he said, acting serious.
The group made the most of their repertoire by performing songs such as Rosanna, Hold The Line y Africa from Toto, the band in which Lukather is the guitarist; as well as Who Can It Be Now y Down Under by Hay, vocalist of Men at Work.
But of course the public was enthusiastic about the songs of The Beatles, the group with which Starr became known, of which included With A Little Help From My Friends, Yellow Submarine, I Wanna Be Your Man and the classic sung by Ringo Octopuss Garden.
Starr also added other songs from his solo career such as Photograph, It Dont Come Easy y Im the Greatest, which he presented as a song composed by his friend John. I thought it would be better if I sang it because I’m not afraid to say: ‘I’m the greatest,’ he said before performing it.
There were also topics from other groups.
“A song I’ve played for a long time and I played this song before I was even in that band you know me for,” Starr said before intoning Boysa song originally performed by the girl band The Shirelles in 1960.
The concert ended with the pacifist song by Lennon and Yoko Ono Give Peace a Chance.
Hours before It Dont Come Easy was one of the songs with which Starr did his sound check, for which he apologized for a brief delay due to city traffic and which had a slight electrical failure. Despite the minor setbacks, a couple of songs were enough, including also Matchboxso that the veteran band declared themselves pleased with the sound in less than half an hour.
All Starr Band celebrates 35 years since its formation. It has remained active and has included members and guests such as Roger Hodgson, Sheila E, Steven Tyler and Paul McCartney.
A two-time member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Starr has received nine Grammys, an Academy Award and an honorary doctorate in music from Berklee College of Music. He has published eight books, has been a photographer for artists such as Foo Fighters, and has held multiple exhibitions of his work as a visual artist.
About to turn 84 on July 7, Starr often uses his birthday celebration to promote love and peace in the world. From now on he is celebrating his EP Crooked Boyreleased in April of this year, which adds to his 20 solo studio albums and four other EPs.
FUENTE: AP
