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entertainment22h ago
Power to the People: John & Yoko Live in NYC review – fascinating star-studded concert film
Theguardian.com and 1 more
- Power to the People is a brisk, split-screen concert film that pairs Lennon and Ono's 1972 Madison Square Garden charity shows with immersive editing that emphasizes energy and dialogue between performers.
- The film foregrounds Lennon’s disaffected yet sincere onstage persona, offering a nuanced view of his post-Beatles identity during the early 1970s New York era.
- Sean Ono Lennon supervised the edit, resulting in a cohesive 80-minute experience that preserves the concert’s shape and flow.
- New York City itself is treated as a sanctuary and muse, with the performances positioned as a homage to Lennon and Ono’s time in the city.
- Key performances include a heartfelt Imagine and a dramatic Cold Turkey, alongside Come Together and other familiar songs.
- The finale crescendos with a star-packed crowd during Give Peace a Chance, transforming the show into a communal, celebratory moment.
- The documentary reiterates the civil rights resonance of the performances, noting their role in advocating for Willowbrook residents and broader rights.
- The film frames Lennon’s 1972 MSG shows as his final full-length concerts and a pivotal moment in his solo career post-Beatles.
- Yoko Ono’s contributions are acknowledged as controversial yet integral to the historical record, with performances spanning her avant-garde and rock-influenced pieces.
- The review situates One to One as a companion context, linking Kevin Macdonald’s documentary on Lennon and Ono’s New York years to the live footage here.
- Overall, the film is praised as a vivid historical artifact that captures Lennon’s post-Beatles era with urgent social undertones and performative vitality.
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