Anfield Liverpool Sound concert report 18

Update (6/1/08, 2:18 PM ET) After introducing it by saying, "Here's another place around here," he started "Penny Lane," then stopped after someone made a mistake, then started it again, to the great approval of the crowd.

Anfield Liverpool Sound concert report 7

Update (6/1/08, 4:15 PM ET)

Paul McCartney was just introduced as "Sir Paul Mildred McCartney". The man who introduced him mentioned some of the people he's played with, including Stevie Wonder, Rupert the Bear and the Beatles. The first song is "Hippy Hippy Shake."

The BBC apparently has the set list and one of the songs is said to be "In Liverpool," a bonus track from the "Liverpool Oratorio" DVD.

Anfield Liverpool Sound concert report 3

Update (6/1/08, 1:30 PM ET) BBC Radio Merseyside says it had been raining, but the rain has stopped. One announcer described conditions as "sticky."

With a little help ...

This was one tough week for our boy Ringo Starr. First, the home folks in Liverpool get mad at him for a comment that, in retrospect, was probably more jocular than anything else. But when you've got people who want to be remembered by one of their own who left the nest, you get some reaction when people feel they aren't appreciated. A lesson learned for Ringo, we're sure.

Gee whiz, the guy just dedicated his album to the city, practically. But, at the same time, Liverpool was different when Ringo was there and he's moved on. Liverpool is loved by people all over the world because of Ringo and his three famous friends. Like family feuds often do, this one will end sooner rather than later. There's too much history here between the two parties. Remember, folks, all you need is love.

As for the Regis Philbin dustup, that was a stupid move on the part of producer Michael Gelman, who really should know better. You don't treat someone like Ringo Starr like you treat Cindy Starlet from some half-baked network sitcom. We're wondering why Regis didn't run interference here? In the end, though, Ringo came out smelling like a rose and that Gelman guy came out looking like one of those little piggies crawling in the dirt.

If you're one of those folks trying to get Ringo's name in the papers, you did better than you expected.

On the other hand, though, did you notice how the Paul McCartney divorce case has vanished from the gossip pages, at least for the moment? You think Paul's enjoying the moment's rest?

The Ringo-Regis incident

The full story is out. Ringo walked off a scheduled appearance on "Live With Regis and Kelly" because
of what the Associated Press called a miscommunication between his publicist, Elizabeth Freund, and the show's musical director on the length of the song he was to perform. The show said it had to be 2 1/2 minutes or less, Freund told The Associated Press.

The AP reported Freund said Starr tried to cut about a minute of the song's 4 minute, 15 second length down to 3 minutes and 30 seconds, but it wasn't enough.

"We offered to cut back our chat time and asked them to fade or go to commercial. They were not willing to do that and Ringo was not willing to cut it further, so without a compromise we were not able to stay," Freund said in a statement to The Associated Press. "Ringo left saying, 'God bless and goodbye. We still love Regis.' "

A spokeswoman for "Regis and Kelly" told the AP the show's producers tried to work with Starr, noting his appearance had been booked since November and the time requirement for the song -- the show's standard -- had been expressed numerous times.

Gee, this trip hasn't gone the best for Ringo, has it? And isn't it Paul who usually gets the negative press?