It's been 20 years since I last attended a Ringo's "All-Starrs" concert, but I think I went out on a very high note. Joining the Beatle on the 1992 tour were Todd Rundgren, Dave Edmunds, Joe Walsh, Burton Cummings, Timothy B. Schmit and Nils Lofgren. This year's "All Starr Band," includes Gregg Rolie, Steve Lukather, Richard Page (of Mr. Mister), Mark Rivera, Gregg Bissonette, and once again, Mr, Rundgren.
Meh.
I have a friend who swears by all of these shows, and I'm sure he's been to every one since the first in 1988. I won't dispute the fun factor. But, hearing the '92 guys harmonize on songs like The Guess Who's "No Time" and Poco's "Keep On Tryin'" is a tough card to trump with with 2012's line-up. Does it matter really who harmonizes on "Broken Wings?" And as great as it was to hear Toto's "Hold The Line" on the radio, it wasn't Steve Lukather who sang it.
I could go on, but why? I'm sure there are plenty of Mr. Mister, Toto and Gregg Rolie-era Santana fans who would think this year's band is better than '92's. (They'd be wrong, but...)
I'm happy Mr. Starkey continues to go out on the road with friends, but unless he upgrades to a new operating system, his "All Starr Band" will start to resemble the cast of "Cannonball Run 3."
Realistically...who could be part of this 2012 line-up that would equal the '92 line-up? Our favorite legends are getting older...or worse. Think about this. If you could build this roster for a tour, who would your five be...realistically?
KEEP ON TRYIN'
NO TIME
7 comments:
Geez -- I saw them way back I-don't-know-when at the old Garden State Art Center (when you could still have a good time there!) You could hear from outside, had that huge lawn area . . . pre PNC. Great musical memory! That was when any and every NJ event came with the obligatory: "Bruce is here!" Only thing different about this one was he was! Did the encore, maybe Twist and Shout announcing that he could finally do it with the original drummer (Long Tall Sally?!?) Band included Billy Preston and Joe Walsh (maybe) Memory does not serve me here . . . I will certainly stand, or sit, corrected on any and all counts . . . except Holmdel, it was definitely in Holmdel!
I saw this iteration of the All-Stars on a whim and was pleasantly surprised. The highlight was Burton Cummings and the low light was Todd doing Black Mariah. I forgave him for "Bang on the Drum ..." as it was sort of appropriate but he could have done one of his pop hits in keeping with the tenor of the show.
Nice way to kick off Song of the Day as I had never heard this track and enjoyed it immensely. I think You Tube links are appropriate.
The thing about the All-Starr band is -- should it start to reflect 80's musicians or not? Has he run the gamut of 60's-70's acts that might come out? (And, admittedly, I'm too lazy to find out who has toured with him throughout the years...)
Would you see it again if the line-up included:
Billy Squier, Marshall Crenshaw or Donnie Iris on guitar?
Colin Moulding, Suzi Quattro or Bruce Thomas on bass?
Marky Ramone or Andy Strumer or Peter Criss on drums?
Flo & Eddie, Marty Balin or Rachel Sweet as backing/spotlight vocalists?
Rick Wakeman or Keith Emerson on keyboards? (Eric Carmen and Roger Hodgeson already toured with him once, right?)
Actually, I can see a number of these combinations as being fun enough to drag me to a state fair to see a show with some of them...
Paul Kantner! Buck Dharma! Bill Berry/Mike Mills (what do they have to do now?) Mick Taylor. Mike Nesmith(!) Jeff Lynne (!!!) Jane Wiedlin. Johnny Rivers (whatever happened to him?) Ian Hunter? The bass player/singer from Night Ranger?
Man, I could come up with some dream configurations all day...
Shriner,
I'm pretty sure Ian Hunter did it once, maybe twice.
Bless you for that "No Time" clip.
As for Mr. Mister or however it's spelled -- I'd prefer a new edition of the Spanish Inquisition, as the song goes.
:-)
Ian Hunter did do it once.
Nowadays it'd be a great way to see some decent artists together at a great venue but the line up has just deteriorated.
The people who used to be on it are now on a sort of nostalgia tour for themselves or have found a way to tour cheaply on their own.
I don't care really, I have Wrecking Ball ,and it's ace.
Kinda of a drag, especially as Rings will be turning 72 (!) during the tour and how many does he really have in him? Shouldn't these line-ups be getting better, as it were?
I'd love to see Glen Tilbrook there (but I'd love to see Glen Tilbrook anywhere).
To charlie c: I too was at that Garden State art Center show and while memory is also hazy, I specifically remember Springsteen doing "Get Back" with Billy Preston with, get this, John Candy on tambourine. You can't make that up.
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