August 28 2013 – The Red Rocker stopped in Toronto on one of his rather limited dateson this tour and enlisted the help of Kim Mitchell to warm things up. On an evening where the heavy rain splattered all over the CNE grounds halting the Midway rides, the show did indeed go on.
Kim Mitchell took the stage and kicked off the night’s festivities. In a set full of Canadiana rock staples Mitchell delivered a 40 minute set derived primarily from his solo work with the exception of the Max Webster/Rush classic Battle Scar. Maybe it was too early in the evening or the rain dampened spirits, the set lacked energy and although the Toronto rock faithful politely applauded all the tunes, it was a bit of a mismatch with the whirlwind of Hurricane Hagar to come.
Mitchell’s setlist was:
Up to bat was Sammy Hagar with a show of the highest rock caliber. The premise was simple – a linear time trip through his 40 year career. His special guest on this tour is none other than his ex Van Halen bandmate bassist Michael Anthony who is quite likely the most loveable guy in the business. Hagar delivered a set full of energy and nailed every song he performed.
Although the show was one of the best we have seen this year the attendance was lackluster with the fields going totally empty and quite a few seats being empty. This of course did not impact Hagar in the least as he poured it on and his energy was off the charts. Easily one of the hardest guys in rock, his trials and tribulations with Van Halen have been documented before but now he is rocking by his own rules and has hit a fountain of youth. The Setlist tonight was:
Check out some videos and photos from the performance!
