(RollingStone.com) -- John Lennon would be turning 70 years old on October 9. At first, Yoko Ono herself didn't realize the significance of that date. "I don't think about age so much," she tells "Rolling Stone". "But I was getting messages from all corners of the world: 'We're celebrating John's birthday as a tribute to him.' I said, 'What is going on here?' It seems like with 70, there's an explosion [of sentiment]." Over the next two months, Lennon's birthday will be commemorated with tribute concerts, reissues, a new documentary, the annual lighting of Ono's Imagine Peace light tower, even an Ono-Lady Gaga summit. Why is all this happening now? "The reason has to do with the social climate, with wanting some of John's energy, power and conviction," says Ono.
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John Lennon would be turning 70 years old on October 9
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Celebrations will include a documentary on his years in New York
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Lady Gaga will be performing with Yoko Ono at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles
"@placeholder and I speak the same language," Ono says.