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Rolling Stones on video: April 22, 1979: Civic Auditorium, Oshawa, Canada (2 shows)
The Stones followed The New Barbarians, 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
About the New Barbarians/Rolling Stones double-bill benefit concert for the Canadian National Institute for the Blindin Oshawa, 1979
It was a memorable day when the Rolling Stones, the biggest rock band in the world, arrived in town to perform two benefit concerts at the historic Civic Auditorium. The proceeds from these shows were donated to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), a cause that held special significance for the band and their fans.
These concerts were not just any ordinary performance but a unique consequence of guitarist Keith Richards’ conviction in 1978 on heroin charges. Richards had been arrested the year before at the Harbour Castle Hilton in Toronto, facing up to seven years in prison for drug-related offenses. However, the outcome of his trial was anything but typical. The courtroom, filled with passionate Rolling Stones fans – some even wearing “Free Keith” t-shirts – underscored the special nature of this legal proceeding.
Judge Lloyd Graburn acknowledged that drug addicts who commit crimes to fund their addiction should face jail time. But in Richards’ case, the judge noted that he had the financial means to support his habit without resorting to crime. Looking for an alternative to incarceration, and after hearing from a blind fan who spoke highly of Richards, Judge Graburn decided to sentence Richards to one year of probation. He also ordered the Rolling Stones to perform two benefit shows for the CNIB within six months of the ruling.
Given that the CNIB’s own auditorium could only hold 250 people, and with the Toronto Maple Leafs deep in a playoff run, the shows were moved to Oshawa, where the 5,000-seat Civic Auditorium provided the perfect venue. The performances would also feature an opening set by The New Barbarians, a newly-formed band led by Ronnie Wood, which included former Faces keyboardist Ian McLagan and the legendary jazz/fusion bassist Stanley Clarke.
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