MUSIC IN DORSEYLAND

I used to go to a lot of concerts back in the '70s and '80s and was lucky enough to catch many great ones, some of which I actually remember. Thank God I wrote everything down.

All the venues are/were in Toronto, Canada, unless stated otherwise.

ALL OF THE CONCERTS (in chronological order) Click on the ticket stub to see it large.
Pre-1972
ARTIST / EVENT	DATE	VENUE	PRICE	STUB, COMMENTS
James Cotton Blues Band	?	Canadian National Exhibition	free
Lighthouse, Keith McKie, Subway Elvis	?	Humber College	free
Bruce Cockburn, Keith McKie	?	Georgetown High School, Ontario	$2
Beach Boys, Paul Revere & the Raiders, Joe Tex	June 1969	Free Trade Hall, Manchester, UK	$2
Led Zeppelin, Blodwyn Pig, Liverpool Scene	June 15, 1969	Free Trade Hall, Manchester, UK	$2	Read a little about this show HERE.
1972
The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder	July 15	Maple Leaf Gardens	$5
Mariposa Folk Festival: Neil Young, Bruce Cockburn, John Prine, Bukka White	July 16	Centre Island	free
Perth County Conspiracy	Sept ?	York University	free
Elton John, Family	Sept 2	Maple Leaf Gardens	$5.50
1973
Pink Floyd	Mar 11	Maple Leaf Gardens	$5.50
FEBRUARY 2009, STEVE FROM TORONTO says: Reading this list brought back a lot of memories. I was at many of the same shows. One of the earliest one's that I can remember was New Year's Eve 1971, Winter Pop at Maple Leaf Gardens. Alice Cooper hung himself. But Pink Floyd in '73 was a highlight for me, I remember the first song was a epic version of "Echoes". Standing waist deep in green fog, it was awesome. And when they played a new song, "Money", with that quadraphonic sound, well it just blew me away. It's on my top 10 list, for sure. There is one show that I have been looking for info about: it was at Maple Leaf Gardens in '73 or '74, Humble Pie was the headline, opening act was the Groundhogs. Anyone with anything relating to that show, please share.
NOVEMBER 2010, Steve Jepson, formerly of Toronto, now of Thailand, comments: "I was not a 'Dark Side of the Moon' fan. It was a big disappointment for me as I was a huge Pink Floyd fan. 'Saucerful', 'Atom Heart Mother' an 'Ummagumma' I adored. I remember the quad sound, laser lighting and the big 'ball'. But I absolutely do not remember any movie or slide show. I saw them perform 'Dark Side' three times and only remember being wowed by the visuals at the Hamilton show. "At MLG I was absolutely blown away by the end of 'Echoes' (we had brought something called Colombian), and I would have been happy with only that, well not really. I remember 'Eugene', 'Saucerful' etc, and I remember the sax solo and the back-up singers in 'Dark Side'. The airplane I'm not sure about, but I know I saw it at least once, at either the Buffalo or Toronto show. I also recall some kind of large metallic figure off to the side at the Buffalo show which was not at MLG. I think the plane at the Hamilton show was considerably larger." AUGUST 2011, Steve Jepson posted his Floyd memories on Marsden Global, the website of the great Toronto DJ DAVE MARSDEN, who ended up emceeing the Floyd concert and explains how it happened here: "There was no plane crash at the first Toronto Floyd 'Dark Side' performance as near as I can remember. "Promoters Michael Cohl and David Wolinsky of Cymba Productions (which later became CPI) were NOT going to bring the Pink Floyd Tour to Toronto -- they didn't think anyone wanted to see them. Imagine! 'Dark Side' had not yet been released. It came out just ahead of this concert. "I was at CHUM-FM at the time and started a petition drive to get Cohl and Wolinsky to change their minds. The reaction was huge. I remember taking many boxes of personal letters (remember them?) and some 200,000 signatures on petitions to the Cymba offices, pouring them onto Michael Cohl's desk. He was impressed. A few days later I was able to announce the concert date. "Still, Michael Cohl told me he didn't expect a sell-out. But on the Saturday morning the tickets went on sale, my home phone rang around 10:30. It was Michael Cohl. The show had sold out in about 15 minutes! Together we accomplish cool things."
Rory Gallagher, Mainline, King Biscuit Boy	Mar 20	Colonial Tavern	$2.50
The Kinks, Michaeljon	April 5	Massey Hall	$6
It's a Beautiful Day, Bloodrock, Sylvester & His Hot Band	April 13	Massey Hall	$5.50
Johnny Winter, Slade	Apr 25	Maple Leaf Gardens	$6
APRIL 2010, DAN IN KINGSTON comments: Johnny Winter @ the Gardens. We just had him here in Kingston last year in a bar downtown. He was great but people had trouble believing me that I saw him headline Maple Leaf Gardens in the '70s. My gawd -- Zappa and the Mothers, Edgar Winter with ELO, Van Morrison in the MLG Concert Bowl, Foot in Coldwater @ Ontario Place, Paul McCartney and Wings, the Stones, Elton John ... the shows go on and on that I attended. I can't find Neil Young's Maple Leaf Gardens show Jan 15, 1973. I had just turned 15 and it was my first big concert. At the time it was the tour to support Harvest but later became known as the Time Fades Away Tour.
Steve Miller Band, Rick Roberts	May 3	Massey Hall	$6
Frank Zappa and the Mothers, Mahavishnu Orchestra, the Good Brothers	May 4	Maple Leaf Gardens	$6
Downchild Blues Band, Horn, Murray McLauchlan	May 13	High Park	free
Commander Cody & the Lost Planet Airmen, Freddie King, Cold Blood	May 13	O'Keefe Centre	$6
King Crimson, the Strawbs	May 18	Massey Hall	$6
Jethro Tull, Brewer & Shipley	May 30	Maple Leaf Gardens	$6
Savoy Brown, Manfred Mann	June 20	Massey Hall	$3
Pink Floyd	June 27	Buffalo Memorial Auditorium	$?
Foot in Coldwater, Fast Eddy	July 5	Ontario Place Forum	free
Humble Pie, Leslie West's Wild West, Fludd	July 12	Varsity Stadium	$6
Summer Fest: The Allman Brothers, the Grateful Dead, the Band	July 28	Watkins Glen, New York	$10
Leon Russell, Mary McCreary	Aug 9	Varsity Stadium	$6
John McLaughlin, Santana	Aug 29	Maple Leaf Gardens	$6.60
Guess Who, the Greaseball Boogie Band	Sept 22	University of Waterloo, Ontario	$4.50
The Grateful Dead, the Doug Sahm Band	Sept 26	Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, NY	$6
John Mayall, If	Oct 7	Convocation Hall	$5.50
Mott the Hoople, Blue Oyster Cult, Aerosmith	Oct 14	Massey Hall	$6
Joe Walsh & Barnstorm, REO Speedwagon	Oct 20	Massey Hall	$5
The New York Dolls, Rush	Oct 27	Victory Burlesque	$4.90
The Edgar Winter Group, Electric Light Orchestra, the James Montgomery Band	Nov 5	Maple Leaf Gardens	$6.60
Genesis	Nov 8	Massey Hall	$4
NOVEMBER 2010, Steve Jepson, formerly of Toronto, now of Thailand, comments: "They had no visuals for the show! Gabriel apologized because the equipment truck had broken down coming from Quebec. I think they used mostly house lighting. 'Selling England by the Pound' changed my life!"
The Doobie Brothers, Bill Joel	Nov 13	Massey Hall	$6
Todd Rundgren, Lazarus	Nov 14	Massey Hall	$4
Climax Blues Band, the James Hartley Band, Joe Mendelson	Dec 9	Victory Burlesque	$5
Breathless	Dec 12	Abbey Road tavern	free
Alice Cooper, ZZ Top	Dec 14	Maple Leaf Gardens	$7
OCTOBER 2009: James B, "previously of Toronto, now in sunny Florida", says his oldest brother attended this Alice concert as well as the October 27 New York Dolls show at the Victory. "I recall him mentioning that half the stage didn't arrive for the Cooper show, and that there were other musicians playing behind the stage while the Coop was on. I had told him that Glen Buxton wasn't up to playing at that time and the musicians were there to fill in for him, as he wasn't even plugged in most of the tour. "They also mentioned some guy fell into the orchestra pit and the commotion it created. I did hear the bootleg of the Cooper show, from a show cancelled due to audience violence. You could hear Alice introduce the band and ask the audience to calm down for the night. He also asked them again before the encore. "As for the Dolls, both my brothers were at that show, all they could recall was the loud shrill scream coming from the back-up band's singer. Little did they know who that band eventually was! The same Brother also saw the Dolls at Massey Hall when a little-known band called Kiss backed them up. Fun times, thanks for the info, I am fascinated by that musical era."
McKenna-Mendelson Mainline	Dec 31	Victory Burlesque	$5
1974
Downchild Blues Band	Jan 10	El Mocambo	free
Iggy & the Stooges, Curtis Lee & Abraham	Jan 25	Victory Burlesque	$4.40
Spirit, Rose	Feb 9	Victory Burlesque	$4.95
Bachman Turner Overdrive, the Michael Quatro Jam Band	Feb 13	University of Waterloo, Ontario	free
Yes, John Martyn	Feb 22	Maple Leaf Gardens	$6.60
Scrubbaloe Cane	Mar 7	Abbey Road tavern	$1
Soft Machine, the Michael Quatro Jam Band	Mar 9	Victory Burlesque	$5
The Pointer Sisters, Tony Kosinec	Mar 10	Massey Hall	$6
Roy Buchanan, Rick Roberts	Mar 15	Victory Burlesque	$5
Peter Frampton, Lorence Hud	Mar 23	Victory Burlesque	$5
Electric Light Orchestra, Al Stewart	Mar 30	Massey Hall	$7.50
The Strawbs, McLean & McLean	Mar 31	Massey Hall	$6.60
NOVEMBER 2010, Steve Jepson, formerly of Toronto, now of Thailand, who took the photo above, recalls that this is the show Dave Cousins said was the best gig the Strawbs ever played!
Shawn Phillips, Valdy	Apr 4	Massey Hall	$6.60
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band, Audiomaster	Apr 7	Convocation Hall	$4.50
Hawkwind, Man	Apr 9	Massey Hall	$3.30
Genesis	May 2	Massey Hall	$6.60
NOVEMBER 2010, Steve Jepson, formerly of Toronto, now of Thailand, is pretty sure there was no Genesis show in Toronto on this date, and that my records must be referring to the one in November 1973: "That 'unknown' Genesis concert a few months later I don't think happened. I would have broken both legs to be at another Genesis show so soon."
Savoy Brown, Silverhead	May 11	Victory Burlesque	$5
Mott the Hoople, Kansas	Mar 11	Massey Hall	$4.50
David Bowie	June 16	O'Keefe Centre	$8.80
The Mahavishnu Orchestra	June 28	Massey Hall	$6.60
Nazareth, Rush	July 1	Seneca College	$6
Eric Clapton with Freddie King, the Band, Ross	July 6	Orchard Park Stadium, NY	$8
MAY 2008, SUZETTE IN NIAGARA FALLS, NY, COMMENTS: That's a great website you have there. Trust me, in years to come you will be glad you wrote it all down. I have been trying to remember the Summerfest concerts at Rich Stadium in the '70s. My husband was at the Yes, and Eric Clapton ones. But it's hard to remember all of the bands that played during those years. He remembers Chicago playing on the same day that Yes played -- do you remember that? I went to an Eagles, Seals & Crofts concert there in '75. Thanks for the great memories!!! SEPT 2008, SEAN CONDON, FORMERLY OF UPSTATE NEW YORK, COMMENTS: The Summer Fest concerts at Rich Stadium have an important place in my heart since they were my first concerts. Eric Clapton with Freddie King, the Band, Ross was the first concert I ever attended. I had no idea the date or year. I remember the ticket stub like it was yesterday. I remember Clapton had trouble standing. FEB 2010, MARK GULLO OF CALIFORNIA, FORMERLY OF BUFFALO, comments: This was my first big stadium show -- I was 14 at the time. I remember waiting all day to see Clapton, only to watch him throw up on stage. This was after they stalled forever for him to try and sober up. I was pissed. I think he still owes me a show! Oh, and I still have my ticket stub and it looks like it was torn the same way as yours. Still remember there was a clown or something thay brought out too. Really bizarre.
Roy Buchanan, John Lee Hooker, the Sunnyland Slim Blues Band, Ellen McIlwaine, Diamondback, Michael Hasek	July 13	Centre Island	$7
JANUARY 2010, TOM PATERSON IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, COMMENTS: I played bass for Sunnyland Slim at Centre Island that day. I think we played in the early afternoon. The ferryboat ride was interesting. I don't know how the '71 Fender Jazz bass I played that day, that I still have BTW, got out there and back. Suffice that it did, along with the humans who made the voyage back and forth. Sunnyland was, with Big Bill Broonzy, a Boss of the Blues in that he and Big Bill "ran the scene" on the South Side of Chicago, forming and booking bands into the many small black clubs that proliferated in Chicago immediately post-WWII. Meaning, he was a great force in the forming of the Chicago Blues sound. "Me and Bill were the first two black men to have new Cadillacs in Chicago after the war." Talkin' some stuff, there. There have been several "authoritative" works on the Chicago Blues scene that completely omit Sunnyland Slim (born Albert Luandrew). Suffice to say, upon his passing, the City of Chicago held an official Sunnyland Slim Day. He was a great piano player with a rock-steady left hand that never missed, until later in his career, after he was injured in an auto accident, and a great singer who could show anyone how it is done on a good night, even well into his 60s, when I played for him. Sunnyland, I know he was no angel but he was a good guy. Probably my favorite memory, if I had to choose, would be walking in the door of the Cafe Campus in Montreal, where we entered at the rear of the audience area, and walked up a middle aisle between a full house of people who were there early to see Sunnyland. I happened to be walking alongside the man, carrying my Fender bass. About the time we got a third of the way up to the stage, people in the back had started clapping, heads were turning around, and by two-thirds of the way up to the stage, we (Sunnyland and me too, just for being in the band) had the whole crowd stood up and clapping. Wow, a standing ovation for just walking in the joint!
Emmerson Lake & Palmer, the James Gang, Lynrd Skynrd	July 26	Orchard Park Stadium, Buffalo, NY	$7.50
Todd Rundgren, Rory Gallagher, Dr Hook & the Medicine Show, Status Quo, Foot in Coldwater, Diamondback, Abraham's Children	Aug 11	Centre Island	$9
JULY 2010: Jonathan at BNOrecordingUSA tells me that Abraham's Children actually played the island gig under the name Captain Midnite but soon after, due to a IegaI tussIe with the comic book of that name, switched to Abraham's Children. They were originally called Just Us. Check out their website.
Martin Mull	Aug 30	The Chimney tavern	$2.50
Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Jesse Colin Young	Sept 2	Varsity Stadium	$9
SEPTEMBER 2010, GERARD FROM ST JOHN'S, NFLD says: I was at that show. Fantastic!! You missed the second band on the bill - The Band, who were in their prime back then. It started to rain before they were done, and we sat in cold rain waiting for CSN&Y. It was well worth the wait. One of my all-time favourite concerts.
Jesse Winchester	Sept 6	The Chimney tavern	$2.50
Herbie Mann	Sept 14	Massey Hall	$7
Wayne Cochrane & the CC Riders	Sept 20	El Mocambo	$5
John Mills-Cockell	Sept 20	The Gasworks	$1
Roy Wood's Wizzard, Michael Hasek	Sept 25	Ryerson Theatre	$5.50
Diamondback	Sept 27	The Gasworks	$1
Rick Wakeman	Oct 7	Maple Leaf Gardens	$8
Lou Reed, Hall & Oates	Oct 19	Massey Hall	$6.50
Van Morrison, the Persuasions	Oct 21	Maple Leaf Gardens Concert Bowl	$6.50
Bill King	Nov 2	The Chimney tavern	$2
Perth County Conspiracy	Nov 8	Massey Hall	$3
Jim Eaves	Nov 15	Egerton's tavern	$2.50
Elton John, the Kiki Dee Band	Nov 18	Maple Leaf Gardens	$8
John Lee Hooker	Nov 22	Oakville, Ontario, bar	$4
Manfred Mann, Rush	Dec 12	Convocation Hall	$5.50
Genesis	Dec 16	Maple Leaf Gardens Concert Bowl	$7
Moxy	Dec 27	The Gasworks	$1
1975
The J Geils Band, Foot in Coldwater	Jan 27	Maple Leaf Gardens	$7
Roxy Music, Small Wonder	Feb 10	Massey Hall	$7
Sparks, Brutus	Apr 6	Massey Hall	$6
Luke Gibson	Apr 18	Egerton's tavern	free
The Mahavishnu Orchestra, Jeff Beck	Apr 24	Century Theatre, Buffalo, NY	$5
Lou Reed, String Driven Thing	Apr 28	Massey Hall	$6.60
Alice Cooper, Suzi Quatro	May 2	Maple Leaf Gardens	$7
Lou Reed, String Driven Thing	May 9	Century Theatre, Buffalo, NY	$7
Rolling Stones, the Crusaders	June 17	Maple Leaf Gardens	$10
Pink Floyd	June 28	Ivor Wynne Stadium, Hamilton, Ontario	$8.50
Yes, the J Geils Band, Johnny Winter, Ace	July 12	Orchard Park Stadium	$10
SEPT 2008, SEAN CONDON, FORMERLY OF UPSTATE NEW YORK, COMMENTS: My memory isn't great, but wasn't the James Gang on the Yes bill too? Maybe, Sean! Sometimes I didn't write down the other bands on the bill if I didn't make it on time to see them ... or was otherwise indisposed!
Jeff Beck, Small Wonder	July 23	O'Keefe Centre	$6.60
Dr Hook	Aug 2	El Mocambo	$4
Proctor & Bergman	Aug 4	El Mocambo	$4
Todd Rundgren & Utopia	Aug 9	Maple Leaf Gardens Concert Bowl	$6.60
The Beach Boys	Aug 30	CNE Stadium	$5.50
Jefferson Starship, the J Geils Band, Gentle Giant	Sept 1	Maple Leaf Gardens	$9
Savoy Brown	Sept 6	El Mocambo	$4
Jethro Tull, Gary Wright	Oct 7	Maple Leaf Gardens	$7.70
The Tubes	Oct 18	Massey Hall	$7.50
Rod Stewart & the Faces, Heart	Oct 27	Maple Leaf Gardens	$7.70
Dr John	Nov 12	El Mocambo	$4
Roxy Music, Rough Trade	Nov 20	Massey Hall	$7
Rolling Thunder Revue: Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Roger McGuinn, Mick Ronson, Gordon Lightfoot, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Ronnee Blakely, Rob Neuwirth	Dec 1	Maple Leaf Gardens	$8.80
The Who, Toots & the Maytals	Dec 11	Maple Leaf Gardens	$10
WAYNE COMMENTS: Thanks for the review and helping me remember some of the night, you have done a great job. I too saw the Who Dec 11 1975, Red Seats Sec 54 row A SEAT 8. WHAT A SHOW. As well I was at the CNE show and remember during the Who looking back from the front, yes, front, getting crushed and trampled while this wall of SOUND lifted me out of me shoes. I took a GLASS mickey bottle to the side of my face which kind of slid off. Thank god for the curved design of the bottle, not sure what brand, but it should have been imprinted in my face. Awesome show and they played "The Real Me". Well, I could go and on, like the time Bruce blew me away at the Concert Bowl at MLG after I turned down the Seneca show. Anyways keep up the good work and I will continue to browse. Hold on to that spirit.
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band	Dec 21	Seneca College	$7.50
1976
ZZ Top, Downchild	Jan 9	Maple Leaf Gardens Concert Bowl	$7
David Bowie	Feb 26	Maple Leaf Gardens	$8.50
SEPTEMBER 2010, GERARD FROM ST JOHN'S, NFLD says: The day before the concert, which I was really looking forward to, I went to lunch with a co-worker who was meeting his friend at The Pilot in Yorkville. He was there with another friend who was back in town for a few days. The friend’s name was Stacey Heydon. He said he was a professional musician and was back in town to do a show. I said, “So where are you playing?” I almost fell off my chair when he said the Gardens. "I’m playing lead guitar with David Bowie.” And, sure enough, the concert opened the next night with my new acquaintance standing in the spotlight at center stage, his back to the audience and playing an opening riff on his guitar, while David Bowie’s voice introduced the "hometown boy".
Genesis	Apr 1	Maple Leaf Gardens Concert Bowl	$6.60
Patti Smith, Joe Mendelson	Apr 15	Massey Hall	$7
The Tubes	Apr 28	International Centre, Malton, Ontario	$7.70
Bob Marley & the Wailers, the Blues Busters	May 5	Convocation Hall	$7.70
DECEMBER 2008, DAVE BROWN says: I attended my first concert at Maple Leaf Gardens 2 Nov '79 when me and my bother attended the Bob Marley concert. I was 17 and took my camera along and took not great but a few okay shots of Marley. Also saw Peter Tosh July 1980 at the Ontario Place Forum, Reggae Sunsplash on Tour 1985 at Massey Hall with J Reid, the Mighty Diamonds, Black Uhuru and others, and over the years plenty more reggae shows. The Tosh concert was recorded live and aired in the winter on TV Ontario and two years later on Global TV, and then released in France years after, and this is the best concert I've seen with Tosh.
Paul McCartney & Wings	May 9	Maple Leaf Gardens	$9.50
Nektar with Larry Fast	May 26	Massey Hall	$7
Todd Rundgren	June 25	Massey Hall	$7
Aerosmith, Derringer, Henry Gross, Rory Gallagher	July 24	CNE Stadium	$10.25
Toots & the Maytals, Pan-Demonium	July 31	Moss Park Arena	$7
Burning Spear	Aug 21	El Mocambo	$3.50
The Ramones, Johnny Lovsin	Sept 25	New Yorker Theatre	$5.50
Rough Trade	Oct 1	The Gasworks	$2
Ellen McIlwaine	Oct 14	Midwich Cuckoo tavern	$1
The Who, Mother's Finest	Oct 21	Maple Leaf Gardens	$11
Lou Reed	Oct 25	Massey Hall	$7.70
Robin Trower, Boston	Nov 30	Maple Leaf Gardens	$7
Patti Smith, Sparks, James Ackroyd	Dec 19	Seneca College	$7.50
1977
Ellen McIlwaine	Jan 31	Midwich Cuckoo tavern	$3
Queen, Thin Lizzy	Feb 1	Maple Leaf Gardens	$7.70
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band	Feb 13	Maple Leaf Gardens Concert Bowl	$7.50
John Cale, the Hummer Sisters	Feb 19	New Yorker Theatre	$7
Genesis	Mar 6	Maple Leaf Gardens	$10
Iggy Pop with David Bowie, Blondie	Mar 14	Seneca College	$7
Peter Gabriel (with Steve Hunter, Robert Fripp, Larry Fast, Teny Levin), Brutus	Mar 22	Maple Leaf Gardens Concert Bowl	$7.70
The Eagles, Jimmy Buffett	Mar 30	Maple Leaf Gardens	$10
Tom Waits, Ginni Grant	Apr 12	New Yorker Theatre	$7
Journey, Starcastle, the Steve Gibbons Band	Apr 17	Massey Hall	$7.70
John Miles	Apr 21	El Mocambo	$3.50
The Kinks, Elliott Murphy	Apr 29	Maple Leaf Gardens Concert Bowl	$10
The Viletones, the Curse	June 1	Crash'n'Burn club	$2
The Ramones, the Dead Boys	June 18	New Yorker Theatre	$7
Bryan Ferry (with Chris Spedding, Phil Manzanera), Rough Diamond	June 20	Massey Hall	$7.70
Blue Oyster Cult, Todd Rundgren & Utopia	June 21	Maple Leaf Gardens	$7.70
Mink De Ville	June 29	El Mocambo	$3
Emerson Lake & Palmer, Journey, Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes	July 24	CNE Stadium	$11
Elliott Murphy	Sept 1	El Mocambo	$3
"Outrage": The Viletones, Teenage Head, Simply Saucer, the Concordes, Battered Wives	Sept 2	Masonic Temple	$6
Iggy Pop, the Ramones	Oct 9	Masonic Temple	$7
The Dead Boys, the Viletones, the Poles	Oct 14	New Yorker Theatre	$7
Tom Waits, Gary David	Oct 20	New Yorker Theatre	$8
Be Bop Deluxe, City Boy	Oct 22	Seneca College	$6
Eddie & the Hot Rods, Teenage Head	Oct 30	Masonic Temple	$6
Queen	Nov 21	Maple Leaf Gardens	$10
1978
Jimmy Buffett & the Coral Reefer Band, the Good Brothers	Mar 17	Maple Leaf Gardens	$8
The Jam, Battered Wives	Mar ?	Colonial Tavern	$4
Leroy Sibbles & Chalawa	Apr 1	Horseshoe Tavern	$4
The Tubes, Zon, Carol Pope	Apr 12	Maple Leaf Gardens	$9
JULY 2008 from JK LEAMAN: I was at Heatwave and the Tubes (1978) and both are near the top of my list. The Tubes were awesome. I still tell people about the show. Not sure if you remember, but there was a brief intermission, during which they were showing a video of women's self-defence that was crazy. That led into the "urban guerrilla" segement. I remember (not sure how) that it started with a PA announcement that the building was under attack or something. Next thing the guerrillas are jumping off the stage grabbing folks and putting them in a cage on the stage then throwing grenades at them. I was actually fooled for a bit about the announcement. I was a smalltown boy in the big city. For Heatwave I travelled from Nova Scotia. I think I was the original punk-new waver from down east. Three of us in total, all huge fans of Elvis Costello, Talking Heads, the Pretenders and the B-52s. When we left on the trip we were under the impression that the Clash were playing, so that was a huge let-down. But being big Teenage Head fans, we were all very happy with the opening announcement from the stage "Heatwave promised you some surprises ... Teenage Head!"
The Stranglers, Drastic Measures, Earth Roots & Water	Apr 14	Horseshoe Tavern	$5
Long John Baldry	Apr 22	bar in Guelph, Ontario	$2.50
Lou Reed, Ian Dury & the Blockheads	Apr 24	Massey Hall	$8.80
Elvis Costello & the Attractions, Mink De Ville	Apr 29	Massey Hall	$8.80
The Rolling Stones, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Journey, April Wine	July 4	Rich Stadium, Buffalo, NY	$15
Blondie, the B-Girls	Aug 3	El Mocambo	$6.50
The Eagles, the Little River Band	Aug 6	CNE Stadium	$12
Linda Ronstadt, Livingston Taylor	Aug 19	Maple Leaf Gardens	$10
Teenage Head	Aug 19	Horseshoe Tavern	$4
Toots & the Maytals, Leroy Sibbles & Ishan	Aug 22	Horseshoe Tavern	$4
"The Last Pogo": The Viletones, the Mods, the Curse	Dec 1	Horseshoe Tavern	$3
Neil Young, McLean & McLean	Oct 1	Maple Leaf Gardens	$9
FEBRUARY 2008, STEVE FROM TORONTO says: Rust Never Sleeps!! This concert was another one of the best from the old days. I remember just rockin' all night long. He put on such a great show, and the stage was ... well, you know. That was my first time seeing him solo (I was at Varsity in '74) and it was one of three killer shows I saw within about a month. Jethro Tull and Frank Zappa were the other two. I saw Neil Young & Crazy Horse again, the first night at Massey Hall 11-26-07, and it was confirmed once and for all — the king is not dead!!
Bob Dylan	Oct 12	Maple Leaf Gardens	$10
David Johansen	Oct 21	El Mocambo	$4.50
Devo, Nash the Slash	Oct 25	El Mocambo	$4
Van Morrison, Dave Edmunds' Rockpile (with Nick Lowe)	Oct 26	O'Keefe Centre	$10
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band	Nov 16	Maple Leaf Gardens	$12
Jimmy Cliff, Ernie Smith & Roots Revival	Nov 17	Queen Elizabeth Building, CNE	$10
1979
Goddo, Battered Wives	Jan 28	Way-Jay Club, Norval, Ontario	free
The Clash	Feb 20	The Rex (New Music Hall)	$7
Valdy	Feb 27	Way-Jay Club, Norval, Ontario	free
Peter Tosh, Exuma	Mar 4	Convocation Hall	$5
John Cale	Mar 21	The Edge	$5
Teenage Head, Next	Mar23	Larry's Hideaway tavern	$2
Second City Revue	Mar 29	Way-Jay Club, Norval, Ontario	free
999, the Demics	Mar 29	The Edge	$?
The B-Girls	Apr 7	The Edge	free
The Jam	Apr 10	New Music Hall	$10
Yes	Apr 20	Maple Leaf Gardens	$10
Chris De Burgh, Kevin Head	Apr 25	Massey Hall	free
Chris De Burgh, Kevin Head	Apr 29	Hamilton Place, Hamilton, Ontario	free
Robert Gordon, the B-Girls	May 19	New Music Hall	$7.70
Lou Reed	May 26	El Mocambo	$10
The Mods	July ?	Larry's Hideaway tavern	$3
Truths & Rights	July ?	The Edge	$7
The Buzzcocks, the Viletones, the Gang of Four	Sept 7	New Music Hall	$8
Secrets	Sept 14	Larry's Hideaway tavern	free
Ian Hunter with Mick Ronson, Rob Segarini	Sept 19	Ryerson Theatre	$?
Crazy Cavan & the Rhythm Rockers	Oct 5	The Edge	$4
Levi & the Rockats	Oct ?	The Edge	$?
Tom Waits	Oct 19	New Music Hall	$7.70
The Police, the News (formerly the Mods), Leroy Sibbles	Nov 16	New Music Hall	$7.70
1980
The Necessaries with Chris Spedding	Feb 20	The Edge	$?
The Specials, the News	Feb 25	Palais Royale	$?
999, the Dickies	Apr 6	Club Kingsway	$9
The Selecter, Leroy Sibbles	May 14	Palais Royale	$8
Jerry Jeff Walker	May ?	Ontario Place Forum	$3
Third World, Inner Flame	June 11	Massey Hall	$11
The Who, Heart	July 16	CNE Stadium	$15
"Heatwave": Elvis Costello, Talking Heads, the B-52s, the Pretenders, Rockpile, Holly & the Italians, the Kings	Aug 23	Mosport Raceway, Barrie, Ontario	$20
SEPTEMBER 2011, dougR in Ontario, Canada, writes: I can't say I've been to as many concerts as you have, but like you, I did pretty well, especially during the '70s and '80s, totalling to date just over 80 concerts. Heatwave WAS a blast. Talking Heads stole the show, all of it was great really. But you don't give the B-52's their due [in this review]. They came on in late afternoon, early evening just as everyone was losing their energy from too much "partaking". What the B-52's did was got everyone up and dancing -- a lively set to say the least. I see that you got the colourful ticket stub, I wasn't so lucky, but did score a Heatwave poster about a month after the concert in downtown Toronto. I was able to peel one off a construction site fence and have it framed in my basement to this day.
Jimmy Cliff, Third World	Nov 27	Massey Hall	$11.50
1981
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band	Jan 20	Maple Leaf Gardens	$12
The Plasmatics	May 10	Concert Hall	$10
The Jam, Blue Peter	May 23	Concert Hall	$10
The Gang of Four	July 1	Concert Hall	free
Reggae Sunsplash: Rod Taylor, Ronnie Davis & the Itals, Tony Tuff, Errol Scorcher, Steel Pulse, Marcia Griffiths, Jimmy Riler, the Tamlins, Black Uhuru, Prince Edwards, Culture, Light of Saba, Light of Love, the Lone Ranger, Freddie McGregor, Judy Mowatt, Gregory Isaacs, the Mighty Diamonds, Lloyd Parkes, Sheila Hilton, Michigan & Smiley, I-Maw, Tapper Zuki, Leroy Sibbles & the Soul Defenders, Mike Smith, Third World, Stevie Wonder, Rita Marley	Aug 5-7	Montego Bay, Jamaica	$35
Icehouse	Sept 5	El Mocambo	free
Gary US Bonds, the Danny Marks Trio	Sept 10	Concert Hall	free
The Kinks, Red Rider	Sept 25	Maple Leaf Gardens	$13
Duran Duran	Sept 26	El Mocambo	free
Bow Wow Wow, the Shakin' Pyramids	Oct 2	Concert Hall	free
Ian Hunter	Oct 4	O'Keefe Centre	free
The English Beat, the Off	Oct 16	Concert Hall	free
SEPT 2008, SEAN CONDON, FORMERLY OF UPSTATE NEW YORK, COMMENTS: We showed up late for the English Beat show because we were drinking across the street. The nice cute girl taking tickets scolded us for being late. I loved every second of the show. All I remember is the whole place dancing, the most fun I had at a show to that point in my life. We checked into the Delta Chelsea because of the drinking we did before the show.
David Lindley & El Rayo-X	Oct 18	Stars nightclub, Brampton, Ontario	$4
King Crimson	Oct 22	El Mocambo	free
Bob Dylan	Oct 29	Maple Leaf Gardens	$13
1982
The Mighty Diamonds	Mar 20	Holiday Inn, downtown Toronto	$?
Red Rider	July ?	NOW magazine anniversary party, Palais Royale	$8
"Police Picnic": The Police, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Talking Heads, the English Beat	Aug 13	CNE Stadium	$22
Steel Pulse	Aug 19	Concert Hall	$10
1983
"Police Picnic 3": The Police, Peter Tosh, James Brown	Aug 5	CNE Stadium	$20
1984
Simple Minds	June 5	Massey Hall	$13
SEPT 2008, SEAN CONDON, FORMERLY OF UPSTATE NEW YORK, COMMENTS: The Simple Minds pre-"Don't you forget about me". I walked out of this show with my jaw on the ground. Three of us went to Toronto for this show, only two of us got in. My buddy who missed the show couldn't get us to talk about the show afterwards because we were speechless. Unfortunately I have seen Simple Minds a handful of times since and in my opinion had lost something after "The Breakfast Club".
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band	July 23	CNE Stadium	$19.75
"Acton Rock Festival": Bo Diddley, Long John Baldry, Rompin' Ronnie Hawkins, the Paul James Band, Pattie Janetta, the Grotty Beats, the Backbeats, Pearl City	Aug 4	Prospect Park, Acton, Ontario	free
Neil Young & the International Harvesters	Sept 1	CNE Grandstand	$16.50
1985
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band	Aug 26	CNE Stadium	$25.25
Simple Minds	Nov 8	Maple Leaf Gardens	$18.50
1986
The Mission, Balaam & the Angel	Apr 16	RPM club	$15
Jackson Browne	July 8	Kingswood Theatre, Maple, Ontario	$15
Lou Reed	Aug 2	Kingswood Theatre, Maple, Ontario	$17
The Pretenders, Iggy Pop	Nov 22	Maple Leaf Gardens	$20
1987
Billy Bragg	July 30	Concert Hall	$17
Rita Marley & the Wailers, Chalice, Messenjah	Aug 2	Varsity Arena	$27
Siouxsie & the Banshees, Julian Cope	Aug 12	Kingswood Theatre, Maple, Ontario	$16
David Bowie, Duran Duran	Aug 25	CNE Stadium	$27.50
The Pursuit of Happiness, Blue Rodeo, Rang Tango	Sept 3	NOW Magazine 7th anniversary party, RPM club	free
Tom Waits	Oct 18	Massey Hall	$25.50
1988
Gene Loves Jezebel, Flesh for Lulu	Feb 3	Concert Hall	$19
The Church, 13 Engines	Mar 16	Diamond club	$11.50
SOME QUESTION about this date: A visitor to the site has pointed out that this Church fan site has them playing in Toronto on June 15, 1988 at the Copa club ... but I think I'm right on this one (for a change).
Tweedle Street Blues Band	Mar 1	Night Crossing, Georgetown, Ontario	free
Love & Rockets, the Mighty Lemon Drops	Apr 21	Concert Hall	$21.50
Peter Murphy, Passion Fodder	Apr 28	RPM club	$15
Pink Floyd	May 13	CNE Stadium	$26.75
Jane Siberry	May 26	Ontario Place Forum	$3
Iggy Pop, the Soup Dragons	Aug 16	RPM club	$20
The Native Spirit Band, the Crash Vegas	Mar 1	NOW magazine 7th anniversary party, RPM club	free
1989
Toronto Symphony Orchestra	Feb 5	Roy Thomson Hall	free
Mariposa Festival: Jackson Browne, David Lindley & El Rayo-X	June 25	Molson Park, Barrie, Ontario	$17.50
Violent Femmes, the Pogues	July 14	Kingswood Theatre, Maple, Ontario	$16.50
Kevin Head	Aug 11-12	Aunt Lucy's restaurant/tavern, Kingston, Ontario	free
Lou Reed, Dion	Aug 16	Kingswood Theatre, Maple, Ontario	$10
Ringo Starr & the All-Stars (Joe Walsh, Dr John, Billy Preston, Nils Lofgren, Clarence Clemons, Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Jim Keltner	Aug 19	CNE Grandstand	$31.75
The Call, the Peregrines	Aug 23	Wonderland International Showplace, Maple,Ontario	$11
The Cure, Love & Rockets, the Pixies	Aug 28	CNE Grandstand	$29.25
Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers	Sept 10	Superstars club, Mississauga, Ontario	$25.30
Michie Mee, Adrian Miller, the Touchtones	Sept 14	NOW magazine's 8th anniversary party Diamond club	free
The Waterboys	Oct 12	Concert Hall	$22.75
1990
Bob Dylan, Sue Medley	June 6	O'Keefe Centre	$37.50
Roger McGuinn	June 28	Ontario Place	$13.50
2004
Bryan Ferry, the Pretenders	Feb 23	BEC-Tero Hall, Bangkok	media pass
Kitaro	Sept 14	BEC-Tero Hall, Bangkok	media pass
The Eagles	Oct 15	Impact Arena, Bangkok	media pass
2009
Rod Stewart	Mar 4	Impact Arena, Bangkok	media pass
2011
Eric Clapton	Feb 16	Impact Arena, Bangkok	media pass	MY REVIEW HERE.
The Eagles	Feb 20	Impact Arena, Bangkok	media pass	MY REVIEW HERE.
Santana	Mar 1	Impact Arena, Bangkok	media pass	MY REVIEW HERE.