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YOKO ONO

Lee's Palace, Toronto, Yesterday.

63 year old legendary artist, musician, and alleged destroyer of the Fab Five Yoko Ono rolled into town.

Yoko is no stranger to anyone, her fame is not however based her prestigious role as a member of legendary art collective fluxus during which she worked with the likes of John Cage, Joseph Buoys and other world renown artist.

Yoko's unfortunate fame is based on the red neck's perceptions that she destroyed the Beatles by turning John Lennon against them, and the fact that "she can't sing".

The real truth is, of course, that after working with artists the stature of John Cage, John Lennon may have been the LEAST significant musician Yoko's had worked with up until that point, the Beatles ruined Yoko Ono's Career.

Yoko Ono is a multi millionaire, with her Japanese Banking Family, her person earnings and the estate of John Lennon -- she is not short of cash -- This is clearly no steel wheels tour, she does not need whatever money she made playing Lee's Palace. At 63 years old, she is OBVIOUSLY not trying to capitalize on anything, she is touring because she wants to.

Playing along with Yoko, on guitar and keyboards is her son Sean Lennon a big beefy kid, that seems to take it quite well that he is playing in a rock band with his Mother.

With Sean being what? Twenty years old and the Drummer and Bassist also similar youths, Yoko may have been the combined age of her entire band.

That's not to say that Yoko didn't rock. The band was very tight, powerful and versatile, they seemed very enthusiastic with what was going on, the music they played covered heavy and ethereal genres ranging from punky rock (or no wave) to poetry with minimal musical accompaniment gracefully.

Yoko's presence was strong, she seemed relaxed and confident in her casual Gap style outfit, her singing still full of her trademark yelps and noises mixed with Japanese and english words. She mostly sang while standing pretty much still, small expressive movements like raising her hand in a fist got instant reaction and imitation from the crowd and at one point she broke into a highly expressive dance that, in the context, I assume is founded in Japanese Tradition.

The crowd was overwhelmed with reverence for Yoko and while I was exchanging a few words with the radio monkey, an audience member who was carefully watching the show turned around and said "Shhh" to us.

This is definitely the first time ever that I've been shushed at a rock concert. It had the aura of a historical event.

It was a good show and a great (probably last) chance to see one of our cultures biggest Pop enigmas: Yoko Ono.

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