Massive Stones concert transformed into two-disc DVD available June 29
TORONTO (CP) – Mick Jagger sent a videotaped message to Toronto on Thursday to launch a DVD of last summer’s enormous outdoor concert to help the SARS-battered city.
The show, attended by 490,000 people, featured the Rolling Stones, AC/DC, the Guess Who and Justin Timberlake, among others. “It was definitely the biggest show we’ve ever done. It was one of the highlights of our career. It really remains in my memory,” Jagger said. Producers of the two-disc DVD, in stores June 29, edited the 16-hour day into two-hours and 40 minutes of performances and behind-the-scenes footage, and included all the Canadian talent.
It will sell for between $32 and $39, depending on the retailer. To keep the DVD’s length manageable, between one and three songs from each performer were chosen, except the Stones who got six.
Acts were sent a copy of their performance and were allowed to select their favourites.
Two highlights were also saved from the cutting room floor: AC/DC guitarists Angus and Malcolm Young on stage with the Stones for Rock Me Baby and popstar Justin Timberlake’s Miss You duet with Jagger.
Bonus footage shows Jagger and Timberlake rehearsing for their duet, Burton Cummings introducing himself to Jagger and Rush’s Neil Peart and the Stones’ Charlie Watts discussing drums.
It’s “one of the more historic gatherings of rock history,” said concert promoter Michael Cohl of TGA Entertainment, who has organized the Stones’ last few world tours.
Outside of Canada, the DVD will be cut down into a single disc. Most of the home grown acts will be cut.
It took producers 10 months to create the DVD because it involved negotiating rights and securing clearances with 45 songwriters, 15 artists, 10 record companies and 14 publishers, said Cohl, the executive producer.
The artists have all agreed to fork over any revenue from sales of the DVD to several charities, including ones for hospitality and health workers.
“We are giving our money that we get from royalties to the various charities and good works in Toronto,” said Jagger. “Hopefully this concert and the awareness that it brought did something towards helping (Toronto tourism).”
Organizers have said the economic impact on a national level was $1-billion for the one-day event. Over $1 million was raised for charity, added Cohl, who got the ball rolling on the show by re-routing the Stones tour to make a stop in Toronto last July 30.
Cohl said the DVD is special because the show is the only one of its kind, being the largest ticketed single day event in history.
“It’s the only show to draw 400,000-to-500,000 people ever where there was no one killed, where there was only double-digit arrests and barely over 100 people sent to hospital and most of them for minor things,” he said. “It was a miraculous day.”
Organizers are also offering a 60-minute highlight show free to any TV station around the world willing to air it.
So far, said Cohl, stations in over 50 countries have accepted the freebie. The special also includes a three-minute Toronto tourism pitch.
It will air close to the release of the DVD. In Canada, CBC and Citytv have grabbed the reel.
Categories