Location: Arena / Vienna / Austria
Concert date: 07/16/2011
Attendance: 5000
Luckily, the brutal heat of the previous week had eased off nicely, so the ride to Vienna, with a few cold beers along the way, was totally bearable and downright pleasant. I was pleasantly surprised by the choice of venue. Arena is basically a somewhat bigger Viennese Metelkova, supposedly built for 3000 people, but by my estimate I can say without exaggeration that there were at least 3500 at Sunday’s show by the legendary Beatle.
Since we got to Vienna in the afternoon, after a quick look at Arena we headed to the center of Vienna, to Stefan Platz. While Helena and I were looking for a decent place for a quick bite, we spotted a banner reading ART OF RINGO STARR hanging from a Viennese balcony. “What the heck is that?” I wondered.
Curious, I wanted to find the entrance right away and check it out, but when I saw two people on the balcony sipping champagne, I gave up on the spot. I figured the exhibition was just being opened.
But when Helena and I turned down the side street next to the building, a big surprise was waiting for us. There was a security barrier in front of the entrance to that building, security guards were of course on hand, and about 200 people were crowded into the street. Put one and one together in a situation like that and there’s only one answer. Ringo Starr himself is coming to the exhibition! And lo and behold, after 20 minutes of waiting, three vans actually showed up. In just under ten minutes, everyone there got a real, honest-to-goodness mini Beatlemania. Truly unbelievable. Being just two meters from a legendary Beatle is no small thing. Only longtime, die-hard Beatles fans can understand that in those ten minutes, something truly wonderful and unforgettable happened to us!
After the mini Beatlemania came the jump back to Arena. Buzzing from our brief encounter with Ringo, we were eagerly looking forward to his show too. Arena was filling up slowly but surely. That’s when it struck me how badly the culture of showing up for a gig is lagging in Slovenia. Most people there drag themselves in ten minutes before the show. Vienna can be a great example for us on that front. Shortly after eight, Ringo and his All Starr buddies sauntered onto the stage. As always, Ringo picked nothing but aces for his band. Besides the leader, the Ringo Starr All Starr Band in 2011 is made up of: Wally Palmer (ex The Romantics), Rick Derringer (ex The McCoys, Edgar Winter), Gary Wright, Richard Page (ex Mr.Mister), Gregg Bissonette (ELO, David Lee Roth, Joe Satriani) and the legendary Edgar Winter.
I can easily say that Ringo’s performance isn’t just a concert but a proper musical event that takes the audience through the history of all popular music from the sixties onward. From Carl Perkins’ Honey Don’t (one of Ringo’s idols growing up), through a bunch of Ringo’s solo hits, Kyrie and Broken Wings by Mr.Mister, or rather by that band’s bassist and singer Richard Page, and of course loads of songs from Edgar Winter, Gary Wright and Rick Derringer, plus Wally Palmer, that is, The Romantics. Oh, and of course a certain band in which the leader of the All Starr Band drummed and sang decades ago. I’m talking about the mop-tops from Liverpool, The Beatles.
Two hours flew by, way too fast. My first Beatles-related concert ended better than I could ever have imagined. After a show like that, I can’t even imagine what it would be like if John and George were still alive. Sadly, they’re not. But Paul is still with us. I hope he shakes his way over to Europe as soon as possible. On the way back to Ljubljana we were all of one mind… if not sooner, we’ll definitely see each other at McCartney’s show.
Setlist
1.It Don’t Come Easy
2.Honey Don’t
3.Choose Love
4.Hang On Sloopy
5.Free Ride
6.Talking in Your Sleep
7.I Wanna Be Your Man
8.Dream Weaver
9.Kyrie
10.The Other Side Of Liverpool
11.Yellow Submarine
12.Frankenstein
13.Peace Dream
14.Back Off Boogaloo
15.What I Like About You
16.Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo
17.Boys
18.Love Is Alive
19.Broken Wings
20.Photograph
21.Act Naturally
22.With a Little Help from My Friends
23.Give Peace a Chance
Photo Gallery
