Not a monkee, but an incredible simulation ;-) I saw Ringo!!!!!! in concert, in Gulfport, Mississippi on Friday! I went with my brother Glen and his daughter (my niece) Sarah. They picked me up at work at 3:00, and we had a lovely 2 hour drive to Gulfport, with Sarah (who just got her learners' permit) driving part of the way. Took a wrong turn and drove to Biloxi. Turned around and found the Grand Casino just to the right of where we turned left (it runs in the family) Found the ticket office and tried to upgrade our seats. No go, as I'd gotten them thru ticketmaster. Grrr. The guy said I'd have no problem seeing the eight foot high stage. He was dead wrong on that count. As soon as someone sat down in front of me, I couldn't see anything but head. The audience was up and down the whole show. Great, I thought. I won't be able to see anything. hrumph! But, as it turns out, the woman I was seated next to & I wound up standing next to the wall, where we had a fabulous view I was really glad I brought my binoculars. I alternated dancing--with no one behind me and trying to stand still to look thru the binocs. (it's really hard, looking through binoculars while moving) First, we ate at the buffet. Ate like 3 little piggies. Then, having an hour to kill, we hung out in the kids' arcade, where I had a lot of fun playing pinball, and watching Sarah beat Glen at air hockey Then off to the show. Found our seats. Went out to merchandise and bought myself a stuffed bear wearing a Ringo tour t-shirt. Then back to my seat. Then back to merchandise to buy Sarah a Ringo bear. THen back to my seat.... Show started at 9:00. Ringo was dressed in a purple jacket with yellow flowers, jeans and tennis shoes. He started with 'It don't come easy' and one from his new cd "Memphis on my mind' (I think). Then sat down at the drums and introduced the All Starrs. There followed a 'round robin', with each of the band doing one of their own songs. As is standard with me, I couldn't tell you which songs were done when. Earlier in the day, Tony tried to tell me who the rest of the band was, and where I'd know them from. I couldn't make the connections. But as the evening wore one, I found I did indeed know most of the songs. Colin Hayes did 'the Land downunder' and no, I can't tell you any of the other non-Ringo songs done. (I really need to find a set list) Sheila E. really lived up to her reputation as a fantastic drummer! I was really impressed. During her set, she was drumming, & Ringo was drumming, and she chanted: "who's the funky drummer in the house?" with the audience responding "Ringo!" over and over. It was great. He was grinning from ear to ear (one of the joys of binoculars) Other songs I remember: he did "Boys" "I wanna be your man" "Yellow Submarine" "Don't pass me by" "Photograph" "You're sixteen" (which was *my* song when I was 16, so it has a special place in my heart... though having a 63 year old singing: "You walked out of my dreams, and into my car; now you're my angel divine. You're 16, you're beautiful and you're mine"-- can be just a bit creepy if you *really* stop to think about it ;-) But I don't) & "the No no song" He left the stage while the rest of the band did "Here comes the sun", then returned to do "Never without you" , his tribute to George from his new cd. I cried. I couldn't help it. At one point in the show, I swear he smiled right at me and waved 8-) I saw it through my binocs! He did, he smiled and waved *at me*! He finished with "With a little help from my friends" (natch) A full 2 hour show. Absolutely fabulous! fantastic! Wow! One more 'lifelong dream vome true'! Big, happy grin. I had a blast.