What is the Toronto Rock n' Roll Revival?

On Saturday, September 13th, 1969, Toronto was host to what became known as one of the most significant pop music events ever held. At Varsity Stadium, in front of an audience of 20,000, John Lennon and Yoko Ono & the Plastic Ono Band made their debut live appearance at the Toronto Rock n’ Roll Revival. This legendary concert was the first time that all four seminal rock n’ roll pioneers Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Bo Diddley appeared on the same bill, it was the concert that spawned the Alice Cooper chicken mutilation myth, it was the last Toronto performance of The Doors and was said to be the first concert where the audience was asked by MC Kim Fowley to greet John & Yoko with matches and lighters. The story of how Lennon, Ono and accompanying musicians including Eric Clapton, Alan White and Klaus Voorman ended up on a bill with their rock n’ roll icons is a fascinating tale.