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RINGO STARR OPENED HIS 2026 TOUR IN TEMECULA — AND ONE MAN ON STAGE STOLE THE ENTIRE SHOW. Seeing a former Beatle live — that’s the kind of thing that sits on a bucket list for years. Paul McCartney came through Palm Desert and the moment slipped by. So when Ringo kicked off his 2026 All Starr Band tour at Pechanga on May 28 — missing it was not an option. The man is 85. Eighty-five years old. And up there with him — Steve Lukather from Toto, Colin Hay from Men at Work, Hamish Stuart from Average White Band. But the one nobody could stop watching? Warren Ham. Tenor sax. Lead vocals. Harmonica. Flute. Alto sax. Keyboards. Percussion. All of that — one guy, one night. He’s played with Toto and Kansas, and onstage he made everyone forget anyone else existed. And Ringo? Still cracking jokes, still running the show, still having the time of his life at 85 with zero signs of slowing down. Thirty-seven years of All Starr Band tours and the man still makes every night feel like pure, legendary fun.

Ringo Starr Opened His 2026 Tour in Temecula, and Warren Ham Quietly Became the Star of the Night

Seeing a former Beatle live is the kind of experience that can sit on a bucket list for years. For many fans, it becomes the show they keep meaning to catch, the one they talk about whenever another tour rolls through town. So when Ringo Starr opened his 2026 All Starr Band tour at Pechanga in Temecula on May 28, this was not a night to miss.

That feeling in the room was immediate. Ringo Starr, now 85, walked onstage with the easy confidence of someone who has spent a lifetime doing exactly what he loves. The crowd came expecting classics, memories, and a warm kind of musical time travel. What they got was all of that, plus one unforgettable surprise: a band member who kept stealing attention in the best possible way.

A lineup built for musicians and fans alike

The All Starr Band has always been about chemistry, and this tour lineup gave the audience plenty to admire. Steve Lukather brought his sharp guitar work and familiar rock edge. Colin Hay added his unmistakable voice and relaxed charm. Hamish Stuart brought his smooth, seasoned presence. Together, they made the stage feel like a celebration of different eras and styles sharing one spotlight.

But on this night, the person many people could not stop watching was Warren Ham.

Warren Ham turned versatility into the highlight

Warren Ham did not just play one role. He played many. Tenor sax. Lead vocals. Harmonica. Flute. Alto sax. Keyboards. Percussion. It was the kind of multi-instrument performance that makes you keep leaning forward, wondering what he would do next.

He has already built a strong reputation through his work with Toto and Kansas, and onstage in Temecula, he looked completely at home. Each song seemed to give him another chance to shine. Instead of blending into the background, Warren Ham became one of the clearest reasons the evening felt so alive.

Sometimes the biggest surprise in a concert is not the name on the marquee, but the musician who makes every moment feel larger than expected.

Ringo Starr still knows how to lead a room

What made the night even better was Ringo Starr himself. At 85, he was still cracking jokes, keeping the mood light, and guiding the show with the same easy humor that has always made him beloved. There was no sense of routine or fatigue. Instead, there was joy.

That has been part of the magic of the All Starr Band for 37 years. Ringo Starr does not just perform a set list; he creates an evening that feels personal. He makes a large room feel friendly. He makes legends feel approachable. And somehow, after all these years, he still looks like he is having the time of his life.

A night fans will remember

For anyone in Temecula that night, the concert was more than a tour stop. It was a reminder that great live music still has the power to surprise. Ringo Starr delivered exactly what fans hoped for, but Warren Ham gave them the unexpected twist that people will keep talking about long after the lights went down.

In the end, that may be the real gift of a Ringo Starr show in 2026: the legend remains the center of it all, but the night always leaves room for someone new to steal your attention. In Temecula, Warren Ham did exactly that.

 

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