LOST WEEKEND, FOUND MAGIC
Lennon and Nilsson Get a Vibrant Tribute

Live from Laurel Canyon, known for blending storytelling with faithful musical tributes, returned to the Carpenter Center on November 9 with Lennon and Nilsson: Songs from the Lost Weekend, a two-act concert chronicling the music, friendship, and notorious misadventures shared by John Lennon and Harry Nilsson during Lennon’s infamous “Lost Weekend” in Los Angeles. Saluting the music of the era, Live from Laurel Canyon presents concerts that showcase the artists who called the Canyon home, sharing stories of their lives and tracing how this hillside enclave helped shape rock music worldwide. This awesome evening explored Lennon and Nilsson’s individual catalogs—including hits such as “Come Together” and “Everybody’s Talkin’”—while examining their influence on one another and the soundtrack of their hard-living months together in 1973–74.

Laurel Canyon originates from its intersection with Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood and slices its way through the Hollywood Hills, winding and twisting high above the city. Among the artists who lived and worked in Laurel Canyon – often in secluded, rustic homes that allowed for loud music and all-night gatherings during the folk-rock heyday of 1965–1976 – were The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, Carole King, James Taylor, The Mamas & the Papas, Joni Mitchell, Crosby, Stills & Nash, The Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, Jim Morrison, Neil Young, and Harry Nilsson, who resided there from 1965 through 1976.

Nilsson and Lennon during "The Lost Weekend"

In 1973, three years after the Beatles’ breakup, John Lennon found himself in Los Angeles after Yoko Ono threw him out of their New York apartment to “go out and sow his wild oats,” sending their assistant, 22-year-old May Pang, along to keep an eye on him. But it was soon apparent there was no controlling John Lennon.

John Lennon, May Pang, and Harry Nilsson, 1973

While in Los Angeles, Lennon spent 18 months making music and mischief with his pal, American singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson, then a resident of Laurel Canyon during the period Lennon called “The Lost Weekend.” The two friends usually stayed up all night, partying and drinking their way from club to club along the Sunset Strip, even getting arrested for heckling The Smothers Brothers during their show at The Troubadour. And all the while, these two brilliant songwriters were creating some of the best music of their careers.

Live from Laurel Canyon Lennon and Nilsson band:
(center) Brian Chartrand (narrator and John Lennon vocalist),
Otto D’Agnolo (Harry Nilsson vocalist and guitarist),
with (from left) Todd Chuba (drums), Lamar Gaines (keys),
Adam Armijo (electric guitar) and Mario Mendivil (bass).

Each of the Live from Laurel Canyon concerts has its own cast matched for their sound and ability to truthfully represent the artists’ style and persona. The six-piece band featured in Lennon and Nilsson: Songs from the Lost Weekend stars Brian Chartrand (vocals/acoustic guitar), the creator of Live from Laurel Canyon, who sings and mimics John Lennon with remarkable accuracy. Throughout the evening, he shared interesting facts about Lennon’s life from his childhood in Liverpool, offering insight into why things happened as they did. A longtime fan of 60s and 70s music and a rock-and-roll history fanatic, Chartrand also plays original music with his bands The Sweet Remains and The Project. An Emmy-winning songwriter and Platinum Award–winning engineer and producer based in Scottsdale, Arizona, Otto D’Agnolo (vocals/guitar) sounds strikingly like Harry Nilsson, able to stretch his voice across octaves and make you feel as if Nilsson himself is in the room. D’Agnolo also hosts The Recording Artist on Amazon Prime, where fans can watch and vote on real-time recording sessions.

Todd Chuba (drums) is originally from rural Michigan but moved to Arizona to study music at ASU. A professional drummer and percussionist for more than 35 years, he specializes in a variety of musical styles and genres. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Lamar Gaines (keys) grew up immersed in music. In addition to playing professionally, he runs his own production company, Jeemusic, with his brother. Adam Armijo (electric guitar) is an in-demand session musician who began playing professionally at 16. He has recorded and toured with a wide variety of Billboard chart-toppers. Mario Mendivil (bass guitar) began his career at 15 and has played with Glen Campbell, Billy Preston, Alexander Zonjic, Deniece Williams, Sister Sledge, and many more.

A recurring theme of Lennon’s and Nilsson’s music reflects their desire to escape the pressures of the world – Lennon searching for rest and refuge, Nilsson for long nights of revelry. It’s easy to imagine how the two spent their days and nights together in close proximity to the Sunset Strip, where the music of the era exploded nightly. Songs were accompanied by projected photos and video clips that illustrated the stories Chartrand shared about each artist’s life.

Book Cover: May Pang's The Lost Weekend

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Lennon and Nilsson: Songs from the Lost Weekend
Live from Laurel Canyon
reviewed November 9, 2025
Carpenter Center for the Performing Arts in Long Beach, CA
for more Live from Laurel Canyon shows, visit Live From Laurel Canyon

The set list included:

• “Come Together” – John Lennon, originally written for Timothy Leary’s 1969 gubernatorial campaign before becoming the opening track of Abbey Road.
• “Everybody’s Talkin’” – Harry Nilsson’s 1969 hit version of Fred Neil’s song, later immortalized in Midnight Cowboy.
• “One (Is the Loneliest Number)” – Written and recorded by Nilsson in 1968; popularized by Three Dog Night in 1969.
• “Don’t Let Me Down” – Lennon’s rooftop plea to Yoko Ono, performed with the Beatles.
• “Me and My Arrow” / “The Town” – Nilsson, accompanied by clips from his animated feature The Point.
• “Instant Karma” – Lennon’s one-day wonder, recorded January 27, 1970.
• “How Do You Sleep?” – John Lennon.
• “Gotta Get Up” – Opening track of Nilsson’s Nilsson Schmilsson (1971).
• “Early in the Morning” – Nilsson, torn between sleep and work after all-night partying.
• “Coconut” – Nilsson’s Hawaiian-inspired novelty hit.
• “Imagine” – Lennon’s 1971 classic.
• “Without You” – Nilsson’s signature ballad (written by Badfinger’s Pete Ham and Tom Evans).
• “Old Forgotten Soldier” – Nilsson, recorded during the Pussy Cats sessions Lennon produced.
• “Don’t Forget Me” – Nilsson, also from Pussy Cats.
• “I’m Losing You” – Lennon, reflecting on his separation from Yoko Ono.
• “Beautiful Boy” – Lennon’s ode to his son Sean.
• “All You Need Is Love” – Lennon/McCartney, performed as a sing-along encore.

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