It Don't Come Easy!

On The Beatles and Anthology.....

"Let's put it this way: We had our best year, ever, last year. We knew 'Anthology' would do well, because The Beatles do well every year. And this was special. But, certainly, we were all surprised at how well they did."

"I think, for the record, there's no more sort of Beatles stuff to come, unless we have the outtake outtake outtakes. But we have no plans, the three of us, to work together."

"For me, (working on Anthology) was beautiful because I was hanging out with George and Paul. Although we hang out (in pairs), it's very seldom the three of us hang out. And it was great to hang out again, because only the three of us really understand what it was like."

When they said to me, 'And when you played Shea Stadium the second time...' I said "What? Did we play it twice?' We'd sort of forgotten. And then, separately, they interviewed George about the second time we played Shea and he said "What? Did we play it twice?' I guess because the first time was such a huge thing that, after that, it was all gravy."

Ringo Rocks Universal Amphitheatre!

Once again Ringo Starr put together a collection of great musicians for his 4th All Starr Band. Although this band isn't as large or have quite the depth of his past All Starrs, they still put on a wonderful show. It's one of those concerts that just makes you smile for two hours straight. While Dave Mason would have rounded out the group, he was hardly missed.

On May 3, at the nearly sold out Universal Amphitheatre, Ringo sang many of his most popular numbers including Yellow Submarine, The No No Song, Photograph and It Don't Come Easy. Jack Bruce led the band in covering Cream classics White Room, Sunshine of Your Love and I Feel Free. Gary Brookers voice is as powerful as it was the day he recorded Conquistador and Whiter Shade of Pale. He is also impressive on keyboard.

While it's obvious the members of Ringo's band are all true professionals who love making music, Peter Frampton was the real standout. He's lost none of his talent, although he has lost much of his hair. On White Room and Sunshine of Your Love I think he outdid Clapton's original work. On Photograph he put his own stamp to what was classic George Harrison. Of course he really shined during his own numbers. He seemed to be touched that the crowd gave his songs such a heartfelt response.

Simon Kirke the drummer from Bad Company and Free got the crowd going as well with All Right Now and Shooting Star . Ringo wasn't shy in allowing Simon to take the lead drummer role most of the night. Mark Rivera who works with numerous bands is a really talented musician who fills in all the blanks, especially keyboard and saxophone.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment is that Ringo still has not sung Octopuss' Garden on any tour. It's hard to imagine why. It's a good song and most Beatle fans would enjoy hearing it.

Finally, the opening act was a 15 minute set by Eric Stuart. He is kind of a Cat Stevens/Harry Chapin cross who's easy style helped the crowd relax and get ready for the night of hits.

RICK
RBandKB@msn.com

It All Comes Easy
For Ringo In San Diego!

It's hard not to like a Ringo concert. With enough smiles and memories to soften even the hardest cynic, a Ringo concert is a nostalgic trip back to a time when going to a concert was a time to party, dance and sing along. And while today the audience is more likely to sip a chardonnay than pass a joint, Ringo still reminded them how to have a good time.

Playing before a sold out crowd of 2,000 at an outside venue overlooking beautiful San Diego Bay, Ringo and his All-Starr Band brought the crowd to their feet song after song, faltering only for moments and then picking it up again. I doubt that anyone left without a smile after singing along to the encore With A Little Help From My Friends, a song that sounded amazingly just like The Beatles!

"I never liked The Beatles", a man behind me said who had come just to see Frampton, "but this is alright!" he added. Like a Beatle album, Ringo snuck a tune in here and there to lighten to mood and continue the good time party atmosphere. He sounded best on the two McCartney penned numbers, Yellow Submarine and With a Little Help From My Friends, but approached "Las Vegas Lounge Show" territory with a campy version of Boys and a rather uninspired version of I Want To Be Your Man. Sad that he chose the arrangment of the later to be more "pop" than the rockier Beatle version. I was hoping for a sizzling cymbal and head shaking version that he did so well so many years ago.

Peter Frampton, who looks nothing like the blonde rock star we all remember, clearly had a number of his own fans there who cheered and danced through Show Me The Way. Only after a too-long version of Do You Feel Like I Do? where he sang through his "talk box" guitar effect did many of remember why we got so tired of Peter in the '70s. Posturing to the crowd and asking them to sing along on virtually every number was charming at first, then irritating by the end. Peter obviously was taking a nostagia trip himself, back to the days when he played sold-out stadiums.

Musically, Gary Brooker stole the show with A Whiter Shade of Pale. An unassuming keyboardist who looks more like your old college professor than a rock star, he again and again breathed new life into his classic songs. Conquistador still is ringing in my ears days after the show.

Jack Bruce on bass covered the Cream classics and did a credible job of reproducing the sound and vocals of the originals. Frampton's guitar sounded remarkably like Clapton on these tunes. Only on "With A Little Help.." did Bruce falter, hitting a few wrong notes of the melodic McCartney bass lines. But on every other song, Bruce's bass playing was a real standout and an impressive show in itself.

So go if you have a chance. If you were there the first time these songs were hits, you won't be disappointed. And if you are a new fan, well, how often can you see an ex-Beatle these days?

Did you see Ringo? Then send me a review of the show and I'll print it! Submit at Comments.

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