Remembering Lennon and Ono's "Bed-Ins"
Posted by Christine Smith
February 17th, 2009
This year marks the 40th anniversary of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's
"bed-ins." Putting their psychedelic spin on the form of nonviolent
protest known as "sit-ins," the pair spent a week in bed at an
Amsterdam hotel in March 1969, giving a repeat performance a few
months later in Montreal. To commemorate these events, Yoko has
posted a request on imaginepeace.com, requesting that any fans
staging tribute reenactments send in documentation of their versions
for publication on the website.
Though the main object of the 1969 protests was the Vietnam war,
Lennon and Ono bed-ins called for an end to all war. Each day, the
couple invited members of the press to visit their hotel suite during
the hours of 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. to discuss world peace with them. As
the culmination of the second bed-in, John and Yoko invited such
personalities as Tommy Smothers and Timothy Leary to record the song
"Give Peace a Chance" in their hotel room. Dismissed by some as a
mere publicity stunt, the concept nevertheless continues to influence
pop culture, appearing in song lyrics, music videos, and even comedy
sketches. Other notable artists have held their own bed-ins during
the last couple of decades, including lead singer of Green Day Billie
Joe Armstrong and his wife.
--------
Discover Montreal this Spring and Give Peace a Chance
This year marks the 40th anniversary of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's
Bed-In staged in Montréal in May 26 to June 2, 1969 at The Fairmont
Queen Elizabeth Hotel, which promoted a message of peace.
To commemorate the event, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
(www.mmfa.qc.ca), in collaboration with Yoko Ono, has curated an
exhibition called IMAGINE: JOHN & YOKO's PACIFIST ANTHEM which will
run from April 2 to June 21, 2009. The exhibition will be free.
The exhibition will follow the wide-ranging artistic and musical
dialog that took place in the name of peace conducted by the pop icon
and the conceptual artist with ties to the Fluxus group.
The bed-in instantly grabbed worldwide media interest. John and Yoko
spoke to more than 150 journalists each day; and in the U.S. alone,
350 radio stations carried reports on the world's best-known
peaceniks, who wanted to get their message out to all those around
the world already protesting against the war in Vietnam.
The highlight of this unique event was John Lennon's composition of
Give Peace a Chance on June 1st. He wrote the song on the spur of the
moment and converted the suite into a recording studio under the
direction of André Perry. Some 50 people contributed to the
recording of the song, which was immediately broadcast worldwide.
Celebrities included Tommy Smothers, Dr Timothy and Petula Clark.
Through the presentation of various documents, works of arts,
records, soundreals and photographs, the exhibition will raise
awareness of the historical and political context of 1969 which
formed the backdrop to the Bed-In and will revive the thinking of
John Lennon and Yoko Ono and their urgent message for peace.
WHERE TO STAY
To mark the 40th anniversary, The Fairmont Queen Elizabeth hotel
invites guests to relive the legend and experience their own bed-in
through the IMAGINE PACKAGE. The package includes one night
accommodation; one CD featuring Give Peace a Chance; breakfast in bed
for two or buffet breakfast in Le Montréalais restaurant, and a copy
of the lyrics of Give Peace a Chance. This package is available from
March 1 to June 21, 2009, subject to availability. Rates start from
$199 per night, based on double occupancy, in a Fairmont room or from
$599 per night, based on double occupancy, in the actual John Lennon
and Yoko Ono Suite (#1742) where the bed-in took place.
For more information, visit: www.fairmont.com/queenelizabeth. To
make a reservation in the Lennon Suite, call the hotel directly at
514-861-3511.
For visitors seeking a more economical alternative, twenty-plus
hotels in Montréal are offering A SECOND NIGHT AT HALF PRICE package
with rates starting at $104. This sweet deal runs from January 1
until May 31, 2009.
For more informationand to book a room,
visit: www.tourisme-montreal.org/Offers/Winter; or call 1-877-BONJOUR.
.
No comments:
Post a Comment