After John Lennon's death nearly 25 years ago, the idea of seeing him in concert again was only a dream for many of his fans.
Last night, Huntington area residents had the opportunity to step back in time and do just that. Well, maybe not John Lennon, but they did see his impersonator.
Tim Piper played the role of John Lennon and sang songs from the Beatles' early days with The Working Class Hero Band in "A Day In His Life: The John Lennon Anthology Concert."
Piper said while young and old both grace the auditoriums for his performances, he still believes people come to the show because they want to see John Lennon in concert again. He said many adults who grew up when the Beatles were popular want to go to the concert to reminisce.
"It will be 25 years this December when John was killed," Piper said. "So obviously, you can't get John anymore. You can't go see him in concert, and so for their memories, they like to come out and relive the magic."
He said the show appeals to young people as well, but for different reasons.
"I think for the younger people, it's more of visiting a live history lesson," Piper said. "They're going out of curiosity. Maybe they dig the music, and they know about this guy that has become a legend, so they want to find out what it would have been like to have seen him in concert."
Piper said he hopes students learned a little more than just the history of John Lennon last night. He said experiencing the distinct style of music is important as well.
"I want them to see what it was like for this icon of the 1960s and 1970s," Piper said. "They'll learn things that they never knew about John, and they'll get to experience rock and roll as it was back then." Piper said he was only in the second grade when the Beatles got started, but he has always been fascinated with Lennon's work.
Piper studied Lennon for years and portrayed him in a number of television movies, but his appearance is what really makes his role believable.
"Three or four times a day, people come up to me and say, 'You know who you look like?'" Piper said. "It happens quite often, but I don't go out of my way. There's no way that I am John Lennon, ever will be, or ever was, but as far as representing the image to people, they see that and it's fun for them."
Danny Bray, a freshman chemistry major, attended the show last night with Ginny Cook, a freshman journalism major. She said she was impressed with more than just the music.
"I didn't realize he was going to look as much like John Lennon as he did," Bray said. "It was pretty cool."
Both girls said they had a favorite part of the show they will always remember.
"My favorite part of the show was when he sang 'Imagine,'" Bray said.
"That song is my favorite, and it was awesome."
"They showed a video with all of the Beatles fans, and they were screaming," Cook said. "All of the girls were passing out, and one of them looked like my grandma. I know it probably wasn't, but it looked like her. I loved that part."
Whoopi Goldberg will step into the spotlight for the second Marshall Artists Series event at the Keith-Albee Theatre Thursday, Oct. 20 and Bray said she cannot wait.
"I am extremely, extremely excited about seeing Whoopi Goldberg," Bray said. "I have tickets for every Marshall Artists Series performance in October."
Tickets for Whoopi Goldberg are still available at the Marshall Artists Series box office located in the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center. The box office is open from noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and tickets are free to students who present a valid Marshall ID.
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