Set List
1.It Don't Come Easy
2.Honey Don't
3.Choose Love
4.Hang On Sloopy (Rick Derringer)
5.Free Ride (Edgar Winter)
6.Talking in Your Sleep (Wally Palmar)
7.I Wanna Be Your Man
8.Dream Weaver (Gary Wright)
9.Kyrie(Richard Page)
10.The Other Side Of Liverpool
11.Yellow Submarine
12.Frankenstein(Edgar Winter)
13.Peace Dream
14.Back Off Boogaloo
15.What I Like About You(Wally Palmar)
16.Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo (Derringer)
17.Boys
18.Love Is Alive (Gary Wright)
19.Broken Wings Richard Page)
20.Photograph
21.Act Naturally
22.With a Little Help from My Friends
23.Give Peace a Chance
Saturday night in Liverpool and Ringo Starr returns to the Liverpool Empire with his 11th All Starr band for a sell out concert. Despite the press and some of the more vocal elements of Liverpool still creating a fuss over Ringo’s comments about Liverpool there was plenty of love in the building for him and his band tonight.
Ringo Loves Liverpool and Liverpool obviously loves him as well and as Ringo commented about Liverpool in connection to his song the Other Side of Liverpool his Aunty Ev knew what he was talking about in the song and she was in the audience as were Ringo’s wife Barbara and his daughter Lee. Both of whom enjoyed the evening and also no doubt catching up with all the Starkey family in the audience.
The concert kicked off in fine style with Ringo’s debut hit single from 1970 It Don’t Come Easy and from the outset it was obvious that Ringo and the entire band were really enjoying themselves onstage at the Liverpool Empire. In fact the guys in the band had huge smiles on their faces throughout the evening but then what’s not to like You are playing your biggest hits in front of an appreciative audience and also playing some Beatles songs with a Beatle. “A dream come true” as Richard Page and Edgar Winter both commented.
The set list is just amazing and there were so many highlights. For me Gary Wright’s Dream Weaver and Edgar Winter’s Frankenstein were up there but all the guys were fantastic and both the Mr Mister songs (Kyrie and Broken Wings) featuring Richard page were great. Rick Derringer proved just how good a guitarist he was during an extended solo in Rock n Roll Hoochie Coo and whilst the Romantics were never as big a band in the UK as they were back in America Wally Palmar really got the audience going with Talking In Your Sleep and What I Like About You both of which were massive hits back in the eighties for the Romantics. I must add a special mention for second drummer Greg Bissonette who just played and sang his heart out throughout the evening and looked as happy to be onstage with this amazing group of musicians as many were in the audience to see them.
Ringo however was on top form throughout enjoying a great rapport with the audience and chatting to individuals that caught his eye. Of course we wanted to hear the songs we knew him for and he didn’t disappoint with Boys, I Wanna Be Your Man, Act Naturally, Honey Don’t and of course Yellow Submarine all getting an airing; the latter with the entire audience on its feet singing along. The concert also featured some newer songs including Choose Love and Peace Dream which name checked John Lennon and also The Other Side of Liverpool which proves that Ringo still wants to record and promote new songs.
The concert however came to the end on a high note with the classic With A Little help From My Friends which then ran into Give Peace A Chance which was a touching and right end to the evening.
Once again Ringo Starr proved that The Beatles were something to be cherished and that Liverpool was also a place close to his heart despite what you may read in the press. The fact that the love for Ringo was reciprocated should come as no Surprise.
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