August 12 2024 – The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE, aka The Ex) is running from August 16 to September 2 this year and will mark the unofficial end of summer once again. Toronto’s majestic fair always features a ton of music and we scan through the numerous shows to highlight the #RealRock selections for 2024.
It is immediately evident that the Bandshell is getting lighter on classic rock this year as the number of selections we can recommend is much lower than usual. First off is the excellent Classic Albums Live show which will feature Bob Marley’s Legend on August 22nd. The tribute act will faithfully reproduce the multi-platinum reggae masterpiece and we cant wait to check it out.
Another tribute act caught our eye on September 1st with the “Voices of Classic Rock” featuring past members of Asia, Boston, Journey and Chicago. We have never seen this band (or any of its members) before so we plan to check them out. Finally a few other choices such as April Wine (but without the last original member Myles Goodwyn), and Brittany Howard (formerly of Alabama Shakes) might be worth checking out if you are down at the fair those days.
While the Bandshell has the larger shows we actually prefer hanging out at the Midway Stage which features smaller tribute acts but always provides a great vibe. First and foremost we recommend CRUSH: The Ultimate Rush Experience on August 28th. We have seen this band numerous times and they are incredibly good. As an old rocker from Toronto nothing seems more perfect than Rush music blasting at the CNE on a hot summer night. Count us in!
We are equally excited to once again hear our good friend Michael White performing on August 26th with Michael and The White – Led Zeppelin Tribute. We have featured that show more than any other tribute act on this website and guarantee that you will not be disappointed.
Beyond that there are a ton of great shows at the Midway stage and some that stand out are: Just Heart on August 17, Petty Nicks on August 21st, James Naro Band on August 23rd, Monkey Wrench on August 29th, and Jukebox Heroes on August 30th.
You can’t go wrong with a day at The Ex with so much to see and do, there is never a dull moment. Take a moment out of your day to listen to a few songs at the many musical venues and appreciate the gift by the lake that keeps on entertaining.
CNE 2024 article by Terry Makedon
T-Mak World: Toronto’s Site for #RealRock
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