For a bunch of British chaps, the Rolling Stones sure know a lot about Canada, and Mick Jagger didnsa国际传媒檛 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 Raptorssa国际传媒� historic NBA championship win to the sa国际传媒渂uck a beersa国际传媒� policy of Ontario Premier Doug Ford.
Standing before a crowd of roughly 70,000 concertgoers, it didnsa国际传媒檛 take long before Jagger wished a simple sa国际传媒淗appy Canada Daysa国际传媒� to the receptive crowd, who didnsa国际传媒檛 seem to mind it was technically two days early.
The concert at Burlsa国际传媒檚 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 singersa国际传媒檚 tireless performance, which included swapping out one glittery jacket for another before eventually donning a hat and T-shirt emblazoned with the bandsa国际传媒檚 famous tongue logo.
Armed with his flamboyant swagger, Jagger zig-zagged across the massive stage sa国际传媒� and strutted down the catwalk sa国际传媒� for two hours, playing 20 of the bandsa国际传媒檚 greatest hits.
Popular classics sa国际传媒淧aint It Black,sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒淕imme Shelter,sa国际传媒� and sa国际传媒淗onky Tonk Woman,sa国际传媒� were balanced with a selection of fan favourites, including sa国际传媒淏efore They Make Me Run,sa国际传媒� 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 audiencesa国际传媒檚 hand at nearly every turn.
sa国际传媒淲hat about those Raptors?sa国际传媒� he shouted, as the sa国际传媒淲e the Northsa国际传媒� logo flashed overhead. He poked a bit of fun at Toronto Mayor John Torysa国际传媒檚 famous black-and-gold Raptors jacket, which hesa国际传媒檚 enthusiastically worn around town for weeks.
sa国际传媒淗esa国际传媒檚 still wearing his dirty blazer,sa国际传媒� the singer said to Tory, who was in the audience.
Jagger later introduced the bandsa国际传媒檚 drummer Charlie Watts as the Toronto Maple Leafssa国际传媒� mascot, seemingly for no particular reason.
He also took a jab at Fordsa国际传媒檚 sa国际传媒渂uck a beersa国际传媒� election platform, telling the crowd at one point that sa国际传媒渇or the next 15 minutes itsa国际传媒檚 a buck-a-beer sa国际传媒� courtesy of Doug Ford.sa国际传媒�
The comment elicited some boos in parts of the crowd, and no apparent discounts at the beer tents.
But the Stonessa国际传媒� fans didnsa国际传媒檛 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.
sa国际传媒淭he heath scare was kind of an indication this might actually be the last one,sa国际传媒� said Marc Fielding, who joined about 30 of his friends on a road trip from Toronto.
sa国际传媒淭heysa国际传媒檙e such an iconic band, so you donsa国际传媒檛 want to risk them maybe not coming back.sa国际传媒�
For others in attendance, seeing the Stones live came with an extra significance.
Jackie Morinsa国际传媒檚 father, a longtime fan, died shortly after the Stones most recently played Toronto. So this night was an especially poignant moment.
sa国际传媒淭his is a big deal,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淣ever will you ever see a concert like this sa国际传媒� itsa国际传媒檚 history.sa国际传媒�
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.
sa国际传媒淭he Stones were the bad boys of rock,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淚 wanted to be here because I want to die happy.sa国际传媒�
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 sa国际传媒榓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.
sa国际传媒淚 saw them three times in the U.K. last year, and wesa国际传媒檙e booked for two shows on this tour,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淭he 2013 show in Toronto was so good we all jumped in a car to Montreal and saw them there.sa国际传媒�
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 Houstonsa国际传媒檚 sa国际传媒淚 Wanna Dance With Somebodysa国际传媒� to Queensa国际传媒檚 sa国际传媒淏ohemian Rhapsody.sa国际传媒�
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 thatsa国际传媒檚 kept them going for more than half a century.
sa国际传媒淪ee you soon,sa国际传媒� the digital screens read, alongside the bandsa国际传媒檚 trademark tongue logo.
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David Friend, The Canadian Press
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