Toronto Rocks

Starring:Rolling Stones, Justin Timberlake, AC/DC, Rush, Guess Who, Isley Brothers, Flaming Lips, Have Love Will Travel
Studio: Rhino / Wea
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Like most festival shows, the Toronto Rocks concert, a SARS benefit held on July 30, 2003 before a teeming crowd of 490,000, is a pretty mixed bag. For one thing, the Guess Who, Rush, AC/DC, and the Rolling Stones--the headliners--are all well past their primes. They're still kicking, of course, and fans of each will relish their sets. But no headliner save Rush exudes the freshness and spark evident in the tantalizing snippets of the performances we don't see on this single-disc DVD: Canadian acts like Blue Rodeo, the Tea Party, and Sass Jordan (with a still-riveting Jeff Healey on guitar). The Stones command more than their fair share of screen time, and some would say they've earned it. Meanwhile, we're also served three helpings of Dan Aykroyd and Jim Belushi's ho-hum Have Love Will Travel revue. Who steals the show? The Isley Brothers, led by founding singer Ronald and axeman Ernie, who blaze through "Who's That Lady" and their classic "Shout" with a band of lock-tight musicians and dancers.

Amazon.com

Like most festival shows, the Toronto Rocks concert, a SARS benefit held on July 30, 2003 before a teeming crowd of 490,000, is a pretty mixed bag. For one thing, the Guess Who, Rush, AC/DC, and the Rolling Stones--the headliners--are all well past their primes. They're still kicking, of course, and fans of each will relish their sets. But no headliner save Rush exudes the freshness and spark evident in the tantalizing snippets of the performances we don't see on this single-disc DVD: Canadian acts like Blue Rodeo, the Tea Party, and Sass Jordan (with a still-riveting Jeff Healey on guitar). The Stones command more than their fair share of screen time, and some would say they've earned it. Meanwhile, we're also served three helpings of Dan Aykroyd and Jim Belushi's ho-hum Have Love Will Travel revue. Who steals the show? The Isley Brothers, led by founding singer Ronald and axeman Ernie, who blaze through "Who's That Lady" and their classic "Shout" with a band of lock-tight musicians and dancers.

Description

On July 30, 2003, close to a half a million people gathered in Toronto for one of the most spectacular concerts of all time in fact, the largest ticketed single-day event in history. The Rolling Stones headlined the show, accompanied by 13 other acts, including AC/DC, Rush, the Guess Who, and Justin Timberlake. Now, this amazing day has been captured on DVD.

Customer Reviews:

Toronto Rocks.......2007-01-12

I didn't care for a few of the groups, or Justin Timberlakes style of music. However I loved watching AC/DC. I've never been a fan of theirs, but I bought the video to watch them again after originally checking the video out from the library. The Stones were great too.
What I liked about the video made the purchase worth while.

Toronto Rocks.......2007-01-10

the product never I arrive, him requeri the information about the shipment but never me they provided it, so the salary bought in amazon was a bad experience, thus I recommend not to buy in this site.

great.......2007-01-09

I love it I was at this show and this is a great DVD the only thing I dont like is that there is only 3 AC\DC songs on the DVD and at the show AC\DC played about 13 songs and AC\DC put on a better show than the stones but this is still a great DVD

Decent concert compliation at a good price.......2005-12-23

In 2003, Toronto's tourism industry was crippled by exaggerated reports that the disease SARS was running rampant. To lure tourist dollars back into the city and prove that all was safe as milk, several major classic rock bands agreed to appear at the reasonably priced music festival. This DVD contains roughly two hours of highlights from that 12 hour festival.

The DVD isn't perfect. Dan Ackroyd is the show's emcee and he unfortunately dusts off his tired "Blues Brothers" schtick one too many times. (Yes, I know neither he nor Jim Belushi don shades or cheap suits but that has more to do with the concert being held at the end of a very hot July). Sheesh, where's Mike Myers when you need him? Absolutely nothing accounts for Justin Timberlake's presence; even if Timberlake were a competant performer - which he isn't - this Canadian crowd is solidly in the classic rock camp and wouldn't be interested anyway. Also, considering this is a Canadian show, comparatively few of the Canadian acts that appeared on the bill are also on the DVD.

However, the bulk of the concert is definitely enjoyable. The Flaming Lips are as goofily surreal as ever. The Isley Brothers provide some much-needed grit to the proceedings, and give us a chance to watch Ernie Isley chew up the stage with his Jimi Hendrix paraphrasings. The Guess Who's reunion is rather bloated but treats us to an excellent live version of "No Time." Rush are a sheer joy, blasting through relatively straightforward versions of "Free Will" and "Spirit of the Radio." It's some of the best live Rush recorded in the past few years. AC/DC get fairly limited screen time (and Angus Young's guitar isn't mixed loud enough) but it's exciting seeing these Aussies rile up the crowd for the main attraction. The Rolling Stones get most of the time on this DVD, and provide us with what we expect from latter-day Rolling Stones. The Stones take every stage they perform on as though they own it and if the set list isn't as imaginative as you'd like, you still have to acknowledge that the Stones have become the most consistently professional and dependable of their peers. Besides, Keith Richards swaggers around as though he's having the time of his life here. The only downside? Timberlake duets with Jagger on "Miss You." Ugh.

Given the price and the sheer variety of artists here, the DVD is an excellent purchase if you're looking for a classic rock sampler. Used copies of this 2003 concert can be easily found, adding to the bargain. This can't compare in historical significance to either Woodstock or Live Aid, but it's one heck of an entertaining show to watch.

Great AC/DC performance.......2005-10-07

A very good DVD, AC/DC performance is purely awesome, regrettably The Jack, Whole Lotta Rosie, Let there be rock and Highway to Hell are not on this one !
The Stones are tired, no guitar and no energy.

Average customer rating:

PRETTY COOL CONCERT FILM! STONES, RUSH & MORE!
2 amazing live DVDs of a record breaking day in Canada!
Very dumb move to not release the 1st disc outside of Canada
could have been much better
Pretty decent, but lousy recording of AC/DC

Toronto Rocks
Starring: Various Artists
Manufacturer: Wea International
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

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Snakes & Arrows

ASIN: B0002C9DJA
Release Date: 2004-06-22

Customer Reviews:

PRETTY COOL CONCERT FILM! STONES, RUSH & MORE!.......2007-06-29

I bought this for the Stones and Rush footage,but found much more on this 2 disc set. It would be nice to have the entire show,but I'm happy with it for the most part. There are some cool extras on this set and I loved Neil Peart meeting Charlie Watts! Neil looked like he just met his idol! This set is worth picking up.

2 amazing live DVDs of a record breaking day in Canada!.......2005-04-02

This is an excellent shap shot of a world record breaking day in , TORONTO , CANADA...Filmed in hi-Definition and a wide screen format. All in PCM Stereo and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.

490,000 fans went to this show in TORONTO with all of the proceeds going to ONTARIO's nurses.

No one died and there were only 22 arrests.

DVD DISC # 1

[All of the songs are extended live versions]

* SASS JORDAN *

As with other huge shows like this one [ie...JANIS JOPLIN]...A fantastic female rocker steals the show on the live DVD disc # 1.

SASS JORDAN...steals the show out right , with Canadian guitar wizard...[the blind] JEFF HEALEY!

SASS...gets to sing 4 outstanding rockers with an amazing ballad thrown in...YOU DON'T HAVE TO REMIND ME.
Her voice is just mind blowing on this day.

* BLUE RODEO * + * KATHLEEN EDWARDS *

For COUNTRY/ROCK fans we enjoyed 3 songs by...KATHLEEN EDWARDS...and 3 excellent songs by...BLUE RODEO!

We saw and heard a great French Canadian band...LA CHICANE...sing 3 songs that sounded just like...BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN...with amazing SAX playing and fantastic rock singing.

* THE TEA PARTY *

Gave us some great ARABIC ROCK [4 songs] and played the famous...STONES...song...PAINT IT BLACK.

* SAM ROBERTS *

Kicked the whole thing off with 3 great rock gems from the....WE WHERE BORN IN FLAME...CD!

There are some great extras of backstage...Interviews are included on disc 1 as well as interviews with...ALEX...and...GEDDY...from...RUSH...ect!

DVD DISC # 2

All of the songs are extended versions on disc # 2 and they also have some great extras , as well!

THE FLAMING LIPS [2 songs]...THE ISLEY
BROTHERS [2 songs]...JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE [1 song]...THE GUESS WHO [2 songs]...RUSH [3 songs]...AC/DC [2 songs]...and the...ROLLING STONES [7 songs]...mostly all at the top of their game.

YES , we were all...THUNDER STRUCK...There should have been more...AC/DC...but I would ask...The STONES...about that one?

Maybe some day the will put out a 25 DVD disc box set of the whole show but for now...LIVE AID...and...WOODSTOCK...are not the only game in town...SARS STOCK...is how it is done and filmed.

Simply awesome concert sound and pictures...You can hear and see the direction for an...AC/DC...song on the DVD disc # 2 extras...Plus there are more interviews and some other great stuff!

The 2 live disc DVDs also contain a 18 page booklet and all in full colour!

Very dumb move to not release the 1st disc outside of Canada.......2004-11-09

I don't understand this. From day one, I thought this was a very dumb move. I don't understand why they couldn't have just released the double CD set outside of Canada, too. I don't see how that could have hurt the sales, in any way. Anyway, it does seem like it was done that way - because they figured that non-Canadians are, somehow, not capable of liking Canadian music. Why did they do it like this? What purpose does it serve? Do these people think that non-Canadians are somehow unworthy of listening to the Canadian acts that are barely known outside of Canada?

could have been much better.......2004-10-29

I don's get it. Are you not trying to sell this DVD? Most people like me who have bought the DVD did so because they were at the concert. This DVD give Sass Jordon more stage time then AC/CD or the The Guess Who. I have to give credit to Jeff Healy who played on one of S Jordon's numbers. He stole the show. I couldn't understand why he was not one of the main performers, instead of the other fillers. At the concert my wife convinced me to take my son for a bathroom break. It took almost an hour and I missed the Guess Who doing 'taking care of business'. Guess what this song is not on the DVD. You still have some great performances from Blue Rodeo, The Guess Who, AC/DC and of course the Rolling Stones on this DVD. Thank God this is a DVD so you can go directly to your favourite performances.

Pretty decent, but lousy recording of AC/DC.......2004-10-16

First of all, there should have been a lot more of AC/DC on this DVD. By all accounts they were the best band of the night. All in all, the sound quality on the DVD is pretty good, I just have one question: WHAT KIND OF FOOL RECORDS A LIVE AC/DC PERFORMANCE AND MAKES ANGUS' GUITAR THE QUIETEST THING ON STAGE? You can't even hear Angus over the other instruments!

Average customer rating:

Toronto Rocks
Starring: Various
Manufacturer: Msi Music Corp
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

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