My Top Five Concerts of All Time…

Posted on April 27, 2006 by appsscraps
Thinking about the
Madonna concert got me thinking about some of the great concerts I’ve been to in
the past. Today I thought I’d post some of the standouts. So, without further
ado, my Top Five Concerts of All
Time.
 
Number
Five: SARSstock –
Downsview Park, Toronto (30 July 2003)

sars

Attendance: 450,000 (Likely the biggest single concert I’ll ever attend in
my lifetime)
Line up (too many bands, but here’s the key
list):

  • The Guess Who
  • Rush
  • AC/DC
  • The Rolling Stones
Memories:
  • You’ll remember this concert was held in the
    post-SARS panic that gripped Toronto as a way to draw business and tourists
    back; it was also a great bash and party to celebrate that not-so-fun period in
    all Torontonians’ lives.
  • Rush and AC/DC stole this concert from the Rolling
    Stones. The AC/DC gig was out-of-this-world fabulous.
  • Poor Justin Timberlake getting booed off the stage
    and dodging bottles being thrown at him.
  • Leaving! OMG, leaving! Ever see 450,000 people all
    try to leave a park at 1am all together?! Bedlam for sure. G and I had a riotous
    adventure getting home that night, er, very early morning.

Number Four: David
Bowie – The SkyTent at SkyDome, Toronto (7 Mar 1990)

bowie_david


Attendance:
27,000

Song
List:
Space Oddity;
Changes; TVC-15; Rebel Rebel; Golden Years; Be My Wife; Ashes to Ashes; John,
I’m Only Dancing; Queen Bitch; Life on Mars; Fashion; Blue Jean; Let’s Dance;
Stay; China Girl; Ziggy Stardust; Sound + Vision; Station to Station; Alabama
Song; Young Americans; Panic in Detroit; Suffergette City and
Fame
Encore: Heroes; The
Jean Genie; Pretty Pink Rose; Modern Love and Rock ‘n Roll
Suicide
 
Memories:

  • as a confirmed
    Bowie addict, this was like the penultimate concert as he played all the
    greatest hit songs.
  • I think this was also one of the first
    times they employed the SkyTent at SkyDome and I remember there was many
    problems with folks finding their correct seats. The sound was just so-so
    bordering on iffy, I remember.
  • I attended this
    concert with LA, Karen and Elaine. LA and I were hell bent on getting better
    seats and we managed to sweet talk our way past ushers and security onto the
    main floor just to the left of the stage. In the end, we managed to inch our way
    up to within, 30 metres of David. Sigh, he’s soooo handsome. You’ll remember David made my Top Ten Hotties List.

Number Three: Adam and the Ants – Massey Hall, Toronto (18 Feb
1982)

kingsofthe

Attendance:
3,000
Line
Up:
Adam and the
Ants and some (now) forgotten punk rock opening act
 
Memories:

  • Saw this
    concert with my sister and my dear, dear friend, Spiderwoman Margot (oh, where
    are you now Margot?). We all were totally in love with Adam Ant at the
    time.
  • Sis, Margot
    and I spent the entire concert standing on the arm rests of the chairs rocking
    to the concert.
  • Adam
    brought two sets of drummers on stage for this show and the sound was AMAZING,
    great punk-like beats (hmmm, can we really call Adam Ant a punk
    rocker?!).
 

Number Two:
Peter Gabriel – Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto (8 Nov 1982)

Attendance: 15,000
Song
list:
Rhythm of the Heat;
I Have the Touch; Not One of Us; The Family and the Fishing Net; Shock The
Monkey; Family Snapshot; Intruder; Games Without Frontiers; Humdrum; Lay Your
Hands On Me; Solsbury Hill; I Don’t Remember; San Jacinto; On the Air; Biko;
Here Comes the Flood 
 
Memories:

  • This concert was
    hands-down the most theatrical production I’ve ever witnessed. Brilliant staging
    and lighting effects that would be on par with anything you’d see, even today.
    But, of course, Peter Gabriel has always been ahead of his
    time.
  • The opening set,
    Rhythm of the Heat, was THE MOST OUTSTANDING opening set of any band I’ve ever
    seen. Bravo Peter.
  • I should balance
    the praise for this concert by mentioning I was quite high the entire time. 
    There was definitely something in the air that night.
    Eek!


 

Number One: The Police Picnic
– (the Old) Exhibition Stadium, Toronto (13 August
1982)

s19820813-poster

Attendance:
45,000
Line-up: 

  • The
    Spoons

  • A Flock Of
    Seagulls
  • Joan Jett & The
    Blackhearts
  • The English
    Beat
  • The Talking
    Heads
  • The
    Police

Memories:

  • Hands-down the best concert I’ve ever attended on
    several levels.
  • The line-up was hot: save Joan Jett (who, when you
    think of it, doesn’t really fit with the other bands). She came on stage,
    started singing “I Love Rock ‘n Roll” but was literally booed off the stage.
    Quite embarrassing really for us (as the audience), for her, and for the
    promoters.
  • The English Beat and especially, The Talking Heads, stole
    this show. I think to this day, the Talking Heads set was the best gig I’ve ever
    seenn of any band, anywhere, at any
    time.
  • Attended
    with Spiderwoman     Margot, Hymers (a girl and brilliant, brilliant
    artist), Dr. Barry, and Scotty P. While A Flock of Seagulls was performing, we
    ended having to do AR and CPR on some guy who whacked out (probably because of
    drugs/booze). He collapsed on the stairs right by us and – as trained lifeguards
    – off we went to do our thing. The EMS team arrived very quickly and carted him
    off but I’m sure he was toast. I will forever remember his eyes. They were very
    deadlike. Yuck!
There you go … .Brent’s Top Five. Hmmmm, sure looks
like 1982 was a GREAT year for concerts eh?! Now, I wonder how Madonna will line up with these? … answer in Los Angeles in three weeks time!

Thursday’s dinner: Day 4 of Gourmet Week – Cumin Grilled Shrimp with 3-Citrus Aioli

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