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The Rolling Stones live in Oshawa 1979

April 22, 1979: Civic Auditorium, Oshawa, Canada (2 shows)

The Stones followed the New Barbarians, both bands performing two benefit concerts for the blind, as part of fulfilling Keith’s Toronto sentence the year before. John Belushi introduced the band onstage. This also marked the last time the Stones did two concerts on the same day.
Setlist: Prodigal Son/Let It Rock/Respectable/Star Star/Beast Of Burden/Just My Imagination/When The Whip Comes Down/Shattered/Miss You/Jumping Jack Flash

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Chaos, Courtrooms, and Rock History: The Rolling Stones in Oshawa, 1979

Before a single chord rang out inside Oshawa’s Civic Auditorium, the real spectacle was unfolding on the streets. Ticket lines wrapped around blocks, tales of overnight campouts spread like wildfire, and for many fans, scoring entry was nearly as memorable as the show itself. With just six days between the ticket release and the concerts, the scramble was pure rock ‘n’ roll mayhem.

The gig wasn’t just another stop on a world tour—it was part of a sentence. Guitarist Keith Richards, arrested for heroin possession in Toronto the previous year, faced a potentially harsh penalty. But this wasn’t your average courtroom drama. With fans wearing “Free Keith” t-shirts and even a blind Stones fan stepping forward to vouch for the band’s impact, the judge delivered a unique ruling: one year probation and a command for the Stones to play two charity shows benefiting the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB)

A Night of Redemption: When Rock ‘n’ Roll Took Over Oshawa

It wasn’t just Richards who got a reprieve—so did 5,000 lucky fans. The Civic, far larger than CNIB’s own 250-seat venue, was chosen as the setting. And when the Stones hit the stage with Prodigal Son Oshawa etched its name into music history. April 22, 1979, became more than just a concert date—it was a story of redemption, fandom, and the kind of legal loophole only rock legends could walk through in style.

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