08-28-2005, 10:12 PM
I live about 2km's north of Frank Clair stadium. At around 8:00pm, I could hear the concussive bass and muffled sound of Our Lady Peace from my balcony. At 9:00pm, I began to walk through the Glebe (your typical white-upper-middle-class neighbourhood, like Rosedale or West Mount) headed towards the show. By 9:15, about a kilometre away from the site, I could begin to hear the show pretty clearly.
I paused and was thinking "is that them?" when I heard that distinctive voice, and one of those distinctive guitar riffs. Unmistakably, The Rolling Stones. Next was the roar of the crowd. Louder than most jets in this part of town and amazingly audible.
Heading out to Bank street, I began to notice families, groups of friends, and gatherings of neighbours on front lawns and patio's. It was as if everybody had turned their radio's to the same station. The sound of the show was clear and very loud as I hit Bank. I was suddenly surrounded by hundreds of other people marching up the street. You could hear it all soon enough, and lots of folks were singing along. Cops directing traffic: "Brown sugar..." Some kid with a rickshaw: "She's so hot for me..." and people who could have been my parents, or my grandparents: "Your beast of burden..."
Bank street itself was a festival. It looked like just as many people outside as in. Approaching the stadium, massive groups of people had gathered at spots which gave a clear view of the giant video screens. The stage itself looked like somebody was building a sky scraper in the stadium. Scaffolding, beams and catwalks that took two days to build and will take another two to take down.
As Mick introduced the band after they covered Ray Charles "Night And Day," people outside the stadium cheered just as loud as those within. When Keith said "Long time no see, Ottawa" a whole segment of the city literally responded with a cheer. People were crowded on hilltops, stationed on roofs, even an endless line of boats had docked along the Rideau canal. First avenue was the designated limo spot, and it looked like one of those urban parking lots where they block you in. I've never seen so many stretched cars in one place.
I walked along the canal where people had been camped out since this morning. Lots of folks under blankets, tons of little kids running around, and a great number of people remaining perfectly still, mesmorized by the massive stage and light show.
By the time I'd made it downtown, about another 2km from the site, people were still passing me on the way to the show, and the spotlights were still visible over my head.
The most amazing point of the walk was at the point where the canal turns and heads for the Ottawa river. That long straight tunnel of water and brick created the perfect conduit for sound. I could clearly hear "Jumping Jack Flash" as I looked back at the glowing aura of the concert in the distance.
Walking through downtown, Mick's voice since lost but the odd bass note or drum beat still detectable, people were talking about the show. "The stage was huge," "I think they'll go on forever," and "Probably the last time..." among other comments I heard. As I came closer to where I started, the noise became clearer again. People were pausing and trying to identify songs: "Brown Sugar?"
I Just heard the sound of fireworks, so I guess the show is over now. But when they say the Stones played Ottawa, they're not kidding. It was an event throughout the entire city.
I paused and was thinking "is that them?" when I heard that distinctive voice, and one of those distinctive guitar riffs. Unmistakably, The Rolling Stones. Next was the roar of the crowd. Louder than most jets in this part of town and amazingly audible.
Heading out to Bank street, I began to notice families, groups of friends, and gatherings of neighbours on front lawns and patio's. It was as if everybody had turned their radio's to the same station. The sound of the show was clear and very loud as I hit Bank. I was suddenly surrounded by hundreds of other people marching up the street. You could hear it all soon enough, and lots of folks were singing along. Cops directing traffic: "Brown sugar..." Some kid with a rickshaw: "She's so hot for me..." and people who could have been my parents, or my grandparents: "Your beast of burden..."
Bank street itself was a festival. It looked like just as many people outside as in. Approaching the stadium, massive groups of people had gathered at spots which gave a clear view of the giant video screens. The stage itself looked like somebody was building a sky scraper in the stadium. Scaffolding, beams and catwalks that took two days to build and will take another two to take down.
As Mick introduced the band after they covered Ray Charles "Night And Day," people outside the stadium cheered just as loud as those within. When Keith said "Long time no see, Ottawa" a whole segment of the city literally responded with a cheer. People were crowded on hilltops, stationed on roofs, even an endless line of boats had docked along the Rideau canal. First avenue was the designated limo spot, and it looked like one of those urban parking lots where they block you in. I've never seen so many stretched cars in one place.
I walked along the canal where people had been camped out since this morning. Lots of folks under blankets, tons of little kids running around, and a great number of people remaining perfectly still, mesmorized by the massive stage and light show.
By the time I'd made it downtown, about another 2km from the site, people were still passing me on the way to the show, and the spotlights were still visible over my head.
The most amazing point of the walk was at the point where the canal turns and heads for the Ottawa river. That long straight tunnel of water and brick created the perfect conduit for sound. I could clearly hear "Jumping Jack Flash" as I looked back at the glowing aura of the concert in the distance.
Walking through downtown, Mick's voice since lost but the odd bass note or drum beat still detectable, people were talking about the show. "The stage was huge," "I think they'll go on forever," and "Probably the last time..." among other comments I heard. As I came closer to where I started, the noise became clearer again. People were pausing and trying to identify songs: "Brown Sugar?"
I Just heard the sound of fireworks, so I guess the show is over now. But when they say the Stones played Ottawa, they're not kidding. It was an event throughout the entire city.
