REVIVAL69: THE CONCERT THAT ROCKED THE WORLD (2022)

Sunday School of Rock is back for 2025! Don’t miss our first outing “Revival69: The Concert That Rocked the World” on Sunday 9 February at Henkel Street Cinema!

Here’s what the producers have to say about the documentary.

"Revival69: The Concert That Rocked the World", is the remarkable, behind-the-scenes story of how a little-known music festival came together against all odds. Young, scrappy concert promoter John Brower puts his life on the line to turn his failing Toronto Rock n Roll Revival into a one-day event, later coined in rock mythology as “the second most important event in rock n’ roll history.” And it almost didn't happen. The festival united rock legends and the almost famous, but it was the 11th hour arrival of John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band that ignited a truly seminal moment for the 20,000 fans at Toronto’s Varsity Stadium, triggering Lennon's final decision to leave the Beatles forever.

Despite the cynicism inducing grandiosity of director Ron Chapman’s title, the concert definitely had its share of unusual events. It’s the one where a young and naïve Alice Cooper threw a chicken into the audience thinking it would fly away. Spoiler: it didn’t go well for the chicken.

It’s also the concert where John Lennon threw together a band at the last minute, consisting of himself, Eric Clapton, Klaus Voormann, Yoko Ono and Alan White calling it the Plastic Ono Band. They had one rehearsal… in the first-class cabin as they crossed the Atlantic.

The documentary adapts and reuses legendary documentarian D.A Pennebaker’s original 16mm archival footage of as well as animation, archival audio and recent interviews to tell the story.

We’ve found these commenters on YouTube who’ve kindly shared their memories of the event.

It was the worst concert I ever went to… and the worst of the worst was the plastic Ono band with John Lennon and Yoko Ono… and that was the main reason I went. There was to see them and hear them, and I was grossly disappointed….!
Such a step back for rock music, perfect that it happened in the cultural backwater of Toronto.
I was there. Was a long day with such an eclectic lineup. The classic artists, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddly, Jerry Lee Lewis were full value. Funny, no mention of Chicago Transit Authority who were awesome. Must be a rights thing. How about Cat Mother and the All Night News Boys. Anyway, can't remember The Doors or Lennon's ensemble, too tired by the evening. Great memories.

Running time: 97mins