Ringo Starr and His All Star Band concert review: Highland, Calif.

Concert Review

Where: Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel

When: May 28

By George A. Paul

“If you don’t know this song, you’re in the wrong venue,” joked Ringo Starr, as the All Starr Band – Colin Hay, Steve Lukather, Hamish Stuart, Gregg Bissonette, Warren Ham - prepared to perform a totally fun take on The Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends” last night at Yaamava’ Theater in Highland, Calif.

Indeed, the highly entertaining 100-minute set with filled with familiar tunes spanning the 1950s-1980s. Essentially, the highly entertaining concert was all killer, no filler. Besides selections by The Beatles and the legendary drummer’s solo hits, there were pop chart favorites from Hay (Men at Work), Lukather (Toto) and Stuart (Average White Band). Keyboardist/backing vocalist Buck Johnson, known for touring with Aerosmith, Matthew Sweet and others is currently substituting for Edgar Winter.

On May 31, Crooked Boy, the latest in a series of Ringo Starr EPs since 2021, will be released in CD and vinyl editions. Linda Perry (4 Non-Blondes, Cheap Trick, P!nk) produced, wrote and performed most of the four tracks, as Starr made suggestions and added his vocals and drums. The Strokes’ guitarist Nick Valensi guests on rocking highlight “Gonna Need Someone.”

Additionally, Starr is finishing a country album spearheaded by producer/musician T Bone Burnett (Elvis Costello, Elton John, Roy Orbison), which is expected in the fall. For the past few weeks, Beatles fans have been buzzing about the restored 4K version of the long out-of-print 1970 Fab Four documentary “Let it Be” now streaming on Disney+ too.

In Highland, Starr enthusiastically bounded onstage to sing front and center and launched the concert with a rousing take on Carl Perkins’ “Matchbox” (recorded and performed live by The Beatles). The All Starr Band followed with Ringo’s solo hit “It Don’t Come Easy,” bolstered by their group harmonies.

Moving to the drumkit, Starr gave the mic duty to Lukather for “Rosanna,” where Ham managed the high falsetto parts. Lukather played the first of several ripping guitar solos and proved amazing on the extended outro. The crowd gave it a standing ovation. Stuart led the grooving, jazzy pop of “Pick Up the Pieces” and was obviously having a blast. Hay was in fine vocal form during “Down Under,” elevated by multi-instrumentalist Ham’s flute work. The Men at Work leader easily coaxed some audience call and response action.

“Boys,” with Starr on drums and vocals, and his tongue-in-cheek “I’m the Greatest” (written by John Lennon) were early standouts. The latter saw Starr, 83, sing a slightly adjusted lyric as “now I’m way past 32.” Then “Yellow Submarine” turned into a big singalong.

Starr briefly exited the stage for “a cup of tea,” while Stuart led another Average White Band groover, “Cut the Cake,” alongside Ham’s vigorous sax playing. Lukather and Bissonette (an animated drummer), did a musical duel or sorts on bits of classic rock standards.

More fun moments came when Starr returned to do “Octopus’s Garden” and a hard charging “Back Off Boogaloo.” Aside from the legendary Beatles drummer, Hay’s singing was the most impressive of the group, especially during his “Overkill” (the relaxed, moody intro was a nice touch) and “Who Can it Be Now?,” where he had no problem reaching the high parts and got a loud crowd reaction. Toto’s “Africa” benefited from a more tribal than usual rhythm bed, courtesy of the two drummers and Ham on congas.

The Lennon-McCartney number “I Wanna Be Your Man” was pure joyous nostalgia where you could almost picture the screaming teenage female Beatles fans as Starr sang it. Hay rivaled Lukather in the guitar prowess department. But the Toto leader proved his mettle again on “Hold the Line.”    

Finally, Starr’s wistful, sway-worthy singalong “Photograph” and “With a Little Help from My Friends” (complete with Starr doing some jumping jacks) and a snippet of Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “Give Peace a Chance” capped the wonderful evening on a positive note.

Upcoming Tour Dates:

May 29 Las Vegas, NV - The Venetian 

May 31 Las Vegas, NV - The Venetian 

Jun 1 Las Vegas, NV - The Venetian 

Jun 5 Mexico City, MX - Auditorio Nacional

Jun 6 Mexico City, MX - Auditorio Nacional

Jun 8 Hidalgo, TX - Payne Arena

Jun 9 Austin, TX - The Moody Theater 

Sept 12 Omaha, NE – Astro Amphitheater

Sept 14 New Lenox, IL – Performing Arts Pavilion at The Commons

Sept 15 Kettering, OH – Fraze Pavilion

Sept. 17 Washington DC – The Anthem

Sept. 18 Medford, MA – Chevalier Theatre

Sept. 20 Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena

Sept. 22 Niagara Falls, ONT – OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino Resort

Sept 24 Philadelphia, PA – TD Pavilion at The Mann

Sept. 25 New York City – Radio City Music Hall

For more information: ringostarr.com

Ringo Starr and All Star Band photos by Scott Ritchie, courtesy Beautiful Day Media