On December 11, 1968, something really exciting happened! John Lennon and Yoko Ono joined a big TV show called The Rolling Stones’ Rock and Roll Circus. It was filmed in a place called InterTel in London, where they set up a fun circus-like stage. The Rolling Stones, a famous rock band, invited lots of cool musicians to perform with them, and everything was recorded with cameras and sound equipment.
The Rolling Stones asked some big stars to join the show, like Eric Clapton, The Who, and a blues singer named Taj Mahal. Other bands like Traffic and Cream were invited too, but they broke up right before the filming started. Practices for the show began a few days earlier at a club and a recording studio, but John Lennon didn’t go to those. He might have practiced at a hotel on December 8 or 9, and he was definitely there for the big rehearsal the day before the filming.
At noon on the filming day, all the performers took fun pictures together in costumes. John wore a shiny jumpsuit, a black hat, and a purple scarf, while Yoko wore a black cloak and a witch’s hat. They pretended to play instruments like trumpets as they walked into the circus area for the cameras.
John teamed up with some other musicians—Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, and Mitch Mitchell—to form a group called The Dirty Mac. They played a song called “Yer Blues,” which John had written for The Beatles’ White Album. It sounded a lot like the album version, but seeing John sing it live made it feel extra special. He sang with so much feeling, especially the line “Even hate my rock and roll,” which showed how sad he could feel.
After that, Yoko came on stage for a song called “Whole Lotta Yoko” or “Her Blues.” She popped out of a black bag, sang a fun blues song, and played with a violinist named Ivry Gitlis while The Dirty Mac backed them up. The crowd was so amazed that they stayed quiet and just watched—it was a magical moment!
John looked a little nervous at first, but once the music started, he had fun jamming with his friends. Yoko even held his hand during breaks. Mitch played the drums fast and steady, Keith kept the bass simple, and Eric played guitar like a pro. It was hard to believe so many famous musicians were together on one stage!
The Rolling Stones performed their own songs starting at 2 a.m. the next morning. John and Yoko left for a radio interview but came back to watch some of it. They were also filmed joking around with Mick Jagger, the leader of The Rolling Stones, earlier in the day.
After everything was filmed, The Rolling Stones watched it and thought their part wasn’t as good as The Who’s performance. They decided not to share the show with the world right away. For years, people could only find secret copies of it, but it finally came out officially in 1995. The Rock and Roll Circus was a super fun day full of music and surprises, and it’s still a special memory for music fans!
