The internet claims that Ringo Starr is 75 years old, but based on his energy, enthusiasm and powerful physicality, that just can’t be.
That sprightly, smiling, peace-sign-flashing man doing jumping jacks and commanding the Paramount Theatre stage for more than two hours on Tuesday night was Ringo Starr, the former drummer of a .
Starr has been touring with some iteration of his “All Starr Band” since 1989, picking up excellent and diverse musicians like Dr. John, Levon Helm, Peter Frampton and Sheila E. to tour and record with. The current lineup is a who’s who of ’80s power rock, featuring guitarists Todd Rundgren and Steve Lukather (Toto), bassist Richard Page (Mr. Mister), and Gregg Rolie (Santana and Journey) on Hammond organ and keys. Rounding out the band are drummer Gregg Bissonette and Warren Ham on sax and auxiliary percussion.
Opening with the rockabilly flare of “Matchbox” before launching into the classic “It Don’t Come Easy,” Starr was affable and highly engaged with the audience out of the gate. The format of the “All Starr Band Show” saw a mix of Starr solo tunes, rockabilly classics and Beatles songs interspersed with the hits of each of his bandmates. Starr moved back and forth between his legendary drumset and the front of the stage, where he worked the Paramount audience with funny stories and his irrepressible grin.
Tuesday night’s All Starr band setlist was like the Kool Concert of your dreams but it was not for a minute stuck in the swamp of nostalgia. The excellence of the players that Ringo has collected and the joie de vivre with which they play together made the whole evening feel fresh and exciting. Richard Page’s spot-on vocals for the Mr. Mister classics “Kyrie” and “Take These Broken Wings” were especially and surprisingly powerful. Gregg Rolie, founding member of Santana, also led the band through some of its strongest moments for “Evil Ways” and “Oye Como Va.”
After more than two hours of music, Ringo, festooned in peace signs, took center stage for a sparkling rendition of “Photograph” before closing out the night with a rousing “A Little Help from My Friends/Give Peace a Chance” medley that left the Paramount audience with sore faces from smiling.
At 75, Ringo Starr is a triumph, and not just because of that band he was in when he was younger.
Setlist: Ringo Starr at the Paramount Theatre, 06/28/16
Matchbox
It Don’t Come Easy
What Goes On
I Saw The Light (Rundgren)
Evil Ways (Santana)
Rosanna (Toto)
Kyrie (Mr. Mister)
Bang the Drum (Rundgren)
Boys
Don’t Pass Me By
Yellow Submarine
Black Magic Woman (Santana)
You’re Sixteen
I’m the Greatest
You Are Mine (Richard Page)
Africa (Toto)
Oye Como Va (Santana)
I Wanna Be Your Man
Love is the Answer (Rundgren)
Broken Wings (Mr. Mister)
Hold the Line (Toto)
Photograph
Act Naturally
Help From My Friends/ Give Peace a Chance
