Plans for Stones T.O. show on track
TORONTO (CP) — Organizers of the Rolling Stones-headlined concert to benefit Toronto said Tuesday plans to stage the mammoth event are going smoothly, with ticket sales expected to peak around 430,000.
“The Rolling Stones have been working very, very hard on making sure this is a spectacular, stellar event,” said Riley O’Connor of House of Blues, the concert’s promoter.
“And they’ve amassed one of, I think, the finest talent lineups that we’ve ever seen in this country.”
The band has been very involved with the other 14 acts to appear at the show and have talked about “cooking up numbers” with various other bands during the July 30 show, O’Connor said.
Riley said ticket sales were approaching 400,000 and were expected to reach between 420,000 and 430,000.
Addressing concerns that some American companies would be brought in to set up for the Stones, Steve Howard of the band’s tour management company said it was impossible to change some of the logistics providers.
Despite that, Howard said that “80 per cent of the non-talent budget for this show is being spent on Canadian suppliers.”
“The Rolling Stones are interrupting a European tour to play this gig,” said Howard, of TGA Entertainment.
“We can’t ask them to change all of the international vendors” and complicate the setup, he said.
“Our aim is to deliver the best sound and visual experience to a crowd this size that anyone has ever done.”
Meanwhile, the event’s transportation co-ordinator, Ann Corbitt, said she was working on a plan similar to the one put in place when close to 800,000 people attended Pope John Paul’s visit for World Youth Day, which also took place at Downsview Park.
“Just like World Youth Day, departure could take several hours,” Corbitt said.
Corbitt said about 50,000 parking spots, all within six kilometres of the park, were in place and more would be added later.
Organizers speculated earlier it could take some people hours to leave the venue and that walking might be a better option than driving or taking public transit.
After a groundswell of public complaints about tight regulations for the concert, last week organizers softened the rules on what people can bring to the show.
Originally the list of banned items included blankets, coolers, and food and drinks — except for two sealed bottles of water.
But organizers said concert-goers will be allowed to bring beach towels, binoculars, cellphones, sleeping bags, snacks, sealed soft drinks and soft-sided coolers.
Food and beverages will also be on sale at the concert site at lower prices than sports arenas and movie theatres, though organizers refused to say how much lower.
Broadcast rights for the show have yet to be finalized, but recent reports say talks are in motion between music network MuchMusic and CBC for a live national telecast of the event.
The coverage would have to be approved by the networks and all bands involved in the Toronto-boosting bash.
The event has been organized fairly quickly considering the massive crowd expected. Quiet planning started in mid-May after the Stones agreed to play a benefit concert for SARS-stricken Toronto, where they’ve practised for their last three world tours.
Categories