|
|
| Nellcote |
11th hour funding means Stones show may be a go
BY JOSH RUBIN
STAFF REPORTER THESTAR.COM
Rolling Stones fans in Toronto just might get some satisfaction after all.
A free Toronto concert by the Stones might still go ahead in late July despite Prime Minister Jean Chretien's apparent refusal to provide financial backing, according to the band's promoter and a Toronto MP who's been trying to pull the concert together.
More than $5 million of the $10 million needed to produce the show has already been raised from the private sector, according to Toronto-Danforth MP Dennis Mills. Wednesday, Prime Minister Jean Chretien appeared to rule out federal support for the concert.
Mills wouldn't identify the private sponsors, other than to say they were "people in the hospitality and entertainment industries.
"This concert is going to happen come hell or high water,'' said Mills, who touts the concert as a way for Toronto's tourism industry to recover from the SARS crisis.
The band's promoter Michael Cohl agreed the concert isn't dead yet.
"I think it's still possible. ... By the end of the week or the weekend, we'll have to see where everyone's at,'' said Cohl.
Mills said some money might still be coming from federal Industry Minister Allan Rock, despite a statement from Chretien that was widely-interpreted as ruling out federal money. Chretien said "I'm not deciding that,'' when asked whether he'd support federal money going to the concert. Rock was travelling Friday afternoon and couldn't be reached for comment. A spokesperson didn't return calls.
Mills also said the Ontario government is considering funding part of the concert, something confirmed by a spokesperson for provincial Tourism Minister Brian Coburn.
"We're looking to get the best bang for our buck, whether that's the Stones or another concert or another event, no decision has been made yet," said Gordon Prisco, adding that the province has committed $120 million to the SARS recovery effort.
While Mills had said the Rolling Stones needed a financial commitment by this past Tuesday in order to start preparing for the show, Cohl said there's still enough time for the band to rearrange its European concert schedule -- barely.
"We have this other show that we have to extricate ourselves from that we may not be able to extricate ourselves from. The sooner we do that, the better,'' said Cohl, who denied any drop-dead date for a financial commitment had ever been set.
"Ultimately there would be a drop-dead date, but that's not how these things usually work. That's not how we work,'' said Cohl, who stressed the band wouldn't be making any money from the show.
"They're not going to make any money. They'll be lucky to break even,'' Cohl said.
The logistics required to organize a massive concert for hundreds of thousands of people also makes timing important, Cohl added.
"What did it take, two years to do the Pope? And here we go with eight weeks. That really says it all. The sooner, the better,'' Cohl said.
If the concert takes place, Mills said it could happen at Downsview Park or the port land's in east-end Toronto. |
|
|
| Martha |
Ok, looks good to me....I'm packing. :-) |
|
|
| Prodigal Son |
I still say, if Toronto falls through, we out in Alberta should get the Stones to play because we're having a disastrous blow to the beef industry with mad cow's disease going around. Hell, there's tons of money being made by this province and its oil reserves, so they can cough up thr 10mil and the Stones can perform in Calgary, at McMahon Stadium, let's say. They could get 60,000 people for that one and determine it through contests and giveaways for the free seats. Then, no one could crash the party if they don't have a ticket already. This isn't that "free" but it keeps chaos from breaking out. You can win these tickets in all kinds of contests around North America to come to Calgary and it improves the tourism.
Ok, wishful thinking and a silly idea I guess, but it would truly rock!
For me.
[Edited by Prodigal Son] |
|
|
| JumpinJackFlash |
If there is a show, would there be a way some of us could meet or something, Iw as planning on taking my woman with me. I know I'd be scared shitless around 500,000 without being involved in a group. I'm still in the stick's, the most i've been around is 60,000 people. |
|
|
| Lazy Bones |
quote:
Prodigal Son wrote:
I still say, if Toronto falls through, we out in Alberta should get the Stones to play because we're having a disastrous blow to the beef industry with mad cow's disease going around.
What's disastrous is comments like this - "going around" - and the media, yet again, distorting reality. Mad cow disease is not "going around". One case (that cow was killed 6 months ago) among 5.2 million head of cattle in the province. Iraq's been blow to shit and the media (Canada's included) is itching for something to grab on to. Canada has some of the highest beef inspection standards in the world and people assume the worst when words like "quarantine" are put into the equation.
A prime example of this is, the day after the single mad cow case in Alberta was made public, the US refused to let waste trucks from Toronto (they haul trash across the border in Sarnia, ON to Michigan) into the US in fear that Canada was hoarding thousands of slaughtered "mad cow cattle" across the border..3 provinces away!
What's really sad about this is Canada was the biggest supporter and assistant to the US after their biggest nation-changing event in history - 9-11 - and because Canada didn't "directly" (we were represented there) and publically offer immediate support on a war that was initially meant to protect a threatened USA, we're now shit on. How quickly things are forgotten!
Pardon my political rant, but to make some Stones-related comments about this, although a show in Toronto would be great and a sign of appreciation by the band towards the city and Canada, I believe the Stones' number one commitment right now should be their tour and fans in Europe.
[Edited by Lazy Bones] |
|
|
| JumpinJackFlash |
That's a good point Lazy Bones. Another factor is, Mad Cow disiese involves a cow's nerve sysytem. You would have to consume a massive amounts of cow brain's and nerve part's to get this disease. |
|
|
| Lazy Bones |
quote:
JumpinJackFlash wrote:
That's a good point Lazy Bones. Another factor is, Mad Cow disiese involves a cow's nerve sysytem. You would have to consume a massive amounts of cow brain's and nerve part's to get this disease.
Didn't know that. The sad part, and what represents a huge financial blow (certainly to Canada's $22 billion beef industry), is that testing for bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE (mad cow), can't be preformed on a live animal. |
|
CHAT
ROOM aka THE FUN HOUSE] [
RESTROOMS]