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Each member of Western society is a Beatles fan to some degree, and for even the most casual Beatles enthusiast I would highly recommend a concert featuring the great Sir Paul McCartney. Further, I join the entire planet (including even the most subtle of Beatles fans among us) in lamenting the fact that none of us can ever enjoy another live performance by either the remarkable John Lennon nor the transcendent George Harrison. Sigh.
On the other hand, I would go out of my way to recommend that only the more enthusiastic Beatles fanatics out there consider shelling out upwards of $200 a ticket to go see Ringo Starr. Being one, I’m happy I did, but the musical heathens out there should be wary.
June 15th, 2012 was my second time seeing Ringo and his All-Starr Band, and while this was reason enough to drive in from Ottawa (Ringo was, after all, a real live Beatle) the trip would have another very special bonus feature going for it.
I have seen a few shows at Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls and I quite like the venue. It’s a nice theatre in a pleasant casino that features a stunning view of Niagara Falls from the terrace. Ringo’s show got moved up by two hours* so I got to the theatre shortly before 7pm.
Apparently Ringo still gets terribly nervous before he goes onstage; he’s been known to vomit while waiting in the wings. Because of this he always runs onto the stage to start a concert. Otherwise he claims he might turn around a walk back to his dressing room. On this night he ran out and launched into Matchbox, a song I used to play with my old band The Gutterboys.
Of course Ringo did several of his signature numbers including Yellow Submarine and Act Naturally, but part of the fun of seeing his All Starr band is hearing songs that made his sidemen famous. This time around Ringo’s All-Starr band was almost entirely different than the show I had seen eleven years earlier. For this concert the sidemen included Steve Lukather, Richard Page, Todd Rundgren, Gregg Rolie, Warren Ham, and Gregg Bissonette. Just like last time everyone in the band gets to lead two or three songs so we heard Evil Ways by Santana, Kyrie by Mr. Mister, the biggies from Toto and plenty of other FM radio hits.
In all it was a rip-roaring fun show top-to-bottom, and as soon as the last note landed the place cleared out in a hot minute. Y’see, the reason the concert had been moved ahead was so everyone could go outside in time to watch Nik Wallenda attempt to cross Niagara Falls on a tightrope.
The daredevil had been planning his stunt for years and had finally acquired approval and TV interest. Fan of spectacle that I am (not to mention free entertainment) I was over the moon when I found out Wallenda’s attempt would coincide with the Ringo show.
The shore of the falls was packed with thousands and thousands of onlookers. I got there about fifteen minutes before Wallenda began his crossing and easily jockeyed through the huge family-oriented crowd, finding a really good spot with a great view straightaway. Wallenda started his slow-mo journey across the wide chasm and I stared and squinted at the little brave hovering speck hoping fiercely that he wouldn’t attempt any fake falls or crazy tricks to jazz things up. He didn’t, instead delivering a performance that was slowly, almost glacially exhilarating, like watching Evel Knievel jump the Snake River Canyon in a rocket powered by cold molasses. One must not be in a rush when crossing one of the deadliest Wonders Of The World on a wire, even if one is contractually tethered to the high-wire for the safety and security of the millions watching at home.
Watching him take slow measured step after slow measured step I had to wonder if this sort of thing isn’t really quite easy once you get the hang of it. Perhaps, but how many truly get the hang of it? It takes a steady vigilance and deep concentration not to mention fast, calm reflexes and a mile of confidence. Lacking the correct balance of those elements and just like that, you’re no longer a high-wire daredevil.
As steadily and stoic as a human statue, Wallenda slowly made his way from the United States to Canada, his passport tucked into his tights. Then, after holding my breath for his entire twenty-five minute crossing (metaphorically, at least), I joined the rest of the crowd in letting out a pent-up gasp of relief when Wallenda finally made it to solid ground unscathed, having cheated death (or at least the embarrassment of having his life saved by the safety tether) utilizing just his nerve and a wire. It was similar to the thrill one might get from a NASCAR race that ran without any accidents whatsoever.
I wonder what Ringo thought of the whole thing?
*By which I mean the show was shifted to begin two hours earlier than originally scheduled. For those not in the know: believe it or not some people take “moved up” to mean that the event was moved to a later time. If you are one of these weirdos then your argument probably centres around the agreed-upon fact that moving “back” in time means traveling to an earlier point in our history. And while that is correct, you are not.
So get with the program and start showing up for those rescheduled meetings, would you?
Todd Man Out 