Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band recently rolled into The Filene Center at Wolf Trap on a weekday, and the joint was packed like it was a Saturday. People came early. And I don’t mean “caught the last half of the opener” early — I mean tailgating-with-folding-chairs-at-4:30pm early. Parking lot beers, lawn chairs half buried in the muddy grass, coolers full of “summer water,” couples slow-dancing to Spotify Beatles playlists from a Bluetooth speaker duct-taped to a stroller. It felt like a gathering of the faithful. Or maybe a class reunion where everyone brought the best version of their younger self out of retirement for one night.
So here’s the thing: It never stops being weird and wonderful that Ringo Starr is still out here doing this. It really doesn’t. He walks out with that little bow-legged swagger, flashing those peace signs like he invented the emoji (which he basically did), and the crowd just melts. Like—you can feel people’s eyes widen just because there he is. A real, living, breathing Beatle. Not a tribute. Not a hologram. Ringo.
There’s something otherworldly about Ringo Starr’s energy, too. He’s 84 now, if you can believe it — not that you’d guess it by looking at him. The man radiates joy. Not forced stage energy or that “I’m only here because Live Nation booked it” vibe. Just casually up there waving and beaming like your favorite uncle who never aged past 1969. This was the kind of joy that bubbles out of your bones when you’ve lived a life louder than the rest of us can imagine, and you’re still thrilled to share it.
At Wolf Trap on June 17, the band kicked things off with “Honey Don’t,” and it was immediately clear this wasn’t going to be some low-energy nostalgia cruise. The band was locked in. Ringo’s voice is still very much intact. That playful, behind-the-beat thing he does when he sings—it’s still charming as hell. And you can’t fake that grin. You can’t rehearse joy like that. Either it’s real or it isn’t. With Ringo, it’s always real.
Stream “Honey Don’t” by The Beatles on YouTube:
Let me back up a second, because part of what makes these shows tick is the rotating cast of absolute monsters behind Ringo. His All-Starr Band is less like a backup group and more like a musical Justice League. This year’s lineup was stupid good. The whole thing felt like an old-fashioned traveling show with a dozen ringmasters taking turns under the spotlight. That’s the beauty of the All-Starr format: Everyone’s a headliner, and no one acts like it.
The somewhat permanent recent crew?
• Steve Lukather from Toto. Still a beast on guitar, still somehow underrated.
• Colin Hay from Men at Work. God-tier storytelling voice. Also surprisingly funny.
• Hamish Stuart, formerly of the Average White Band. That bass tone gave the whole set that undercurrent of groove — like everything was sitting in the pocket just because his bass said so.
• Gregg Bissonette behind the kit, and let me tell you — this guy makes you forget there’s even a second drummer up there.
And yet… Ringo’s still the gravitational center.
It wasn’t just a support group. This was an ensemble in the truest sense. They didn’t just play their hits; every tune had that lived-in feel that only happens when musicians know each other’s instincts better than their own.
Every song in the set was a hit. Literally. That’s not hyperbole. Every track had someone behind you whispering “Oh my god, I love this one” to their date. And the cool thing is, the show’s not just a nostalgia cruise. It’s structured like a mixtape your cooler older cousin made in 1982 — a little Beatles, a little FM radio gold, a couple surprises, and not a single weak link.
Song No. 3 was “Rosanna” by Toto and honestly, it should’ve been illegal to play it that early in the night. That groove dropped and the place shifted. I mean it. You could feel people’s necks snap into rhythm like someone had flipped a switch. Lukather’s solo? Immaculate. That song doesn’t age — it just kind of glides through time.
And speaking of gliding, Hamish Stuart’s “Pick Up the Pieces” came next, and you could practically smell the polyester. There was a little chaos. A little strut. A whole lot of funk. You could tell half the lawn crowd didn’t even know they knew that song — but they did! Somewhere deep in their bones, probably from the last time they were drunk at a wedding.
Then came Colin Hay with “Down Under” by Men at Work. The flute. The bounce. That sneaky political bite wrapped in beach party vibes. Along with “Overkill” and “Who Can It Be Now?” it was like he was hosting a block party in your backyard. His voice has held up better than most from that era — warm, raspy, conversational. When he sang “I come from a land down under,” I swear half the audience raised their beer cans like it was our national anthem.
Stream Colin Hay singing “Down Under” by Men at Work with Ringo Starr and His All-Star Band in 2019 via YouTube:
Ringo didn’t wait until the end to start pulling out the heavy hitters. By Song No. 8, we were all singing “Yellow Submarine” at the top of our lungs like we were five-years-old and it was story time at daycare. It was silly and perfect. And it’s always struck me that, of all the Beatles, Ringo got the songs that somehow aged the best. Not the trendiest. Not the deepest. But the ones that still make people smile without asking why.
When “Octopus’s Garden” rolled in, it felt like we all collectively dropped our guard. Like sure, it’s a kid’s song. But it’s also a lullaby for people who’ve been tired since 1986. When he sang, “We would be warm below the storm,” I swear the air shifted. It got warmer. Softer. Up next was “I’m the Greatest,” which always sounds different when he’s the one singing it. Written by Lennon, sung by Ringo, covered by… basically no one else, because no one else could. It walks that perfect line between self-deprecation and swagger. And it’s earned. Ringo can say that line with a wink because there’s nothing left to prove. He was great. He is great. And we all know it.
“Look Up” and the “No No Song” brought some needed breathers — songs you could half-listen to while sipping your overpriced beer and looking at the trees. That’s the beauty of Wolf Trap. Even when you’re not staring at the stage, the music wraps around you. Bounces off bark. Settles in leaves. It’s never just “happening.” It’s inhabiting the space.
And then Toto’s “Africa” happened. Oh boy. If you’ve never heard thousands of people drunkenly try to harmonize “I bless the rains down in Africa,” you’re missing out on one of life’s finer communal disasters.
“Hold the Line” came near the end of the set and if you’d told me Toto would be the surprise MVP of the night, I might’ve laughed. Steve Lukather’s tone was like maple syrup through a Marshall stack. Thick. Sweet. And sharp enough to pierce straight through your denim jacket.
Then came Ringo’s “Photograph.” It’s always been a bittersweet song, but live? From Ringo? With George’s ghost hovering somewhere just outside the floodlights? Some songs hit your ears. This one hits your history. Every breakup. Every funeral. Every dusty frame on your dresser. It’s all there, tucked into that melody.
Watch a video of Ringo Starr performing “Photograph” live on YouTube:
And then Ringo followed it with “Act Naturally,” just to remind you that pain doesn’t last. That there’s always a punchline waiting. That you can still tap your toe even when your heart feels full and sore. Ringo talked to the crowd, but not too much. Gave props to each bandmate. Made a few jokes about being “the luckiest drummer alive” and laughed like he actually meant it.
The band closed with “With a Little Help from My Friends,” of course. The crowd swayed. Phones stayed in pockets for once. People weren’t trying to “capture” the moment. They were in it. It was one of those rare communal spells where you actually feel connected to every soul around you. Not because of ideology. Not because of fashion or politics or algorithms. Just music. Shared music. Loud music. Played with love and sweat and some damn fine rhythm.
When it was over, Ringo grinned and threw up those peace signs one more time before heading offstage. The lights stayed up just long enough to let you see people wiping their eyes and laughing at themselves for it.
And that was it.
If you weren’t there, I’m sorry. I really am. Because for about two hours in the woods outside DC, a crowd full of grown-ass adults believed in magic again. Just a Tuesday night at Wolf Trap with a living Beatle and a band of legends.
And maybe, just maybe, we all got by with a little help from our friends.
Setlist
1. Honey Don’t
2. It Don’t Come Easy
3. Rosanna
4. Pick Up The Pieces
5. Down Under
6. Boys
7. I’m the Greatest
8. Yellow Submarine
9. Cut the Cake
10. Octopus’s Garden
11. Look Up
12. No No Song
13. Overkill
14. Africa
15. Work to Do
16. I Wanna Be Your Man
17. Who Can It Be Now?
18. Hold the Line
19. Photograph
20. Act Naturally
21. With a Little Help From My Friends
Here are some photos of Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band performing live at Wolf Trap on June 17, 2025. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Michael Sprouse/Odd Rocker Photography.
