Live Peace In Toronto 1969

Let’s be honest. Side One (Lennon) is superb. Side 2 (Yoko) is at best of historical interest. Yoko has done far better than this. This is Yoko at her most violently avant garde and it grates on the ears. She would find her mark with later albums, in particular on ’Approximately Infinite Universe’ (1972) and ’Feeling The Space’ (1973) and of course later on the wonderful ’Double Fantasy’ sessions. But here she is just annoying I am afraid.
But so to Side One. Here we hear Lennon in front of a live audience for the first time since the Beatles’ last tour of 1966. He is altogether a different animal. He sings a riveting version of Carl Perkins’ ’Blue Suede Shoes’, a really heavy and magnificent version of ’Money’ so that it is a different song altogether. There follows loud and slightly ragged versions of ’Dizzy Miss Lizzy’, ’Cold Turkey’ and the White album track ’Yer Blues’. They had after all only rehearsed for this concert on the plane on the way over to Toronto. There is also a spirited version of ’Give Peace A Chance’. So most of all this is historical document. Lennon…in concert….without the Beatles. Quite an event in itself.
But it is this Side One from Lennon which makes this album memorable. And even then we have to put up with intrusive yelps and screams for Yoko on these Lennon numbers. Which are completely misjudged. Don’t get me wrong. I am a big Yoko fan both of her music and her spirit. But here she is just intruding. And is seemingly completely unoblivious to the fact.
So this album is somewhat frustrating. To either buy or to listen to. But, at its best, for me for example on the heavy version of ’Money’ which runs rings around its 1963 Beatles’ recording, it is utterly brilliant. Almost worth 4 stars, but reduced to 3 on account of Side 2 I am afraid.
And what happened to the free calendar?

'Live Peace in Toronto' features the famous august 1969 show given by Lennon and an ad hoc Plastic Ono Band including Eric Clapton, Klaus Voorman and Alan White, notable as being the first solo performance by one of the Beatles before their break up. This is also the only one of the four early Lennon albums you're likely to play more than once. Given they hadn't rehearsed much the band play well, especially on the oldies ('Blue suede shoes', 'Money', 'Dizzy Miss Lizzy'), which are enjoyable. The then-new Lennon numbers ('Cold turkey' and 'Give peace a chance') sound half-finished, however, and don't add much to the single versions you may know - hearing GPAC on this concert makes you realise it's only a fragment of a song really. The Yoko numbers, originally conveniently tucked away on the B-side of the album, aren't really songs but noise manifestations. The extensive CD booklet is a 1995 calendar with nice photos and John and Yoko quotes. Altogether, this is only a half-enjoyable album with mainly historical value. But, since it starts out agreeably, this album is ideal for subtly letting your guests know it's time to go home: by the time they have sat through a couple of minutes of the first Yoko track, they'll probably reach for their coat. If you're truly interested in what this show was like, the Lennon DVD 'Sweet Toronto' is a much better bargain: it's much cheaper than this album, includes footage of the whole POB show PLUS some good rock 'n' roll tracks by Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Little Richard, and a small Yoko documentary.

Recorded in September 1969 at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival concert, this really is a truly remarkable live album. The original vinyl had Lennon /Plastic Ono Band on side one and Yoko /POB on side 2. Yoko's material at this point in her career is an acquired taste and not my cup of tea at all. Focussing on Lennon, tracks 1 -6 are the best example we have of him in concert (easily surpassing the 1972 New York concert). Apart from performing Yer Blues with Clapton at the Stones Rock and Roll Circus in December 1968, the band had literally never played together, apart from a quick rehearsal on the flight over. The fact that this totally unrehearsed band powered its way, without a hitch, through fantastic versions of Blues Suede Shoes, Money, Dizzy Miss Lizzie and Yer Blues, is a miracle. Is there another live album so potent from a band who had never played together before?

As always Lennons vocals are sublime. The incendiary version of Money, especially, outstrips the 'With the Beatles' version. Listening to the concert will dispel the myth that he wasn't much of a guitarist. He may not have been the greatest technician, but for pure primal feeling, which is really what its all about, he got the job done brilliantly. Listen to Yer Blues as a prime example. Eric Clapton is a master as always, as is Klaus Voormann (the Revolver cover artist, close friend and excellent bass player who also went on to play on the Plastic Ono Band, Imagine and Walls and Bridges albums).

Im not sure why none of these tracks were included on the greatest hits compilations such as 'Legend' and 'Working Class Hero:the definitive Lennon'. Lets hope that it wasn't sour grapes from Yoko who oversaw those releases: her vocals from Dizzy Miss Lizzie onwards were buried in the mix by Lennon prior to the album's original release in December 1969 (if you see the film, Yoko's singing is much more prominent, notable in Yer Blues, which she ruins).

There is also the first ever version of Cold Turkey which is good considering.... and a rousing version of Give peace a Chance with John making up the words as he goes along - his humour shines through on this one....(and ..teddy roosevelt)..

If only he'd carried on playing and not handed over to Yoko - then Live Peace in Toronto would be talked about in the same breath as the Who Live at Leeds and the Stones Get yer ya yas out...

Still, great thanks to Yoko for overseeing this cd remastered reissue that boasts excellent sound and a wonderful booklet. She has also done a sterling job on the other solo albums. Walls and Bridges especially benefits from the remaster.