Eric Clapton

CHICAGO – One month after John Lennon made his iconic walk across Abbey Road for that classic album cover, he got a call from Canadian promoter Johnny Brower. Would Lennon play at a Toronto rock show? The answer to that question is told in the recently released rock doc “REVIVAL69: The Concert That Rocked the World.”

CHICAGO – It’s been 20 years since the seminal release of the “Concert for George,” a gathering of George Harrison’s musical partners – including Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr – to memorialize his life of contributions, to the culture and beyond. George Harrison died on November 29th, 2001.

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John Lennon, Yoko Ono and Johnny Brower (right of Yoko) meet the press.

CHICAGO – During the year 1969, in the midst of Woodstock and Summer of Soul, was the Rock ’n Roll Revival, taking place in Toronto, Canada. What makes this concert as significant as the other two – astoundingly, all three shows took place within three months of each other – is that a Canadian rock promoter named Johnny Brower snagged the biggest act of all for the show… John Lennon.

CHICAGO – Closing Night at the 55th Chicago International Film Festival will have a decidedly Chicago-centric feel. The legendary Buddy Guy, the Blues guitar man from Louisiana – who made his mark in the South Side clubs of the Windy City, and then internationally – is the subject of a new documentary, “The Torch,” which is directed by Jim Farrell.

CHICAGO – To begin with, Yvonne Elliman’s vocal stylings have appeared on albums that have sold 50 million units. The singer was discovered by Andrew Lloyd Webber for his seminal “Jesus Christ Superstar” rock opera (approximately 10 million albums sold), portraying Mary Magdelene, and also had a monster hit – “If I Can’t Have You” – on the legendary “Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack (40 million sold).

CHICAGO – “Jimi: All Is by My Side” shows the Jimi Hendrix experience without having the rights to the Jimi Hendrix Experience. It’s an unofficial rumination that doesn’t have any Hendrix songs, and it focuses on a more day-in-the-life perspective of the rock star, albeit in a career period that would be scooted over through montage in any other film. The endeavor is ambitious in its desires, and stands out most of all for its experimental nature than it does for trying to achieve a truth higher than fact.

CHICAGO – Mel Gibson’s return to the big screen in the thriller “Edge of Darkness” was relatively disappointing at the box office this weekend (opening with Gibson’s lowest first weekend box office since 1995) but not only is that film worth your time but you should definitely take a look at the award-winning 1985 BBC mini-series that inspired it, directed by the same filmmaker, Martin Campbell (“Casino Royale”).