TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
With concerts apparently coming back as loud as ever, Jamie Bradburn poses some questions about significant music events in the city
1. Elvis Presley’s performance at Maple Leaf Gardens in 1957 was one of only three concerts (all in Canada) that he performed outside the United States. What is a commonly believed reason he never toured outside North America?
a) He was banned from several European countries out of fear his fans would riot b) His manager, Colonel Tom Parker, could not travel abroad legally c) Several key band members were afraid of flying d) There were legal disputes over foreign distribution rights to his recordings
2. Which band billed itself as “the Cockroaches” for a pair of shows (with April Wine) at the El Mocambo in 1977 that were recorded for a live album?
a) Elvis Costello and the Attractions b) Led Zeppelin c) Fleetwood Mac d) Rolling Stones
3. Which American band’s performance at the New Yorker Theatre on Yonge Street in 1976 is regarded as one of the inspirations for the punk scene that blossomed in Toronto soon after?
a) Blondie b) New York Dolls c) Ramones d) Talking Heads
4. In 1980, 58 charges were laid by police after 15,000 fans of which Canadian group were blocked at the gate when they attempted to exceed the capacity of the Ontario Place Forum?
a) D.O.A. b) Diodes c) Martha and the Muffins d) Teenage Head
5. Which artist, whose long association with Massey Hall includes their 1969 live album “Sunday Concert,” played the venue’s first concert when it reopened in November 2021?
a) Buffy Sainte-Marie b) Gordon Lightfoot c) Toronto Mendelssohn Choir d) Neil Young
6. Which venue hosted in 1991 the first edition of Lollapalooza to come to the Toronto area?
a) CNE Grandstand b) Molson Park c) Ontario Place Forum d) Woodbine Racetrack
7. John Lennon made a surprise appearance at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival at Varsity Stadium in 1969. What was the name of the group he performed with during his set?
a) Booker Table and the Maitre D’s b) Plastic Ono Band c) Traveling Wilburys d) Wings
8. During her third performance at the SkyDome on her “Blond Ambition” tour in 1990, what incident may have provoked Madonna to ask the audience, “Do you believe in freedom of expression?”
a) A prudish technician intentionally muted the sound during “Like a Prayer” the night before b) Devout Roman Catholics protested outside after Pope John Paul II condemned the tour c) Mayor June Rowlands threatened to ban her from performing in Toronto d) Metro Toronto Police threatened to arrest her for fondling herself during “Like a Virgin”
9. What was the official name of the benefit concert held at Downsview Park in 2003 to boost the city after the SARS outbreak? a) Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto b) Musicians United for Toronto c) Roll Over SARS d) Scotiabank Toronto SARS Recovery Concert
10. How did a fan who was thrown out of a Slayer concert at Budweiser Stage in 2018 attempt to re-enter the venue? a) Commandeered an equipment cart b) Presented media credentials scrawled on a cigarette pack c) Swam in the surrounding waters d) Put on a security uniform they found in the park