JOHN LENNON

The Moment

 
September 13, 1969:
"LIVE - PEACE - TORONTO"


In a surprise appearance near the end of the day-long "Rock'n'Roll Revival" held at Toronto's Varsity Stadium, John Lennon played his first public concert with a band other than The Beatles.

His impromptu backup group "The Plastic Ono Band" featured Yoko Ono, Eric Clapton, Klaus Voorman and Alan White.

One week after this event, back in England, John told the other three members of The Beatles during a meeting at Apple Records that he wanted out. No more Fab Four.

(However, new contractual obligations with EMI prevented that announcement from becoming public at the time.)

As such, the Toronto concert remains The Moment, the point at which John Lennon toiled with a decision about his past and his future.

Godfrey Jordan, then a 17-year-old freelance photographer accredited by the Toronto Star, accompanied John and Yoko immediately following that concert into a small room underneath Varsity Stadium.

His photographic sequence was shot using only available light - the room's 60-watt ceiling bulb - since electronic flash would have been too intrusive.

The raw lighting and contemplative pose render a unique, iconic portrait of John Lennon at this historic moment.

TORONTO STAR  "A Picture and a Thousand Words"

Feature article and photo by Godfrey Jordan describes the story behind taking the photo of John Lennon and its context in pop culture history, just as John was contemplating his life beyond The Beatles. (Published to commemorate 25th anniversary of his death)