Customer Reviews

The Best of Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band So Far... [VHS]

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I should explain two things before I write this. First, I really hate oldies bands. I really feel that if a performer isn't doing something new he/she should be doing something else. Second, Ringo has always been my favorite Beatle. So whenever Ringo's All Starr Band would come through Chicago, which was every year, I'd shudder, and consider and talk myself out of going. Since I acquired this DVD (and the three CD audio release) that decision has become one of my lasting regrets.

These bands really rock. Not only do these guys rock, they reinterpret these classic rock warhorses and make them sound fresh. Brilliant, inspired playing and singing abound but there are enough wrong notes and miscues to indicate that these bands are not over-rehearsed and that the performances are not overdubbed or corrected. Ringo's voice is best described as refreshingly ordinary, inviting the listener to join in whenever he sings.

Some highlights: Levon Helm, Rick Danko, and Dr. John pass around verses during "The Weight". Felix Cavaliere demonstrates that he's still in great voice in "Groovin'". Peter Frampton demonstrates that all that mid '70's hype was richly deserved. During "Sunshine Of your Love" he tears a hole in the DVD. His playing is fluid, his ideas just flow and his phrasing proves that he's successfully studied the Hendrix canon. He plays well over the solid drumming of Simon Kirke and Ringo and the subtly shifting bass of Jack Bruce (also still in great voice). He follows "Sunshine" with a stunning cover of "Norwegian Wood" accompanying himself only on a twelve string acoustic guitar. His performance alone is almost worth the price of the DVD.

Elsewhere, Randy Bachman rocks on "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet", Todd Rundgren makes "the world get stupid" with "Bang The Drum All Day" and the professorial Gary Brooker leads the talent heavy ensemble (Ringo, Kirke, Bruce, Frampton and Mark Rivera) in "A Whiter Shade Of Pale."

This DVD is rock at it's finest. Despite their advanced ages, the members of these bands still know how to do it. Makes me hope Ringo comes back to Chicago soon.

Hi I just had to write this because I saw several reviews saying, "well, if you're over 40..." Well, me and all of my friends are between 18-28 and our history with the songs are growing up listening to them on the radio: classic rock radio. We know a lot of kids out there who put on classic rock radio to party to, because basically, we have seen and met them at the shows over the years.
For those of us who went to the shows, with our various seats either close up or way in the back, this is an excellent way to relive the memories. For you kids just getting into it, you can see right here that as you age, if you want, you can just keep on getting better. Peter Frampton is still one of the most amazing guitarists on the planet. Jack Bruce's bass solos are mesmerizing. Todd Rundgren, Dave Edmunds, Billy Preston, just LOOK at the song listing for this DVD.
To have Ringo Starr on drums for them all can be a Beatle fan's delight, but it's more of a classic rock fantasy dream - and all the members of the All Starr Band are Beatles fans just like the rest of us. Who would have thought? Now you know. They do justice to Ringo's most well known Beatles songs, too.
For Ringo fans, here you can witness his concert comeback develop from his steady start back on the scene in 1989 thru 2000. Quitting alcohol and other drugs gave us a new and improved Ringo Starr, musician, who continues getting better. Ringo's rendition of his #1 solo hits are straightforward. "Back Off Boogaloo" is a great riff and it gets a near heavy metal treatment. Ringo does his time tested job of keeping the backbeat and doing his "trademark" fills when needed, keeping his presence known in the back while each band member, rock stars in their own right, get the chance to shine.
If you go to see Ringo on tour lately and happen to be impressed by his drum solos and how he drums now, look to this video to see who helped get this, one of THE GREATEST drummers in rock, back on par in the concert scene. Ringo rocks, and his All Starr Band is a must see for anyone into rock music.
Keep on rocking, and I'll see you at the next show.

As the Director of this project, it was our goal to make it as great as possible. When Ringo and I discussed doing a state of the art 5.1 true surround sound soundtrack, based on complete new remixes of all the songs, he agreed immediately! Joel Jaffe of Studio D in Sausalito did great work on the new 5.1 mixes! If you have a surround 5.1 system, you will get more than you monies worth! So, now you can watch these great live tracks, and experience them in true audiophile splendor! We are very proud of this release! Four great versions of Ringo's bands. This is very cool indeed!

This is The Ringo and His All*Stars best, highlighting all of the tours best material from five tours. I was lucky to catch the final group set on this DVD in Mesa, Arizona. I understand that there was so much material to choose from, but I sure wish Ringo would have included Frampton covering his own tunes. Frampton and Bruce do battle with bass and guitar and it's VERY GOOD, but when I saw them, Jack Bruce did a fantastic bass lead break that lasted about 10 minutes. The band had left the stage for water and cool towels. I thought the way the band acted, it was an unplanned break. Evidently, I was right.

If you get a chance to see Ringo, do it! If not, this DVD will pacify you. It is much better than the other Ringo DVDs that are from one tour.

First, this is a GREAT DVD! GREAT PERFORMANCES, GREAT SOUND AND EXCELLENT PICTURE QUALITY! Second, ... review says "he may be "only Ringo" but he's still a former Beatle..."! I take mild offense to that because Ringo's drum beat held The Beatles together musically and he performs his unforgettable, timless Beatles and solo hits masterfully on this DVD! He also demonstrates his prowess and versitility as a drummer on the hits of others in the various versions of the "All-Starr Band"! Image Entertainment, and all involved in the production, did a GREAT JOB with this DVD! Why Ringo's talents continue to be underrated is beyond me! If you are a fan of ANY PERFORMER on this DVD, buy a copy! YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!

Ringo Starr has always been a great showman with his wit and humor. However, Ringo's performances are probably not the reason to consider the purchase of this DVD. For me, it was seeing Felix Cavaliere doing the Rascals' classic "Groovin" and Jack Bruce doing "Sunshine of Your Love" with Peter Frampton. While I never really put "A Whiter Shade of Pale" into my top 50 all time favorite songs, I gained new appreciation for the piece after seeing it performed by Gary Brooker. Some other pleasant surprises were Randy Bachman doing "You Aint Seen Nothin Yet" and Levon Helm doing "The Weight." Ringo's performances were sort of Las Vegas-like---he's generally not playing the drums when he sings but rather is in front of his bandmates with a microphone singing his favorites. I personally hope Ringo continues to put these tours together---some of these bandmembers can still turn out some awsome performances, and the audience seems to always have a blast. "A splendid time is guaranteed for all."

This is really what rock and roll is all about. Dumb, loud fun.

Ringo Starr goes out just about each summer, with a band of old rockers that still (like Ringo himself) have a lot of kick left in them despite the lack of greying hair most of them display. It's not great art (and really, if rock and roll is great art you're doing it wrong) and it's not always letter-perfect, but it's always 2 hours of fun.

For those that don't go to the shows (and honestly, why not?), this generous DVD gives a sampling of the last 10 years of shows. And it's quite a line-up of greats and near-greats: Jack Bruce, Todd Rundgren, members of the Band, Dr. John, Joe Walsh and on and on.

Never, ever are these old boys coasting, they're giving it all they've got on every track. And look, if you're over 40, it's 2 hours of your favorite songs played by the guys that made them hits - and all with the steadiest drummer in the business backing them up.

Rock and roll is supposed to be loud, dumb and fun, and this is that and more - especially since it's clear to the viewer that the bands are having tons of fun doing this.

I wonder how many of today's hot-shots will be able to do this kind of thing in 20 years? These cats have NOT gotten old, and you'll truly enjoy spending 2 hours with Ringo and his All-Starrs.

This dvd kicks serious ass. Simple, straight rock n roll at his best. While Paul has his huge production, Ringo's humble persona turns it around and makes it so wonderful. Ringo as a drummer don't do much these days as he did on the Beatles recordings (Rain, She Said She Said, early BBC's) but songs like Honey Don't and I wanna Be Your Man, sound killer. I agree with another reviewer about Don't Go where the road Don't Go. IT ROCKS!!! Jack Bruce, Frampton, Preston, Walsh, they are at their best. Get this dvd today!!!

Do you wanna feel good? Then this is the DVD. If you are not a Beatles fan, or a Ringo fan...BUY IT. You will love every minute of this DVD if for no other reason than the Jack Bruce-Peter Framton version of Sunshine of Your Love. It will blow you away.

This would have been a great DVD compilation of Hall of Fame rock n' roll talent except it was missing one star that nearly stole the show night after night while they toured thru 1995 and early 96......Grand Funk's Mark Farner was for some reason not included in any of the showcases even though he was a main cog in Ringo's 3rd Allstar installment...He's in the background on some of the tunes of others,but it's still a huge slight to a great fore-runner of the hard rock/heavy metal genre.

It was his face on this tour that helped launch the Mark, Don & Mel reunion of Grand Funk Railroad in 96-98....But for some silly reason, not important enough to make the cut with this DVD production.