Making Rock History

Two defining moments in early Toronto rock history occurred at Maple Leaf Gardens, one in 1956 and the other in 1957.

The “Biggest Show of ‘56” featured rock icons such as Chuck Berry as well as Bill Haley and His Comets singing “Shake Rattle and Roll,” the first rock and roll song to become an international hit. The fans that descended on the Gardens for the performance confirmed rock was here to stay in Toronto.

Toronto’s love of rock and roll convinced Elvis Presley to perform at the Gardens in 1957, one of only three times he ever held a public concert outside the United States.

Beatlemania comes to town

Maple Leaf Gardens hosted three Beatles concerts in three years: 1964, 1965, and 1966. On tour to promote their latest album and film, “A Hard Day’s Night”, Toronto welcomed the Beatles with open arms. However, the Gardens’ infamously terrible sound system meant the band could barely be heard.

The arena sound system—the same used to make announcements during hockey games—was used to amplify the band. Combined with 15,000 screaming Beatles fans filling the stands, anything John, Paul, George, and Ringo may have been playing on stage was impossible to hear.

The shifting music landscape

Maple Leaf Gardens hosted the best in the music business for over fifty years. Many Toronto bands, such as Rush and the Band, returned to  the city specifically to play the Gardens, considering it a benchmark of success.

In 1999, the Air Canada Centre opened in downtown Toronto. With a capacity of over 19,000, the new venue effectively ended Maple Leaf Gardens’ fifty-year reign as the city’s only arena-level concert venue.