On This Day in Beatles History: Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band Live at Luglio Suona Bene, Rome – 4 July 2011

On 4 July 2011, Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band performed at the Luglio Suona Bene festival, held at the Cavea — the open-air amphitheatre of the Auditorium Parco della Musica — in Rome, Italy. It was the 20th show of the 11th All-Starr Band’s 39-date tour of Europe and South America, which ran from June to November 2011. The Rome concert followed a show at the Milano Jazzin’ Festival in Milan the previous day and preceded a run of German and Austrian dates.

What Happened on 4 July 2011?

The Luglio Suona Bene — which translates as ‘July Sounds Good’ — is an annual summer festival held at the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome, one of the most celebrated concert venues in Italy. Designed by the architect Renzo Piano and opened in 2002, the Auditorium comprises three concert halls and the open-air Cavea, a grass-banked amphitheatre that hosts outdoor performances during the summer months.

The 4 July date gave the Independence Day concert an additional resonance, with Ringo Starr — a British musician performing in Rome on the American national holiday — closing the show with ‘Give Peace A Chance’, John Lennon’s 1969 anthem that had itself been released on 4 July of that year.

The 11th All-Starr Band

The 11th All-Starr Band comprised:

• Ringo Starr — vocals, drums, percussion
• Wally Palmar — vocals, guitar, harmonica
• Rick Derringer — vocals, guitar
• Edgar Winter — vocals, keyboards, saxophone
• Gary Wright — vocals, keyboards
• Richard Page — vocals, bass guitar
• Gregg Bissonette — vocals, drums

Edgar Winter is an American multi-instrumentalist and vocalist best known for the 1972 instrumental ‘Frankenstein’, one of the first rock songs to make prominent use of a synthesiser. His brother Johnny Winter was one of the most celebrated blues guitarists of his generation. Edgar Winter’s ‘Free Ride’ and ‘Frankenstein’ both featured in the All-Starr setlist.

Gary Wright was a British-American musician best known for his 1975 hit ‘Dream Weaver’, one of the first pop recordings to be made entirely with synthesisers, with no conventional instruments. Wright had a significant connection to The Beatles’ world: he was a close friend of George Harrison and had played keyboards on Harrison’s All Things Must Pass album in 1970. He also appeared on Harrison’s Living in the Material World (1973) and Extra Texture (1975). Wright died in September 2023.

Rick Derringer was an American guitarist and vocalist who had first come to prominence as a teenager with the McCoys, whose 1965 hit ‘Hang On Sloopy’ reached number one in the United States. He later produced and played on albums by Edgar Winter and Johnny Winter, and had a solo hit with ‘Rock And Roll, Hoochie Koo’ in 1973 — both of which featured in the All-Starr setlist.

Wally Palmar was the lead vocalist and guitarist of the Romantics, the Detroit new wave group best known for ‘Talking In Your Sleep’ (1983) and ‘What I Like About You’ (1980), both of which featured in the All-Starr setlist.

Richard Page was the lead vocalist and bassist of Mr. Mister, the Los Angeles pop rock group whose ‘Broken Wings’ (1985) and ‘Kyrie’ (1985) both reached number one in the United States and both featured in the All-Starr setlist.

Gregg Bissonette is an American drummer and session musician who has worked with David Lee Roth, Joe Satriani, and many others. He has been a regular member of the All-Starr Band across multiple tours.

The Concert Setlist

• ‘It Don’t Come Easy’
• ‘Honey Don’t’
• ‘Choose Love’
• ‘My Girl Sloopy’ (Rick Derringer)
• ‘Free Ride’ (Edgar Winter)
• ‘Talking In Your Sleep’ (Wally Palmar)
• ‘I Wanna Be Your Man’
• ‘Dream Weaver’ (Gary Wright)
• ‘Kyrie’ (Richard Page)
• ‘The Other Side Of Liverpool’
• ‘Yellow Submarine’
• ‘Frankenstein’ (Edgar Winter)
• ‘Peace Dream’
• ‘Back Off Boogaloo’
• ‘What I Like About You’ (Wally Palmar)
• ‘Rock And Roll, Hoochie Koo’ (Rick Derringer)
• ‘Boys’
• ‘Love Is Alive’ (Gary Wright)
• ‘Broken Wings’ (Richard Page)
• ‘Photograph’
• ‘Act Naturally’
• ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’
• ‘Give Peace A Chance’

The 2011 All-Starr Band Tour

The 39-date 2011 tour was one of the most geographically diverse in All-Starr Band history, opening in Ukraine and Russia before moving through Scandinavia, the Baltic states, Poland, the United Kingdom, and Western Europe, then resuming in November for a South American leg covering Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia. The full tour schedule was:

• 4 June 2011: National Palace of Arts, Kyiv, Ukraine
• 6 June 2011: Crocus City Hall, Moscow, Russia
• 7 June 2011: BKZ Oktyabrsky, Saint Petersburg, Russia
• 10 June 2011: Liseberg, Gothenburg, Sweden
• 11 June 2011: Norwegian Wood Festival, Frognerbadet, Oslo, Norway
• 12 June 2011: Værket, Randers, Denmark
• 14 June 2011: Arēna Rīga, Riga, Latvia
• 15 June 2011: Sala Kongresowa, Warsaw, Poland
• 17 June 2011: Hampton Court Palace Festival, London, England
• 18 June 2011: Empire Theatre, Liverpool, England
• 20 June 2011: Symphony Hall, Birmingham, England
• 22 June 2011: Opera House, Manchester, England
• 23 June 2011: Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow, Scotland
• 24 June 2011: Bournemouth International Centre, Bournemouth, England
• 26 June 2011: Palais des Sports, Paris, France
• 28 June 2011: Sportaréna, Budapest, Hungary
• 29 June 2011: Kongresové Centrum, Prague, Czech Republic
• 2 July 2011: L’Amphithéâtre, Lyon, France
• 3 July 2011: Milano Jazzin’ Festival, Milan, Italy
• 4 July 2011: Luglio Suona Bene, Auditorium Parco della Musica, Rome, Italy
• 7 July 2011: Stadtpark Freilichtbühne, Hamburg, Germany
• 9 July 2011: Bospop, Weert, Netherlands
• 10 July 2011: Mitsubishi Electric Halle, Düsseldorf, Germany
• 12 July 2011: Tempodrom, Berlin, Germany
• 13 July 2011: Circus-Krone-Bau, Munich, Germany
• 14 July 2011: Salzburgarena, Salzburg, Austria
• 16 July 2011: Jahrhunderthalle, Frankfurt, Germany
• 17 July 2011: Arena, Vienna, Austria
• 1 November 2011: Auditorio Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
• 4 November 2011: Movistar Arena, Santiago, Chile
• 7 November 2011: Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Argentina
• 8 November 2011: Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Argentina
• 10 November 2011: Ginásio Gigantinho, Porto Alegre, Brazil
• 12 November 2011: Credicard Hall, São Paulo, Brazil
• 13 November 2011: Credicard Hall, São Paulo, Brazil
• 15 November 2011: Citibank Hall, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• 16 November 2011: Chevrolet Hall, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
• 18 November 2011: Centro de Convenções Ulysses Guimarães, Brasília, Brazil
• 20 November 2011: Chevrolet Hall, Olinda, Brazil

On This Day in Beatles History

• Date: 4 July 2011
• Event: Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band performed at the Luglio Suona Bene festival, Auditorium Parco della Musica, Rome
• Tour night: 20th of 39 dates on the 2011 All-Starr Band tour
• Setlist: 23 songs, closing with ‘Give Peace A Chance’
• Band: Ringo Starr, Wally Palmar, Rick Derringer, Edgar Winter, Gary Wright, Richard Page, Gregg Bissonette

Explore More Beatles History

• Ringo Starr: Solo Career and All-Starr Band
• The Beatles Timeline 1956–1970
• George Harrison: Life and Legacy
• Give Peace A Chance: John Lennon’s Anthem

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Ringo Starr perform at the Luglio Suona Bene festival in Rome?

Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band performed at the Luglio Suona Bene festival at the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome on 4 July 2011. It was the 20th show of their 39-date 2011 tour.

Who was in the 11th All-Starr Band?

The 11th All-Starr Band comprised Ringo Starr, Wally Palmar, Rick Derringer, Edgar Winter, Gary Wright, Richard Page, and Gregg Bissonette.

What was Gary Wright’s connection to George Harrison?

Gary Wright was a close friend of George Harrison and played keyboards on Harrison’s All Things Must Pass (1970), Living in the Material World (1973), and Extra Texture (1975). Wright died in September 2023.

What is the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome?

The Auditorium Parco della Musica is a major concert complex in Rome designed by architect Renzo Piano and opened in 2002. It comprises three concert halls and the open-air Cavea amphitheatre, which hosts the annual Luglio Suona Bene summer festival.

Why is Give Peace A Chance significant on 4 July?

‘Give Peace A Chance’ by John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band was first released in the United Kingdom on 4 July 1969. Ringo Starr closing the Rome concert with the song on 4 July 2011 marked the 42nd anniversary of its UK release.

What is the Luglio Suona Bene festival?

Luglio Suona Bene — meaning ‘July Sounds Good’ in Italian — is an annual summer music festival held at the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome. It hosts a programme of international artists across the open-air Cavea amphitheatre during July.