Zak Starkey, son of Beatles legend Ringo Starr, made his debut at Liverpool’s iconic Cavern Club with Northern supergroup Mantra of the Cosmos on Sunday, 67 years after his father’s debut.
The band’s setlist featured eight original tracks, including the only two that have been released, in ‘X (What You Sayin?)’ and ‘Gorilla Guerilla’, both released in 2023. The performance was the debut of ‘Domino Bones (Gets Dangerous)’, their exclusive vinyl-only single penned with Noel Gallagher, which could only be bought at the shows.
Gallagher’s involvement with the track led to speculation that he could play alongside the band, with fans and even an Oasis podcast taking to X to question whether he would show up. In the end, Gallagher didn’t turn up, leaving the lead singer from support act Keyside to fill in on backing vocals on the new track.
No sign, Liam from Keyside stepped in for Domino Bones. Met Digsy though! — Richard Bowes (@rbmusicwriter) January 20, 2025
The rest of the set was packed with high-energy performances of original songs, with tracks like ‘Put The Boot In (Evil Mother Fucker)’ and ‘Flash Dragons (Beast From The East)’ making their live debut, and possibly hinting at an upcoming album. Either way, Gallagher’s brother, Liam, made his opinion of the band known, saying “[they’re] out there”.
There out there
— Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) January 19, 2025
Starkey also took part in a separate show with the Cavern’s own Beatles tribute band. Speaking about the experience of drumming Beatles classics, Starkey said: “We set up two kits and we double drummed the Beatles show. It was amazing because I was shitting it. I’ve never been nervous in my life – I’ve been on stage since I was 12 years old – but it’s holy music.”
The drummer also used the opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges facing grassroots music venues. With funding for small venues dwindling, Starkey highlighted the disparity between investment in large arenas and the neglect of smaller spaces: “It’s alright spending billions on great big arenas like they have in Manchester, but no one’s looking after little venues… great big arenas are great for big, boring bands but they’re not for upcoming bands.”
The issue of funding for grassroots venues is currently under review by the UK government, with a voluntary £1 levy to be added to tickets for shows at arenas and large-scale tours. The funds will be distributed by a new charity which will ensure funds will be directed where they are needed most.
Meanwhile, Ringo Starr has also been busy with new music, recently releasing his album ‘Look Up’, which sees him return to country music after 50 years. Supporting the album, Ringo performed two shows at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on January 14 and 15, making it a busy week for the Starkey’s.
Ringo Starr joined on stage by Jack White, Billy Strings, Emmylou Harris, Sheryl Crow, BRENDA LEE and more at the debut of his new country album, “Look Up” at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville tonight pic.twitter.com/DI4NDxkwVO — Justin Barney (@JBarney) January 15, 2025
Starkey’s comments about grassroots venues underscored how vital they are for acts like Mantra of the Cosmos. In contrast to massive arenas, small stages foster creativity and help artists connect directly with fans, be that through intimate performances or exclusive releases.
