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Back by popular demand John Waters and Stewart D’Arrietta are going back to basics with their two-man concert, Looking Through A Glass Onion.
Waters says the concert shows there is more than meets the eye when it comes to the ins and outs of John Lennon and the Beatles.
“Lennon had a tragic existence because he never dealt with his childhood traumas of being abandoned and that anger in him comes out a lot – there was repressed violence in the man and what I admire most is he knew that and worked on himself at being peaceful,” Waters says.
“He became a better person because of it and what I respect most is he put his money where his mouth was.”
Waters says the show started as a two-man show in 1992 on a small stage at the Tilbury Hotel in Sydney’s Woolloomooloo.
“We’ve gone back to an unplugged, two-man format with an acoustic piano, guitar and stomp box,” he says.
“We sound like a band, but it’s completely organic with beautiful 1960s vocal effects and dramatic lighting.”
Younger generations tend to listen to songs of that era because it’s great music
Waters says he feels the success of the concert is through the continued love of Lennon’s music in the younger generations.
“Younger generations tend to listen to songs of that era because it’s great music,” he says.
“The music was a huge upheaval in social alliance and I think those lyrics still sing true to a lot of listeners and that’s the beauty of it standing the test of time.”
The show boasts over 30 songs in the intimate repertoire which Waters says was difficult to narrow down.
Hits like A Day in the Life, Revolution, Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds, Woman, Jealous Guy and Imagine are just a few of the beloved songs on show.
“I chose them on the basis of two things, my personal favourites and songs through the years to correlate with the autobiographical journey of the concert.
“I love Lennon … I like Strawberry Fields. Its lyrics are mystical and unlike any other I’ve heard.
“Lennon’s song writing is genius. He dared to be different in everything he did.”
Waters says the show is about the music and they highlight lyrics in the songs, talking and singing along the way to carry the audience through a mystified journey that is the Glass Onion.
For the audience this is either an emotional trip down memory lane or a wonderful introduction to the life and times of Lennon and the Beatles.
“I liked the speech Lennon made when he was forced to make an apology for his statement that the Beatles are bigger than Jesus.
“It was said he was being blasphemous, but what he was trying to say was their records sold more copies than people go to church.
“I love that moment because it spoke clearly to me.”
Looking Through A Glass Onion with John Waters and Stewart D’Arrietta is on at the Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre on Friday, July 18.