Live Peace in Toronto

September 13, 2009 1:05 PM

The Toronto Rock and Roll Revival festival was held forty years ago today. Performers included: the Doors, Alice Cooper, Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry. The highlight for many was the appearance of John Lennon. Lennon was backed by the Plastic Ono Band, then comprised of Eric Clapton, Klaus Voorman, and Alan White (w/occasional vocals by Yoko). "We're just gonna do numbers we know because we've never played together before." D.A. Pennebaker filmed it . YouTube videos of Lennon's set: Blue Suede Shoes, Money, Dizzy Miss Lizzy, Yer Blues, Cold Turkey, and Give Peace a Chance.

The Plastic Ono Band's appearance was released as the album Live Peace in Toronto. Video of Lennon and Yoko promoting the album.

Bonus videos from the festival:

Chuck Berry: Hoochie Coochie Man

Jerry Lee Lewis: Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On

posted by marxchivist (11 comments total)

What the hell is Yoko doing at the end of the Blue Suede Shoes clip?
posted by oddman at 1:20 PM on September 13, 2009

Speaking as a huge fan of Yoko Ono's singing, and someone who can appreciate the basic rock that the rest of the band was trying to do, mixing the two together they way they do is a quixotic creative choice.
posted by idiopath at 1:30 PM on September 13, 2009

I don't know if it's available, but Bo Diddley's opening number in the film (over the credits) is ridiculously awesome.
posted by stinkycheese at 1:32 PM on September 13, 2009

Thank you so much for the reminder and the great video posts. Would have slipped my mind.
posted by Matthias Rascher at 1:32 PM on September 13, 2009

Here it is. See if this doesn't get your feet tapping.
posted by stinkycheese at 1:33 PM on September 13, 2009 [1 favorite]

That Chuck Berry clip is fucking amazing. I suddenly understand why rock'n'roll scared the shit out of people.
posted by mullacc at 1:53 PM on September 13, 2009

Thanks for the Bo Diddley clip stinkycheese, that was great.

Here's Chuck doing Johnny B. Goode (with subtitles!) and Little Richard doing Lucille at the festival.
posted by marxchivist at 2:03 PM on September 13, 2009

Chuck Berry makin' merry. Go go!
posted by Afroblanco at 3:48 PM on September 13, 2009

Alice Cooper's Toronto chicken incident
posted by jonp72 at 4:20 PM on September 13, 2009

Could you please add toronto to the tags?
posted by sid at 9:30 PM on September 13, 2009

What the hell is Yoko doing at the end of the Blue Suede Shoes clip?
posted by oddman

Bagism
posted by Daddy-O at 12:34 AM on September 14, 2009 [1 favorite]