Went to the Carson Daly taping with Kris Tash, who already told you her story. Best part for me was the end. They had separated the audience into three lines when we got upstairs to the studio. As luck would have it, despite being near the head of the line downstairs and some of the first people brought upstairs, me and a few of my friends were put in the back row...last ones in on the floor level. BUT...this story has a happy ending. Before seating us the staff said that even though were were in the back for the interview, they would bring the two back rows up front for Ringo's music segment.

True to their word, they brought us directly down the center aisle, in front of the people who had been in the front row for the interview, right in front of our Starr.

Great night!

Hi Steve,

I was one of the fortunate ones to attend the "Last Call" taping with Ringo Starr. Just an added note of thanks to the "Last Call" staff. Many of us faithfully waited in line for most of the day, only to find ourselves pushed back by some of the late comers. As we watched the masses being seated, before us, many of us wound up in the last two rows of the audience. The staff promised that although we were in the back of the audience, we would be brought up to the front when Ringo sang. True to their word, the last two rows were ushered up to the front. I could not believe my good fortune to be able to be just inches away from Ringo as he sang his beautiful tribute to George. It was a spirited crowd and a special moment, I'll never forget. Cheers to all my "new" friends from the second to the last row.

Update II (3/25/03) Several reports -- and note ... these have spoilers. The first is from Kristen Tash:

Hi, Steve,

I was lucky to be in the audience with Patti M. and the rest of our gang for the Carson Daly show. Here is a report for you!

Well, Ringo was just wonderful!! As always, he was just delightful to see, in great form, and he sounds just superb!! Typical TV show crap beforehand, tho... We had to wait in this long hallway on the mezzanine level, where we arrived fairly early, around 4:30. The tix said to be there by 5:45. Anyway, this hallway had no air, and the sound of all these talking people just bounced and echoed off the walls. NBC should be ashamed of itself for making people wait like that!

Anyway, then they checked us in and passed out the tix based on those emails they sent us. Then we had to go thru metal detectors, then up an elevator only to stand in yet another line! When we got upstairs in these elevators, they split my friend, Marie, and I off to stand in a separate line from the rest of the gang, even tho I kept trying to tell them we were together. It ended up that Marie and I were in the 3rd row in the studio and the girls were about 4 rows behind us. So strange! I don't know what that was all about.

Anyway, on to the important part! Ringo was on first. Carson Daly came out and did an intro and he was just like blown away that Ringo was gonna be on his show! He kept saying that Ringo was probably supposed to be on Conan and made a wrong turn in the building! He also said we were definitely not his "typical audience," and asked if we'd stay to tape 3 or 4 more shows!

Then he introduced him, and out he came, in tight blue jeans, a dark t-shirt and a jacket over that. I can't remember if Carson hugged him or just shook his hand, but they sat down in these 2 chairs at the front of the stage (it was actually the Saturday Nite Live studio in disguise!). He was facing me, so I had a beautiful view of him, and he looked great, healthy, smiling, with the inevitable dark sunglasses!

First question was how it felt to come to America and arrive in NY, and they flashed a picture on the monitor of the 4 that was from like '65 or '66! (duh!) Ringo talked about them arriving back from the tour of Sweden in '63, and Ed Sullivan being at the airport to witness the crowds of screaming fans, and Ringo said he said "I better book them!" He said arriving and flying over NYC was the most exciting experience of his life, that the whole flight over, there was just excitement building in the plane. (The way he said it was so funny, I hope they don't edit it out!)

He talked about the Anthology (the date this will air will be the release date), and he was funny, saying that they put it out on video, and he thought, ok, that was it, it's ALL out there. Then he said he got a phone call, saying, "We've got more Anthology!" And he was like, "MORE Anthology??" And he joked that there was this clone group out there recording all this stuff that they'd keep putting out! I don't recall him talking specifically about the extra footage.

They talked about the success of the "1" CD, and he said even they were surprised at how successful it was. Carson asked him if he and Paul would record together again, and he said they probably would, but that they always appear on each other's records anyway. Then he said Paul was busy putting on his great show, and he was busy with his great show!

He talked about recording the song for George, and how it started out including John and Harry, and how they then had to go back and make it just for George because it got "too muddy."

During the commercial breaks, they were playing Beatle songs, and he kinda of "drummed" along with them with his hands, it was so cute!! He exchanged a few words with a couple people in the front row, and was smiling and joking. There were these 2 young girls up in the balcony, and they all of a sudden let out this huge scream! He kinda jumped and looked like "what the hell was THAT??" But then everyone started laughing, and he looked up at them and smiled and waved! (During the intro, when this producer kid came out to talk about what would happen, he took questions, and these girls asked if they could scream! Talk about born too late!!)

Then they introduced that Connie Neilsen chick...she's in some movie with John Travolta. Ringo gave her a big hug and she said she was so excited, that "of course" she was a big fan. He sat down on the couch next to her, and was kind of flirting with her. Carson (I keep wanting to call him Conan!!) said "Oh, you saw her in 'The Gladiator,' and Ringo said "Oh yea," and kinda rolled his eyes!! So you know he was putting them on! She said her heart was beating so fast sitting by him, and he moved over closer. Then she said something after, (talking about beating up her fellow actors in this movie or something) and he moved away from her! I was just looking at him the whole time, and thinking, he's gonna catch me just staring at him, but who cares about this girl!!

After that, they set up the stage for the band to perform, and they brought the last couple rows down to the front, so there was a crowd in front of the stage. They sang "Never Without You," and his voice just sounded superb! He played the star tambourine toward the end of the song. Then they did "With a Little Help." It was wonderful!! Looked to me like they'd have played another one if asked, but they shooed them off the stage at the end of the song!

It was just so much fun, and as usual, I came away with that marvelous euphoric feeling! I can't wait for the tour to start! I do hope they don't edit too much out of the program when it airs. April 1 is the air date, but we're not sure if that's the nite of the 31st going into the 1st, or the 1st going into the second, so check both to be sure!

Take care!
Kris

Hi Steve, I made the taping of Last Call with Carson Daley with Ringo as the special guest, along with actress Connie Nielson who's in the new John Travolta movie. The show was taped on the Saturday Night Live set at NBC in NYC. Everyone was very excited, especially two screechy young girls up in the balcony area. During the pre-show setup, selections from 'Abbey Road' and 'Beatles 1' were played on the sound system to the audiences' delight. Carson Daley came out and thank the crowd for being there and said how exciting and how cool it was to have Ringo there. The taping started and Carson introduced Ringo who got a HUGE cheer from the audience. Ringo was very funny and cute during his interview, mugging to the camera and waving at the fans. He talked about The Beatles first visit to America, his new cd 'Ringo-Rama' and the Beatles Anthology DVD. Throughout the interview he was very warm and funny, pointing at familar faces in the crowd and always acknowledging and waving at the fans.

In between tapings while the crew was setting up the next shots, 'Come Together' played on the sound system and Ringo 'air-drum' his bit in the song, which the crowd loved. Just before the taping resumed, one of the girls in the balcony couldn't stand it any longer and screeched out "RINGO!!!!". Ringo looked up startled at first, and when he heard the audience laugh he sussed out the situation and smiled and waved to the excited fan in the balcony, who enthusiastically waved back. Carson introduced Connie Nielson and she gave Ringo a big hug. Carson asked her how she felt sitting next to a Beatle, and she said was very excited. Carson asked was there any wish she would like from Ringo, and Connie answered saying he already fullfilled it by hugging her, to which Ringo smiled and gave her another hug. Ringo stayed sitting next to Connie during her part of the interview, making little faces and keeping everybody in stitches.

After Connie Nielson's portion of the show was done, the crew started to set up the instruments for the Roundheads to perform. They also cleared some of the front seats the audience in the front rows could stand near the stage while Ringo performed, I fortunately was on the floor level! The Roundheads came onstage lead by Mark Hudson and Ringo, and then the cameras started rolling again and Carson introduced Ringo and the band and they launched into Ringo's tribute to George 'Never Without You' from the Ringo-Rama cd. The crowd clapped and sang along and it was an exciting moment to hear Ringo perform this loving tribute to George live. After the song and a short break, Carson introduced Ringo and the Roundheads a final time and they performed 'With A Little Help From My Friends', the crowd again clapping and singing along.

Soon the taping was over and Ringo smiled and waved to the enthusiastic audience before being ushered out. Me and my friends left the NBC studios and decided to head to the FYE Record store which was nearby to see if anyone was online for Ringo's record signing the next day, and I wasn't surprised to see that there were about 5 fans already there in lawn chairs ready to camp out for the night! I know there'll be more by the time of the signing. All in all, a wonderful Ringo moment was had by all.

Last Call with Ringo will air on April 1st.

What a great show! I was at the taping of Last Call with Carson Daly last night (3/24), and it was AWESOME! Ringo, as usual, seemed laid back during his interview and totally jammed during his two song set. Ringo and The Roundheads played "Never Without You" and "With a Little Help From My Friends". The band sounded fantastic! And tonight, the CD signing! I can't wait...

Thanks to your site I was able to experience this once in a lifetime mini-concert. Also, thank you for doing the back up research to confirm Ringo's taping last night!

Thought i'd give your site a report on the taping of Carson Daly yesterday. There were some truly fanatic fans present, including a couple of ahrieking and sobbing teenage girls doing their best to resurrect the heyday of Beatlemania. While we were waiting for the show to start, the DJ played lots of Beatles tunes and the audience clapped along.

We got maximal Ringo content on this show as Ringo first did an interview, then staye on stage to kibbitz and hug the actress they interviewed, and finally performed two songs.

First was "Never Without You" - Ringo's "Starr" tambourine fell to the floor early in the song, but he swept it up without missing a beat to shake it in time with the guitar solo. This version seemed a little more lively than the Tonight show version last week.

Between the songs the DJ played Come Together for the studio audience, and Ringo's drummer had fun drumming along with Ringo's parts on the record.

Second song was "A Little Help From My Friends" - fun as always and a great wrap up to my first up close encounter with Ringo.