Varsity Stadium, located at 299 Bloor St. W. is primarily known for serving as the home of the University of Toronto’s Varsity Blues athletic teams, however, its legacy as a venue extends beyond just sports. The stadium actually boasts a rich musical past and has hosted some of the most unforgettable concerts in the city’s history.
One of — if not the —most iconic moments in Varsity Stadium’s history happened on Sept. 13, 1969, with the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival festival. The festival, which came to be remembered as one of the most important moments in rock history, attracted thousands of fans eager to watch their favourite artists perform.
The 12-hour festival was organized by local promoters John Brower and Kenny Walker, who originally conceived the event as a celebration of 1950s rock and roll.
The one-day festival featured a star-studded lineup, including The Doors, Bo Diddley, Chicago Transit Authority (now Chicago), Alice Cooper, Chuck Berry, and Little Richard, to name a few.
Promotional poster for the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival festival in 1969.
The crowd of over 20,000 ticket holders were blissfully unaware that John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band were due to play a surprise performance until the event was already underway.
Originally invited to emcee the event, Lennon shocked everyone by insisting on performing. He quickly assembled a band that consisted of Eric Clapton on the guitar, Klaus Voormann (bassist for Manfred Mann and designer of The Beatles’ Revolver album cover) on bass, Alan White (drummer for Yes) on drums, and of course, Yoko Ono.
Chuck Berry at the 1969 festival. Photo: Greenwich Entertainment.
“It was late, about 11 o’clock one Friday night, I was in my office at Apple, when we got a phone call from this guy saying, ‘Come to Toronto’,” Lennon said at the time.
“They really were inviting us as King and Queen to preside over the concert and not to play. But I didn’t hear that part and I said, ‘OK. OK. Just give me time to get a band together.’ So, I thought, ‘Who could I get to come and play with me?’ We left the next morning.”
At approximately 10 p.m. on the day of the festival, a black limousine carrying Lennon and his band arrived at the stadium while Cat Mother and The All Night Newsboys were on stage, after being escorted by a convoy of 80 motorcycles from the Toronto Vagabonds.
John Lennon and Yoko Ono performing at the festival. Photo: CPL Archives/Everett Collection.
According to Eric Clapton, “John just stood in the dressing room, which was admittedly rather tatty, beforehand saying, ‘What am I doing here? I could have gone to Brighton!’ After all, it was a long way to go for just one concert.”
The performance — which was Lennon’s first live gig without The Beatles — included songs like “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Money (That’s What I Want),” “Dizzy Miss Lizzy,” “Yer Blues,” “Cold Turkey,” and “Give Peace A Chance.” Some theorize that Lennon’s impromptu concert helped expedite The Beatles’ breakup.
Just two months before the festival, Lennon and Ono had recorded “Give Peace A Chance” during their Bed-in at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal.
The festival led to the release of the Live Peace in Toronto 1969 album by the Plastic Ono Band, which was recorded at the festival and was the first live album released by any member of The Beatles separately or together.
Fans at the festival. Photo: Andrea Feltrin.
The event was also covered in the 1971 documentary Sweet Toronto by D.A. Pennebaker.
The 1969 Rock and Roll Revival wasn’t the only notable concert at Varsity Stadium, and in the years that followed, the venue also hosted several other iconic performances.
In 1974, legendary folk-rock supergroup Crosby, Stills & Nash performed at the stadium as part of their reunion tour, KISS brought their Destroyer Tour to the venue on Sept. 6, 1976, and Rush graced the stage on Sept. 2, 1979, during their Permanent Waves Warm-Up Tour.
In addition to the Rock and Roll Revival, Varsity Stadium also hosted the Toronto Pop Festival on June 21 and 22, 1969.
Promotional posters for the Toronto Pop Festival at Varsity Stadium.
The two-day festival attracted a diverse mix of acts, including The Band, Sly & The Family Stone, Modern Rock Quartet, Kensington Market, The Velvet Underground, Steppenwolf, Rotary Connection, and Tiny Tim.
Advanced tickets to the event were priced at $6 per day or $10 for the whole weekend.
With its days of music festivals in the past, the Varsity Centre, which now includes Varsity Stadium, Arena, and Pavilion, continues to serve as a multi-purpose facility for the University of Toronto.
However, for countless music fans, the stadium will forever be known as the stage where rock legends made history.
