Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Old Rockers Never Die

Last night we went to a great concert ... Ringo Starr and the All Starr Band.

Ringo's toured over the last ten years with performers from different groups (in the past ... Peter Frampton, Sheila E., etc.) to sold out audiences around the country.

This year's song line up included:

It Don't Come Easy / Honey Don't / Choose Love / Hang On Sloopy (Rick Derringer) / Free Ride (Edgar Winter) / Talking In Your Sleep (Wally Palmar) / I Wanna Be Your Man / Dream Weaver (Gary Wright) / Kyrie (Richard Page) / Other Side of Liverpool / Yellow Submarine / Frankenstein (Edgar Winter) / Peace Dream / Back Off Boogaloo / What I Like About You (Wally Palmar) / Rock N Roll Hoochie Koo (Rick Derringer) / Boys / Love Is Alive (Gary Wright) / Broken Wings (Richard Page) / Photograph / Act Naturally / With A Little Help From My Friends into Give Peace a Chance.

Great music and great to hear a bunch of old guys hit the high notes ... hey ... Ringo is 70 this week.

After the concert I ran into my old friend Johnny Green who invited us to the "meet and greet" ... to see some of the guys. Actually I ran into Johnny in the bathroom as I was standing in front of the urinal ... always an uncomfortable position to have a conversation ... especially with the 10 other urinals filled with guys wondering what this guy behind me was whispering.

The reason Johnny was whispering was because some guy at the far urinal was yelling: "Hey ... Johnny ... Johnny ... can you get me upstairs? Huh? Cmon man .... take me with you to see the band."

There's always one in the crowd ... a guy who has to be in on the action. All the other guys now were now gathering close by as Johnny whispered to me: "Follow me when you're finished."

I sheepishly headed out the door and followed Johnny upstairs. In my mind I kept seeing the urinal guy getting stopped at the door whining ... "You don't understand ... I'm a friend of Johnny's ... really ... he meant to give me a pass ... I'm supposed to be here." He probably had a couple of women trailing behind that he tried to impress. I'm sure they quickly picked up some other guy who had credentials.

And the "meet and greet"? Well ... All the "rockers" went home pretty early with their families ... and us? We left early too. We're just like the old "rockers" ... the kind with the chairs that go back and forth.

5 comments:

Bossy Betty said...

So cool!!! It sounds like a blast!

kcl said...

OK, now I'm jealous, or would be jealous if I didn't have a fabulous NO trip planned for the National American Bridge Championship. Oil-slicked, hurricane ridden, city of our dreams, never say die, old New Orleans in late July - no need for saunas as they happen every afternoon at 3:15. Did you go to City Park to see the Beatles in '64 ?

joel said...

@Betty ... It was a blast.

@kcl ... Yes I did see them in '64 at City Park. Great concert ... Have fun in our town. Let me know how it went. Good luck.

Toni said...

I love all those songs and those old guys too! Thanks for sticking the song "Dream Weaver" in my head... it is officially my Song for Saturday. Glad you had a good time. I'm a bit jealous :)

joel said...

@Toni ... Gary Wright's voice was as clear as ever. You can join us next time.

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