There was no irony Friday night at Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay when Ringo Starr sang the factually accurate line “I’m only 72” during “I’m the Greatest,” a song his fellow former Beatle John Lennon wrote for him back in the early 1970s. That in itself is a major accomplishment, especially considering that the original line was “I’m only 32” when “I’m the Greatest’ appeared on his 1973 solo album, “Ringo.”
More impressive, if not astonishing, is the fact that – near the conclusion of his nearly two-hour long performance with his latest All Starr Band – the improbably lean Starr was energetically doing jumping jacks on stage as he sang the chorus of “With a Little Help From My Friends,” before seguing into a snippet of the late Lennon’s perpetual anthem, “Give Peace a Chance.”
A senior citizen apparently residing in a teenager’s body, Starr sang or drummed (and sometimes did both together) on all but one of the 24 numbers performed at Friday’s sold-out concert. He did so with irable spunk throughout. Of course, sharing lead vocal duties with Todd Rundgren, Santana alum (and former Poway resident) Gregg Rolie, Toto mainstay Steve Lukather and Mr. Mister veteran Richard Page enabled the former Mop Top to pace himself, at least when it came to his singing.
“How many of you were here two years ago?” Starr asked the capacity audience of 1,400, at least some of whom had indeed attended his 2010 show at the same Shelter Island venue. “I love Humphrey’s.”
Then, looking out at the many fans who had gathered in the adjacent marina on all manner of seagoing vehicles, he joked: “You (money-) tight bastards! You can afford a boat, but not tickets.”
Friday’s concert was an improvement over his 2010 Humphrey’s show, in part because the loosey-goosey Starr seemed to enjoy himself more and because of the addition of Rolie and Lukather. Both performed energetically on favorites by Santana (“Evil Ways,” “Everybody’s Everything”) and Toto (“Africa,” “Hold the Line,” “Rosanna”). Rolie also sang “Black Magic Woman,” an early Fleetwood Mac song that became a worldwide hit for Santana and lived up to the magic part of its title (since Starr disappeared from the stage while it was performed).
The former Beatle mixed Fab Four favorites, including “Boys,” “Don’t Me By” and “Yellow Submarine,” with such solo hits as “It Don’t Come Easy” and “Photograph.” He also included two fetching songs, “Wings” and “Anthem,” from his most recent solo album, this year’s “2012.”
“I’d like to thank the one person who bought it,” he said, before doubling that estimate.
As Starr has often acknowledged, he will never be considered a great singer and his vocals offer enthusiasm in place of range and nuance. But he delivered out his opening number, the Carl Perkins rockabilly rave-up “Matchbox,” with unmistakable joy and conviction, two qualities he sustained for the rest of the show.
His dual drumming with former David Lee Roth/Maynard Ferguson sticks man Gregg Bisonnette was rock solid throughout, free of frills and flash, and perfectly in the pocket. So were his well-timed quips, especially those that he appeared to think up on the spot.
“I love you anyway,” he told a fan who attended the concert wearing a Rolling Stones T-shirt.
After singing his first solo composition, “Don’t Me By,” which appeared on the 1968 double-album “The Beatles,” he playfully praised his song craft. “I gotta tell you,” Starr said to the audience. “(When) I wrote those incredible lyrics – “You were in a car crash and you lost your hair” – I thought: ‘S—, yeah, that’s gotta be right!’ “
Equally endearing was his introduction to “Yellow Submarine.”
“Love, love, love is in the air and I think it’s really peace and love,” he said. “It’s coming in with the breeze – all the ‘alcohol breath’ from the people on the boats.”
If Starr gets any younger as he ages, it’s possible that – at his next Humphrey’s show in another year or two – he’ll follow his concert-concluding jumping jacks with a victory lap around the bay.
