John Lennon Is Alive In NoHo!

I never saw the Beatles in concert. I've seen Paul many times and Ringo a couple. I missed George's only US tour in the 70s and of course, John never played a show on the west coast. Very few people who are alive today ever saw John Lennon perform on stage. That's what makes Tim Piper's performance in "Just Imagine" so special, and a must-see for anyone who loves his music.

This is not a tribute concert. "Just Imagine" is a living autobiography of one of the greatest songwriters who ever lived. Piper, who's portrayed Lennon in various TV movies, grabs the audience's attention from the opening guitar riff of "Revolution" and holds it until the closing "All You Need Is Love." In between is an emotional performance that's never over the top but wholly authentic. For two hours, Tim Piper IS John Lennon.

The elephant in the room is quickly discarded with the opening video images of weeping fans in New York city the day after Lennon was murdered in December 1980. A smart way to deal with the tragedy that could follow this performance like a dark cloud. Suddenly, Piper appears in the audience, looking bewildered as he stumbles on stage to find himself surrounded by four amazing musicians.

With little fanfare the band plunges into "Revolution" followed by a clever White Album medley of "Glass Onion" and "Dear Prudence." The sound is perfect and so is Piper's voice as he moves from rocker to ballad, dark to light, harsh to sweet. In just three songs Piper captures the essence of John Lennon, a man known for his wit as well as his temper. Sitting at the piano, Piper begins to tell the Lennon story. How he was abandoned by both his father and his mother and her shocking death when he was a teenager.

In the audience I found it hard to hold back my emotions as Piper sang the gut-wrenching "Mother" followed by the sweetly acoustic "Julia." The anger and gentleness of this complex artist is a running theme throughout the performance. Its all about attention to detail and hard core fans will recognize the instrumental "Cry For A Shadow" performed by the band as Piper explains how the Beatles came together. He has a simple explanation for the decision to sack Pete Best for Ringo Starr. "Ringo wasn't a better drummer than Pete, but he was a better Beatle."

This segment is especially lively with a rocking version of "Money" as Piper explains how the Beatles "were raised in Liverpool but grew up in Hamburg." Then its on to America and the beginning of Beatlemania. Most of the songs are performed faithful to the originals but Piper knows when to throw in a twist or two. "A Hard Days Night" is played without the middle 8 because "that was Paul's part." Piper as Lennon calls his song writing partner a "talented bastard", explaining how songs like "We Can Work It Out" and "I've Got A Feeling" were true examples of their different personalities. Paul was the sweet olive oil and John was the vinegar and together they made a beautiful salad, drinking scotch and cokes while writing some of the greatest songs in pop music history.

The band behind Piper is called "Working Class Hero" and they really shine as the music gets more complex. Drummer Don Poncher makes one appreciate Ringo's stylings on "Strawberry Fields" while Greg Piper showcases McCartney's fluid bass lines on "Don't Let Me Down." Guitarist Don Butler and keyboardist Morely Bartnoff get a nice workout on "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" which is one of the show's musical highlights. Throughout the music the video screen behind the stage flashes images from each segment of Lennon's life, but this show is all about the music and the story of the man behind it.

After a brief intermission, Piper roams the crowd with acoustic guitar while taking requests. When he brings up Yoko Ono there are scattered hisses from the audience and Piper remarks: "I get a lot of that" and everyone laughs. The solo years are marked by a wrenching "Cold Turkey" and an uplifting "Instant Karma" as Piper explains Lennon's difficult transition from rock star to house husband. The LA Times review of the show complained that this "overwritten confessional can sap the momentum" of the show but I totally disagree. Piper keeps the stories short and they are what makes this performance completely different from the usual Beatle tribute shows. This one ends with a touching medley from Lennon's last album "Double Fantasy" which leaves the crowd wanting more.

And they get it with the song everyone is waiting for: "Imagine." For two hours I did not have to imagine that John Lennon was still alive. As the talented Tim Piper constantly reminded us, he lives on through his music, which will live forever.