Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band Perform at Heinz Hall; Mountain Playhouse Opens ‘One Slight Hitch’ (Wed., 9/19/18)

1) Richard Starkey was born in the Dingle neighborhood of Liverpool, England on July 7, 1940. After growing up as an often sickly child in a poor neighborhood with divorced parents, he once again found himself recovering in a hospital. The hospital encouraged everyone to play in a makeshift band with whatever instruments were available. Young Richard grabbed a soft mallet and started banging on a hospital pan. He found his vocation and would be drumming from then on, even after family and friends gave him other instruments to try. He would become a highly accomplished drummer and joined up with three other Liverpool lads named John, Paul, and George who had a band and were looking for a new drummer. He was by then known as Ringo Starr (he reportedly garnered the nickname because of all the rings he wore. Starr came from his reluctant drum solos which he called starr time).

As we all know the Beatles achieved massive success and Starr had his moments to shine on songs like “Yellow Submarine,” “Octopus’s Garden,” and “With a Little Help From My Friends.” After the break up of the Beatles he went on to solo success with several top ten hits including “It Don’t Come Easy,” “Back Off Boogaloo,” and “Photograph.” Starr always seemed to find good drumming gigs including with the John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, two George Harrison albums and The Concert for Bangladesh, and additionally The Band’s Last Waltz. Readers of Rolling Stone magazine voted Starr as the fifth-greatest drummer of all time in 2011. His latest album, Give More Love, was released last September. His former bandmate, Paul McCartney, contributed to the record. 

Since 1989 Starr has occasionally toured with his own super group of ever-changing musicians, Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band. Members, too numerous to mention, have included his son Zak, Todd Rundgren, Joe Walsh, and Ginger Baker. Not only is Starr a legendary drummer, but also a fun and charismatic personality. He brings his latest iteration of the All-Starr Band to Heinz Hall. 8 p.m. 600 Penn Ave., Cultural District. (RH)

Ringo Starr perfoming with his All-Starr Band in Paris in 2011. photo: Jean Fortunet.

2) ONE SLIGHT HITCH by Lewis Black. Yep, the playwright is that Lewis Black. Except here, the comedian has departed from his usual obscenity-filled rants to give us a romping romantic comedy about a wedding where things go wrong. 2 and 7 p.m. Continues thru September 30, Mountain Playhouse. 7690 Somerset Pike, Jennerstown. (MV)

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