Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto
| Toronto Rocks | |
|---|---|
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the stage
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| Directed by | David Russell |
| Starring |
Jann Arden Dan Aykroyd James Belushi |
| Country of origin | Canada |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Justin Bomberg |
| Cinematography | Justin Bomberg |
| Release | |
| Original release |
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Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto was a benefit rock concert that was held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on July 30, 2003. It was also known as "Toronto Rocks", "Stars 4 SARS", "SARSStock", "SARSfest", "SARS-a-palooza", the "SARS concert", or, more descriptively, "The Rolling Stones SARS Benefit Concert". Estimated to have between 450,000 and 500,000 people attending the concert, it is the largest outdoor ticketed event in Canadian history, and one of the largest in North American history.
It was organized in about a month, upon the suggestion of headliners The Rolling Stones, who wanted to help revive Toronto's economy after the SARS outbreaks earlier in the year. (The Rolling Stones have held tour rehearsals in Toronto on more than one occasion; Toronto was also the setting for Keith Richards's 1977 arrest and subsequent trial.) When The Rolling Stones announced the concert, Toronto was still under a SARS warning from the World Health Organization. The publicity garnered by the SARS outbreak led to a downturn in Toronto's tourism industry, which the concert was intended to help revive.
The concert was held at Downsview Park in northern Toronto, a former military base which also accommodated 800,000 people when Pope John Paul II visited the city in 2002. The concert was hosted by actor/singer Dan Aykroyd, and vendors sold Alberta beef in support of the Canadian beef industry, which had recently suffered because of a case of mad cow disease. North York General Hospital, which had been hit the hardest by the SARS outbreak in previous months, provided emergency on-site hospital services. The Toronto water department was initially supposed to provide free water by tapping the groundwater at the site, but were unable to do so due to health concerns. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and cable music station MuchMoreMusic provided coverage of parts of the concert throughout the day, including the end of The Rolling Stones' set.
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