For a bunch of British chaps, the Rolling Stones sure know a lot about Canada, and Mick Jagger didnB次元官网网址檛 hesitate to flaunt his wisdom at their Canada Day weekend concert in Ontario.
The frontman for the iconic rock band doled out handfuls of Canadiana on Saturday, pausing to reference everything from the Toronto RaptorsB次元官网网址� historic NBA championship win to the B次元官网网址渂uck a beerB次元官网网址� policy of Ontario Premier Doug Ford.
Standing before a crowd of roughly 70,000 concertgoers, it didnB次元官网网址檛 take long before Jagger wished a simple B次元官网网址淗appy Canada DayB次元官网网址� to the receptive crowd, who didnB次元官网网址檛 seem to mind it was technically two days early.
The concert at BurlB次元官网网址檚 Creek Event Grounds in Oro-Medonte, Ont., about 30 kilometres north of Barrie, was the only Canadian date on their North American tour. And for many people in attendance, it seemed a miracle that Jagger was even on stage, given his recent heart surgery.
None of that was referenced in the 75-year-old singerB次元官网网址檚 tireless performance, which included swapping out one glittery jacket for another before eventually donning a hat and T-shirt emblazoned with the bandB次元官网网址檚 famous tongue logo.
Armed with his flamboyant swagger, Jagger zig-zagged across the massive stage B次元官网网址� and strutted down the catwalk B次元官网网址� for two hours, playing 20 of the bandB次元官网网址檚 greatest hits.
Popular classics B次元官网网址淧aint It Black,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淕imme Shelter,B次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淗onky Tonk Woman,B次元官网网址� were balanced with a selection of fan favourites, including B次元官网网址淏efore They Make Me Run,B次元官网网址� a song Keith Richards wrote in response to his 1977 arrest for heroin possession in Toronto.
And beneath four towering digital screens, Jagger played right into the audienceB次元官网网址檚 hand at nearly every turn.
B次元官网网址淲hat about those Raptors?B次元官网网址� he shouted, as the B次元官网网址淲e the NorthB次元官网网址� logo flashed overhead. He poked a bit of fun at Toronto Mayor John ToryB次元官网网址檚 famous black-and-gold Raptors jacket, which heB次元官网网址檚 enthusiastically worn around town for weeks.
B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 still wearing his dirty blazer,B次元官网网址� the singer said to Tory, who was in the audience.
Jagger later introduced the bandB次元官网网址檚 drummer Charlie Watts as the Toronto Maple LeafsB次元官网网址� mascot, seemingly for no particular reason.
He also took a jab at FordB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渂uck a beerB次元官网网址� election platform, telling the crowd at one point that B次元官网网址渇or the next 15 minutes itB次元官网网址檚 a buck-a-beer B次元官网网址� courtesy of Doug Ford.B次元官网网址�
The comment elicited some boos in parts of the crowd, and no apparent discounts at the beer tents.
But the StonesB次元官网网址� fans didnB次元官网网址檛 seem to mind, so busy caught in a moment that would be a little piece of history, and perhaps even a farewell.
Earlier this year, Jagger underwent emergency heart surgery, putting the single Canadian date on hold, and raising questions about whether the British rockers would ever tour again. When the singer got the all clear, the date was back on.
B次元官网网址淭he heath scare was kind of an indication this might actually be the last one,B次元官网网址� said Marc Fielding, who joined about 30 of his friends on a road trip from Toronto.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e such an iconic band, so you donB次元官网网址檛 want to risk them maybe not coming back.B次元官网网址�
For others in attendance, seeing the Stones live came with an extra significance.
Jackie MorinB次元官网网址檚 father, a longtime fan, died shortly after the Stones most recently played Toronto. So this night was an especially poignant moment.
B次元官网网址淭his is a big deal,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淣ever will you ever see a concert like this B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 history.B次元官网网址�
Dino Bruno landed tickets when his sister-in-law surprised him. He last saw the Stones in the mid-1970s at Maple Leaf Gardens where he said the local news captured him playing Frisbee with police in the street.
B次元官网网址淭he Stones were the bad boys of rock,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 wanted to be here because I want to die happy.B次元官网网址�
Jayne Sidey first caught the Stones at a Canadian National Institute for the Blind benefit concert over 40 years ago in Oshawa, Ont. It was part of a court-ordered performance for Richards B次元官网网址榓fter he was arrested for heroin possession.
She said she was forever changed by Jagger and his buddies and has gone to at least 20 Stones concerts since.
B次元官网网址淚 saw them three times in the U.K. last year, and weB次元官网网址檙e booked for two shows on this tour,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭he 2013 show in Toronto was so good we all jumped in a car to Montreal and saw them there.B次元官网网址�
Several homegrown acts performed before the Stones took the stage, including Saskatoon-formed One Bad Son, the Glorious Sons from Kingston, Ont., Toronto four-piece the Beaches, and longtime favourites Sloan.
Toronto cover band Dwayne Gretzky played a late-night show of other rock and pop classics, ranging from Whitney HoustonB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淚 Wanna Dance With SomebodyB次元官网网址� to QueenB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淏ohemian Rhapsody.B次元官网网址�
The day-long festival marked the third concert on the Rolling Stones tour, which kicked off with two dates in Chicago a week ago.
After the Stones finished their set, they offered a hint of the resilience thatB次元官网网址檚 kept them going for more than half a century.
B次元官网网址淪ee you soon,B次元官网网址� the digital screens read, alongside the bandB次元官网网址檚 trademark tongue logo.
READ MORE:
David Friend, The Canadian Press
Like us on and follow us on .
