If you’re reading this, you’ll probably be familiar with Ringo Starr, the man who played drums with The Beatles from 1962 until their break-up in 1970. Following a successful solo career, he formed Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band in the late 1980s, a supergroup with a constantly shifting line-up that allowed Starr to play gigs with a multitude of his famous friends. Previous band members include Joe Walsh and Peter Frampton, while the current line-up includes the likes of Colin Hay and Edgar Winter.
The current lineup also features Steve Lukather, the sole constant member of the American rock band Toto. This subsequently gave Starr an opportunity to add numerous Toto songs to the All-Starr band’s setlist, as evidenced by a compilation of these tracks recently uploaded online. Showing the band playing on their 30th-anniversary tour, viewers are treated to three of Toto’s biggest hits, ‘Rosanna’, ‘Hold the Line’, and ‘Africa’, all of which sound as fresh and dynamic as the original recordings.
Dressed in a distinctive black and white spotted shirt, Lukather seems to have complete command of the stage and his audience, effortlessly delivering complex but iconic guitar lines, fiery improvised solos, and note-perfect vocals. Also present is saxophonist, percussionist, and singer Warren Ham, who played for Toto for a brief period in the 1980s. His higher vocals complement Lukather’s bass-heavy tones perfectly, while his immaculate saxophone solos are delivered with energy and flourish.
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Another video from earlier in the group’s career, meanwhile, sees guitarist and vocalist Colin Hay take centre stage, performing the instantly recognizable track ‘Down Under’ which was originally released by his band, Men At Work, in 1981. The group certainly does the track justice too; Hay’s voice sounds almost exactly as it does on the original, while Starr and fellow drummer Gregg Bissonette pound out a solid rhythm and keyboardist Edgar Winter adds sufficiently atmospheric keyboards.
From watching these two performances, it’s clear that Ringo Starr and his All-Starr band definitely know how to deliver a show – although, given that the project is centred around an ex-Beatles member, you would arguably expect nothing less. The group’s take on those three classic Toto tracks back in 2019 further evidences their abilities as an animated, accomplished outfit, and is undoubtedly made even better by the presence of the longest-serving Toto member, Steve Lukather.
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