Rumours abound of a Stones concert in Ottawa
Canada this August, their first there since
1965. Has anybody heard which venue? Apparantly
it might be a part of their Ex? Would this likely
be a large outdoor general admission festival
setting? Could be fun...................

No fellow Canucks here from the Ottawa area?

Hi!

See IORR tour dates page. Venue info etc. : [www.iorr.org]

There are certainly many fans from Ottawa here on IORR.
And if you look further down on these IORR Tell Me pages,
you will find more about Ottawa and the show.
Or just do search here for "Ottawa"...

Bjornulf

I grew up in Ottawa. People in Ottawa are very polite & friendly...

[iorr.org]

See [jam.canoe.ca]
It's suggesting the gig will be filmed.

"Excitement builds for possible Stones gig
Excitement is building over the possibility of spending a night with the Rolling Stones in Ottawa. If confirmed, it would be the biggest rock concert ever held in the nation's capital."

from Apr 30.

My source in Ottawa says they are also considering the Racetrack or Landsdowne.
I have seen Bowie and Rod Stewart and Tina Turner in outdoor shows at Landsdowne ages ago....great shows! Bowie so far has the record there for the largest audience; that was the Glass Spider tour. I was wearing my Bowie shirt so everyone let me right to the front!!! That's how NICE people are there. I remember Rod Stewart kicking his soccer ball around before the show, and kicking balls offstage too during the show...

About the corel Centre:

[www.corelcentre.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-05-02 21:24 by Miss U..

Sounds promising! Thanks!

I'm hoping for a large general admission rush
seating show somewhere, like Sarstock or what have you,
not interested in paying big bucks for a lousey seat
where I'll be stuck all night................

Landsdowne has both general admin standing, and seats.

Do you live in Ottawa or GTA?

I'm assuming that they're going to be playing at Frank Claire Stadium or is Lansdowne Park an exhibition grounds with several venues and an open area? By the way, the Renegades should change their name back to the Roughriders! (Canadian Football Leauge team). I'm a BC Lions fan myself

Miss U, how many people did Bowie draw for his outdoor concert?

Landsdowne Park is an exhibition grounds, they have the EX there end of August, and feature big concerts during the EX at the Landsdowne Park outdoor football field.
I'm not sure how many in the audience for Bowie, I'll try to find out...that was on Aug 28, 1987! And the Stones may be playing there on Aug 28th too.




If this does happen & anyone who goes to Ottawa, make sure you check out 2 of my old haunts; had some great times there:

Barrymore's

[www.barrymores.on.ca]


and The Rainbow Bistro, where I met Sugar Blue. (a very cozy blues bar with a french cafe downstairs)

[www.therainbow.ca]

[www.angelfire.com]




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-05-04 00:37 by Miss U..

I was raised in Ottawa and still call it home. Over the years, it has seen everyone from Hendrix to the Faces to Bowie to the Stones play there (the last not for 40 years) In the last 15 years, Rod Stewart and Aerosmith put on some wonderful shows at the Central Canada Exhibition the end of Aug. I saw Ronnie's last tour on the Faces in 75 at the Civic Centre there.

If Lansdowne Park is the place, and they use the end zone for the stage (most likely) they could get 45,000 in by setting up temporary bleachers at the other end. They crowded 55,000 in for the professional football Grey Cup championship last November, so 40,000 comfortably would be no problem with general admission. At an average of 125 - 150 a ticket, the gate receipts would be 5 - 6 million Cdn or 4 - 4.8 million US which should easily cover the Stones minimum.

If they play the Corel Centre (like U2 are on 25 Nov) they would have to play 2 shows to make it financially viable to come. But they traditionally like outdoors in August-Sept so my bet is on Lansdowne Park. It's right downtown, parking is a bitch, use the transit or walk! I always park in the Glebe area and walk to the shows. It's the easiest to get home afterwards. But an Ottawa evening end of August is usually magical - warm or hot and muggy.

Hotel rooms in Ottawa are quite reasonable compared to Europe and major US centres. There are no Motel 6-type operations around so you would have to pay at least 80 - 100 US but that is still quite reasonable. If they do confirm next week, I will put lots more info on the Tour page.

By the way, Michael Cohl opened his first strip bar just up the street from Lansdowne at Barrymore's after he left Newfoundland, so he has some history in Ottawa. It just might be the catch!

Let's hope in a week they are singing in the streets in Ottawa over the announcement! Now if I can just purchase 8 pre-sale tickets so I can take all my family then I'll be fine.

Miss U writes:

>>Landsdowne has both general admin standing, and seats.

That sounds great to me!

>>Do you live in Ottawa or GTA?

Toronto proper but did live at Deep River once for a bit
as a child, so have many pleasant memories of the Ottawa
Valley!

Any good cd stores, indies etc? We may be heading up
there June 10-12, so if time would like to check
them out, maybe take a look see at the Stones concert
setting if/ when it's announced by then!

Ron091 writes:

>>If Lansdowne Park is the place, and they use the end zone for the stage (most >>likely) they could get 45,000 in by setting up temporary bleachers at the >>other end. They crowded 55,000 in for the professional football Grey Cup >>championship last November, so 40,000 comfortably would be no problem with >>general admission. At an average of 125 - 150 a ticket, the gate receipts >>would be 5 - 6 million Cdn or 4 - 4.8 million US which should easily cover the >>Stones minimum.

Great! I like general admission, can usually work my way belly up to the stage
or at least position myself well somewhere back a bit between the speakers
with ultimate sound/ sight lines. Don't plan to sit much at a Stones concert anyway!

BTW You saw Faces 75 eh? Impressive!

I don't live in Ottawa any longer but in Brussels, Belgium; I'll be back in Ottawa area next year for good. It's still my favourite place in the world.

Ronnie, Rod and the Faces played Ottawa's Civic Centre 3 months before Ronnie left them permanently to go on tour with the Stones. Saw him in June 75 right afterwards in Toronto.

We'll have to see what they say about general admission vs actual seating. For the Ex shows, it's always GA on the floor of the stadium. But the stadium shows in Canada for the Stones have always had seating. I hope it's the former, and not the latter for the same reasons you mention.






Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-05-04 07:50 by ron091.

I believe Barrymore's used to be called "Fanny's" or maybe "Pandora's Box" when Michael Cohl owned it as a strip club?

Davido, some good record stores:

Record Runner or Vertigo Records, both on Rideau St (not sure if still there)

Check out Steve's Music Store (308 Rideau) for musical instruments.

Toronto has more to do than Ottawa, but I still miss Ottawa and the beaches there, how clean it is, and the people are more friendly & polite, the weather in winter will freeze yer ass off, but the summer is not so humid. I used to live in Rothwell Heights and Gloucester, and also lived right in the Byward Market close to all the bars & cafes. Maxwell's on Elgin Street is also a good dance bar.

Keepin my fingers crossed this happens!


DGA--- 290000 WERE AT THE BOWIE SHOW, BACK IN 1987.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2005-05-05 00:09 by Miss U..

Cohl's strip bar was definitely called Pandora's Box. It was quite high class, at least as far as these places can be! Fanny's was somewhere else.

I can second the recommendation for Steve's Music on Rideau St. Bought a Fender American Standard Telecaster there in 1992. The staff were extremely knowledgeable and helpful.

Record Runner on Rideau still exists and has a great selection and wide variety of music. Not sure about Vertigo.

Yes, a big part of Ottawa's charm is it's rural setting along the river valley
between the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. It's interesting that it was chosen as Canada's capital city, because in 1867 it was farther from the US border than
Toronto, in case the Yanks decided to invade! I'm glad the Stones have finally decided to finally head back up that way.
A rather belated brit (re)-invasion? :-)