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 Caught in the Carousel - Music Reviews and More
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Ringo Starr
Live at Soundstage
Koch Records
The Genessee theatre in Waukegan, Illinois doesn't quite pack the same punch as Wembley Stadium or Madison Square Garden when you're talking about live shows, but that's where the "Live at Soundstage" series was recorded, and that's okay I suppose, even quaint, but after hearing this CD a few times, I was compelled to wonder why Ringo would authorize this release. It seems at best, a bit slapdash. The amateurish cover art gives it a bootleg appearance and the sound quality of the fourteen cuts is decidedly poor especially since it purports to have been recorded at a Sound Stage (isn't that where they record sound for movies? Hmmmm…). Things take a turn for the worse when, at the end of the set, Ringo informs the crowd that he won't be leaving the stage to wait for an encore, he'll simply assume there will be one and stay where he is. Was he too tired to leave the stage and return? Was he afraid the audience would get up and leave? Whatever the situation, why would Koch include that bit in an already challenged collection? Live At Soundstage includes a bunch of old favorites: "With a Little Help From My Friends," "Don't Pass Me By," "Yellow Submarine" and "Octopus's Garden." It's enough to keep a Ringo fan happy but overall it's a bit of a disappointment.
--Yvonne Prinz
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