Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band in OK

When I was small, our drive home from church always coincided with the radio program “Breakfast With the Beatles.” I obviously wasn’t paying attention to anything else besides whether or not they played “Yellow Submarine,” because it wasn’t until I started listening to the Beatles channel on XM18 that I discovered about 100 of my favorite songs were all played by the same band, and that another 20 or 30 songs I liked were by members of the band post-breakup, as they pursued individual artistic careers.

“Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band” was founded in 1989 as a supergroup with a shifting membership, but the basic requirement is that each member is already a star in his own right. The fall 2023 lineup includes Colin Hay (Men at Work), Hamish Stuart (“Pick Up the Pieces”), Edgar Winter (“Free Ride”), Greg Bissonette (previously a drummer for David Lee Roth), Steve Lukather (founding member of Toto), and Warren Ham (formerly of both Toto and Kansas). The All-Starrs don’t create new work; instead, they cover each other’s famous top songs.

Although they have come to the area each October for the last several years, this year, I finally bought myself a seat in the mezzanine.

Lucas Oil Live is a brand new 6,500seat entertainment venue located at Winstar Casino, in Thackerville, Oklahoma, two hours from Olney. It hosts a constant parade of top talent. There’s no permanent signage yet, and my mapper didn’t know the venue location, either. So when the portable electric signs encourage you to “go straight ahead” at an intersection, and you’re not sure if they’re sending you down an obscure little wooded road--- yes, you need to go down that obscure little road.

Bag dimensions are restricted, so leave your purse unless you absolutely need a small clutch. Security was plentiful, but although the tickets were entirely on the SeatGeek app, no one actually checked my ticket. Seating, however, is assigned.

The fans were in high spirits. One little girl wore a foam submarine hat. Others were dressed in colorful Sgt. Pepper band costumes or Beatles-themed T-shirts. Some carried flowers and others had posters and homemade signs.

The show started right on time against a kaleidoscopic backdrop. The artists’ talent was incredible. Many of them played multiple instruments, often changing instruments throughout a single song. They collaborated together easily, leading at some times and backing up their bandmates at others. Their energy and enthusiasm were in full force. All the songs were familiar. The audience stood, danced, sang, and clapped as often as they sat and listened.

There was no encore. The show ended abruptly and the house lights came on, clocking in at just under two hours, but feeling like only thirty minutes had passed.

What you get from the All-Starr Band is constantly changing, although all songs chosen will be familiar. At Lucas Oil Live, they played two-thirds of the possibilities posted on the internet, plus one unexpected and unlisted song. But yes, I got my performance of “Yellow Submarine.”