This came out in 2004 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
The baking heat. The endless lineups. The overpriced concessions. Let’s face it: If you’ve been to one of those gigantic outdoor music megafestivals, you’ve pretty much been to them all.
Likewise, if you’ve seen a DVD of any festival — from Woodstock on up to whatever just took place in your local stadium / race track / park / farmer’s field — you know what to expect from Toronto Rocks, the video set documenting last year’s SARSstock concert headlined by The Rolling Stones. You get the usual abbreviated, hit-heavy performances from a slate of acts including Rush, AC/DC, The Guess Who, The Isley Brothers, The Flaming Lips and of course the Stones, who slog through a half-dozen classics like Start Me Up, Satisfaction and Jumpin’ Jack Flash. You get the pathetic, sub-Blues Brothers antics of hosts Dan Aykroyd and Jim Belushi. And naturally, you get plenty of footage of topless whoo! girls on their boyfriends’ shoulders. (Which begs two questions: What is it that prompts women to casually disrobe in crowds; and how do we make it happen when we’re stuck in line at the DMV?)
Toronto Rocks has other faults besides predictability. The fact that at least three of the acts on the bill — AC/DC, Rush and the Stones — recently put out vastly superior live DVDs of their own certainly doesn’t help. Nor does all the shamelessly self-aggrandizing hype from promoters, who try to amp up the historic significance of the event by repeatedly proclaiming it “the largest ticketed single-day event in history.” Now there’s a phrase that rolls right off the tongue.
Having said all that, though, you have to admit there are some nuggets of coolness sprinkled in the set. First and foremost is a second DVD — available only in Canada — which features performances by Blue Rodeo, Tea Party, Sam Roberts, Kathleen Edwards and other Canuck talent who are clearly thrilled to be playing the biggest gig of their lives. Then there’s the Guess Who footage, which captures the band in fine form musically — and physically, in the case of the recently svelte Randy Bachman. Similarly, the Flaming Lips’ segment, a joyful burst of confetti, giant balloons and dancers clad in animal costumes, is an undeniable treat. Another treat: You only have to sit through one song by Justin Timberlake (mainly because he spent most of his set dodging bottles lobbed by Stones fans). Some of the bonus backstage footage is pretty swell too — especially when Burton Cummings becomes a gushing fan-boy in the presence of Mick Jagger (“I have just rediscovered Black And Blue,” el Burto blurts to Mick apropos of nothing. “F—ing sensational.” Indeed.)
But for my money, the laugh-out-loud funniest moment comes when guitarist Keith Richards explains why he stopped playing during the Stones’ set to confront those bottle-throwing fans, who resumed their barrage when Timberlake came up to sing with the band on Miss You. “The main point is that I don’t want to get hit and I don’t want Charlie … or Mick getting hit,” says Keef, stressing he was not rising to JT’s defence. “If they’ve got a good aim, they can hit Justin. He’s not in my band.”
Now THAT rocks.
