JOHN LENNON & THE PLASTIC ONO BAND: LIVE IN TORONTO '69 - DVD review

I'm sure I don't have to explain who John Lennon was or how he was a member of one of the greatest and most successful rock bands of all-time, the Beatles. Nothing lasts forever though and the group eventually went their separate ways. Still, their impact on pop culture can still be felt today despite being thirty years removed from the height of Beatle-mania. "The Simpsons" have made numerous references to the group and their work while MTV Games will soon be releasing the hotly-anticipated Beatles version of "Rock Band."

On September 13, 1969, the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival was held at Varsity Stadium packed with an audience of about 20,000 people. Organizers were able to book an all-star line-up of performers that included Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bo Diddly, Chuck Berry, Alice Cooper, and the Doors who were the headlining act. Organizers had hoped to the Beatles would be able to play, but the band declined. However, John Lennon was interested and his set during the festival marked the first time a Beatle would strike out on his own. Taking place only weeks before the release of Abbey Road, the Beatles' final album record, the Toronto Revival also signaled the end of an era. Lennon along with his wife, Yoko Ono, formed the first incarnation of their Plastic Ono Band, a nebulous title associate with whatever musicians were on hand. In this case, the band included bassist Klaus Voorman, drummer Alan White, and Eric Clapton on guitar. While the actual concert was twelve hours in length, this film (originally released under the title, "Sweet Toronto") focused mainly on Lennon's set. The film itself was directed by D.A. Pennebaker who also documented the Monterey Pop Festival as well as directing concert films for diverse artists such as David Bowie, Bob Dylan, and Depeche Mode.

The DVD opens with a brief interview with Yoko Ono who discusses the origins of the Plastic Ono Band and how they got the name. The answer to the latter involves a bizarre story about Yoko wanting to form a band of plastic boxes. The film gets off to a rousing start with Bo Diddley ripping through a performance of his eponymous hit, "Bo Diddley." The song is intercut with backstage footage of the other artists as well as Lennon's arrival via motorcade. From there, we watch Jerry Lee Lewis singing "Hound Dog" and Chuck Berry with "Johnny B. Goode." Next, Little Richard (sporting the pompadour to end all pompadours) tickling the ivories with an excellent of "Lucille."

As Lennon and his associates take to the stage, the former Beatle simply notes they're just going to play songs that they know. The Plastic Ono Band hadn't done any rehearsals and really the whole idea was a very spontaneous deal. Lennon's set included several cover songs as well as a few new numbers. Lennon begins with Carl Perkins' "Blue Suede Shoes" followed by Barrett Strong's "Money (That's What I Want)," which the Beatles had famously covered on their second album, With the Beatles. Next comes "Dizzy Miss Lizzy" and a song off the Beatles' White Album, "Yer Blues." Lennon rounds out the night with two singles that would be released under the Plastic Ono Band banner, "Cold Turkey" and "Give Peace a Chance." Unfortunately, that is not the end. Things literally end on a sour note when Lennon utters the dreaded words, "Yoko is gonna do her thing now." I'm sure Ono is a very nice lady, but she should not be within a million miles of a microphone. Ono provided back-up vocals earlier in the night, sounding like a starving seal begging for a sardine. Even that was a trying experience, but her lead vocals are beyond the pale. We are subjected to Ono's wretched warbling against grinding guitar feedback on the final two numbers, "Don't Worry Kyoko (Mummy's Only Looking for Her Hand in the Snow" and "John, John (Let's Hope For Peace)." If there is anything good to be said about this horrid performance, there are at least some priceless looks on the face of Eric Clapton as Yoko screeches into her mic. All I have to say is, John must have really, truly loved this woman.

VIDEO:
The film is presented in fullscreen and the age of the material shows. Colors come off rather bland.

AUDIO:
For a concert film, the audio is a more important aspect. The DVD contains two tracks one in Dolby Digital 5.1 and the other in stereo 2.0. While they may not be reference material, the sound is rich and makes the music even sweeter.

EXTRAS:
None. The DVD counts an interview with Yoko Ono as a bonus feature, but this is actually a prologue to the actual concert piece.

FILM VALUE:
For music fans, "John Lennon & The Plastic Ono Band: Live in Toronto ‘69" is a pretty historical event. It is the only filmed footage of the Plastic Ono Band in a live performance. Not to mention it marks the end of the Beatles and the beginning of Lennon's solo career. Lennon isn't completely on his game, but his vocals and guitar are still solid and make his set more of an impromptu jam session. Hey, Lennon on an off-day is better than most of the generic pop that makes the rounds on the radio these days. However, the short nature of the film (less than an hour) and the lack of extras make this more of a rental than a purchase. Just make sure to hit eject before Yoko does her thing.