It took 12 years, but the Beatle was finally back in Niagara Falls Sunday night. Playing to a sold-out crowd of 5,000 people, Ringo Starr brought his All-Starr Band to the OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino for another stirring night of nostalgia, humour and some pretty solid rock and roll. Starr had previously launched three All-Starr Band tours at Fallsview’s Avalon Theatre in 2008, 2010 and 2012 and this was his first visit since, playing the new OLG Stage for the first time.
For local Beatles fans, it had been far too long. They came out in force, sporting their shirts and jackets and singing every Fab Four tune word-for-word with him. In just two years, the OLG Stage has already seen some legendary names – Billy Joel, Rod Stewart, John Fogerty, etc.
But when there’s a Beatle in the house, it’s another level. You could feel the charge in the air when Starr sat behind the drum kit for the first time on the third song. He was playing along to Toto’s “Rosanna,” but once he started with that familiar lilt of the head, it sent chills.
There’s just something about seeing the drummer for the greatest band in history, doing the things you’ve seen in all those black and white clips. Seasoned fans know the drill with these shows – in addition to his solo stuff and a handful of Beatles songs, Starr plays along with hits from his guests. In this case, they were all players who were part of previous Niagara Falls shows – Steve Lukather from Toto, Colin Hay from Men at Work and Hamish Stuart from Average White Band.
“All of the people in the house, I promise you ...
you’ll know at least one song,” Starr cracked. It would have been nice to see some different faces for Starr’s return to Fallsview, but these are clearly guys he’s comfortable with and who’s songs he knows well. By this point, Starr has played Men at Work’s “Down Under” so often, he could be Australian.
Everyone’s big hits were accounted for, including Average White Band’s irresistibly funky “Pick up the Pieces” and Toto’s crowd favourite “Hold the Line.” Hay even trotted out Men at Work’s “Overkill” for a surprising bonus. Well into the tour, the playing was sharp and the banter on point.
Just before he ripped into “Boys,” Starr said, “I was doing this number before I was in the band you’re thinking of.” Strangely enough, it was “Boys” – a song he has played likely a thousand times – which Starr flubbed. A minute into the song, out of sync with the band, he stopped everything and told them, “You’re all over the place.
” Afterwards, he sheepishly admitted he was the culprit. “I got lost in that one,” he said. “It wasn’t the boys, it was me.
” Cut the guy a break, he turned 84 two months ago. Other than that, everyone was locked in, especially the MVP of these tours for Starr – co-drummer Gregg Bissonette. He does the legwork with a louder and larger drum kit while Starr is in the spotlight.
But with Starr off stage for one song (he was having a “tea break”) Bissonnette tears into a drum solo of rock’s greatest hits, breaking out some Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, Van Halen and even some Rush for the Canadians. Throughout the night, no one was having more fun on stage than Bissonnette and I wonder if Starr would even do these shows without him. With everyone else’s hits are out of the way, Starr ended the show with his solo classic “Photograph” and the Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends,” which included a snippet of John Lennon’s “Give Peace a Chance.
” If you’ve seen him once or a hundred times, it’s still a beautiful send-off – these monumental songs performed by one of only two Beatles still with us. There can’t be many more of these tours still left in Starr, but here’s hoping his long and winding road doesn’t end without another Niagara Falls visit. Set List: 1.
Matchbox 2. It Don’t Come Easy 3. Rosanna 4.
Pick Up the Pieces 5. Down Under 6. Boys 7.
I’m the Greatest 8. Yellow Submarine 9. Cut the Cake 10.
Octopus’ Garden 11. Back Off Boogaloo 12. Overkill 13.
Africa 14. Work to Do 15. I Wanna Be Your Man 16.
Who Can It Be Now? 17. Hold the Line 18. Photograph 19.
With a Little Help From My Friends / Give Peace a Chance.
