Ringo Starr at Harrah’s Stir Cove, Council Bluffs, IA, USA August 23 2019.
The show was at capacity with about 4,000 people.
What they were treated to was a night of hit songs delivered by the best cover band touring. Ringo and His All Starr Band featured members of Toto, Santana, Men at Work and the Average White Band. And, The Beatles.
For two hours, the band worked through its many hits. That included “Don’t Pass Me By” and “I Wanna Be Your Man,” but also “Black Magic Woman,” “Rosanna,” “Pick Up the Pieces,” “Evil Ways,” “Who Can It Be Now?,” “Africa” and “Oye Como Va.”And those songs were done by their creators — Steve Lukather, Hamish Stuart, Gregg Rolie, Colin Hay, each also incredibly talented musicians.
“Every one of you in the audience will know at least one song,” Ringo said.
After taking the stage to sing “Matchbox,” “It Don’t Come Easy” and “What Goes On,” which Ringo said was the only song credited to Lennon-McCartney-Starkey (a credit he felt should be reversed), Ringo stepped behind the drum kit and pounded out the beat for his colleagues’ songs.
In fact, the only time he didn’t play drums was when he was singing lead, and he definitely spent more time with the sticks than he did with a microphone in his hand.But when he did, the audience absolutely came alive.
When Ringo did his versions of “You’re Sixteen” and “Act Naturally,” they were excited.When he did his hit song “Photograph,” they sang every word. But when he came back to the front of the stage to sing “With a Little Help From My Friends”,It was the moment they waited for all night, and it was a spectacular thing to behold: A cool night, beloved icon and everyone there united by the song.
“Thank you, thank you!” Ringo said, as he did many times that night. “Peace and love!”.