Bermuda To Unveil Special Tribute To John Lennon in June

Now Bermuda will honor Lennon's memory during the “Double Fantasy Bermuda Tribute,” taking place June 21, 2012 at The Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art.

Lennon returned from a six-week vacation in Bermuda with dozens of demo tapes, eager to record. At the time he said of his trip, “I was so centered after the experience at sea. All these songs came, after five years of nothing, no inspiration, no thought, no anything – and suddenly Voom! Voom! Voom!” The resulting album, released in November of 1980, was met with international acclaim, returning Lennon to the top of the charts a final time before he was tragically killed a month later by a deranged fan.

The “Double Fantasy Bermuda Tribute” will celebrate his legacy through a series of celebratory events and festivities, ranging from art installations and exhibits to book debuts and musical performances. Highlighted event activities include:

• John Lennon Sculpture – Created by Bermudian contemporary surrealist artist and sculptor Graham Foster, the John Lennon Sculpture will be unveiled outside the Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art. The installation will feature a double image of Lennon's profile with his Rickenbacker guitar, peace doves and the Double Fantasy flower set in a circle.
• John Lennon traveling art exhibit – The exhibit will be on display in the Rick Faries Gallery at the Masterworks Museum. Lennon's lithographs will be exhibited along with other artifacts and items connected with Lennon's stay in Bermuda.
• Bermuda Fantasy: John Lennon's Island Story – Lennon's love for Bermuda will be captured in this book which will be released at the event, featuring the great story of his sail from Newport, R.I. along with Bermuda tales as captured by people John met in Bermuda. The book will also feature drawings by sculptor artist Graham Foster.
• Double Fantasy Labyrinth – The event will unveil the Double Fantasy Labyrinth in the Botanical Gardens, featuring the freesia that captured Lennon's imagination and inspired the album title.
• “Bermuda John Lennon Tribute” CD – In celebration, major international artists, including Maxi Priest, Paul Carrack, Nils Lofgren, Judie Tzuke, Rhino's Express (Status Quo) and Biggie Irie as well as Bermudian artists Heather Nova, Rebecca Faulkenberry, Nic Christopher, Chewstick, Mia Chambray, Christina Quinn, Jonathan Frith, Joy Barnum, Steve Easton, Rachel Brown and Paul Muggleton will pay homage to Lennon with a CD release covering some of his most famed songs.
• Tribute Concert – The concert will feature live performances by some of the artists featured on the CD, including: UK artist Judie Tzuke, who has recorded Lennon's song “LOVE” for the CD and is best known for her song “Stay With Me ‘Till Dawn”; Paul Muggleton, one of the founding members of Bermuda's first rock band, The Savages, and producer for several tracks for the Lennon CD in the UK; and Paul Carrack, known for hits such as “How Long” with ACE, ”Tempted” with Squeeze and “Living Years” with Mike and The Mechanics. Tickets for the tribute concert will go on sale on April 21 on www.ptix.bm or by calling toll free 877-450-6412 or in Bermuda 441-278-1500.

For more information on the "Double Fantasy Bermuda Tribute," visit www.doublefantasybermuda.com. For information on travel to Bermuda, visit www.GoToBermuda.com.

Where to stay: Bermuda Luxury Hotels & Resorts