Imagining Lennon is a song and dialogue based performance taking the audience on a trip that visits the many phases of John Lennon’s varied and complex public and private life. Music and anecdotes explore the various elements that influenced and inspired the creative expression of John Lennon as a musician, writer, artist and spokesman. 

Imagining Lennon shows are performed by Tom “Lennon” Raider in full Lennon character and costume with accurate replications of John Lennon’s instruments. Songs performed on guitar and keyboards span the entire lifetime of one of history’s most famous and controversial artists. Imagining Lennon performances consist mainly of the songs written and played during Lennon’s time with the Beatles. 

Material ranges from:

The Early Years  -  Meet the Beatles through A Hard Day's Night & Help! era songs featured include I Want To Hold Your Hand, Help!, I’m A Loser, Ticket To Ride, I Feel Fine  and  You've Got To Hide Your Love Away

The Middle Years -  Including Rubber Soul favorites like Norwegian Wood and In My Life, Revolver-era gems such as She Said, She Said and Rain

The Psychedelic Period  - Sgt. Pepper classics  Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, A Day In The Life 

The Studio Years -  White Album acoustic guitar-based  Dear Prudence, Julia, I’m So Tired and Cry Baby Cry, electric rockers Yer Blues and Happiness Is A Warm Gun, and the blistering single, Revolution. Later classics from Abbey Road and Let It Be include Come Together and Across the Universe as well as the single Ballad Of John and Yoko.

The Solo Years -  Selections featuring a taste of Lennon’s many moods like the famous Bed-In protest anthem Give Peace a Chance,  the rocking Instant Karma, Plastic Ono Band LP favorite Working Class Hero and (of course) the beautiful Imagine. Double Fantasy fans are treated to both Watching the Wheels and (Just Like) Starting Over, and the touching and intimate Love is performed on solo acoustic guitar from the more recent release  John Lennon - Acoustic

A versatile performer, Tom “Lennon” Raider’s act can be customized to fit your event, from concert/festival sing-alongs of favorite Beatles songs to more formal events. Imagining Lennon is able to perform locally and nationally to audiences of all sizes and ages for just about any occasion.

Ideal events include:

Public Events - Festivals, music in the park concerts, tribute/specialty shows, openings, first nights, cafés of all sizes, dinner theater and more

Personal/Private Events - Weddings,reunions, renewal of vows,  anniversaries, memorials, bar/bat Mitzvahs, rehearsal dinners, parties and reunions 

Corporate Events - Holiday parties, seminars, conventions and other corporate related functions

Galleries and Libraries - An oral and musical history of John Lennon’s life and artistry