Alice Cooper Toronto Riot Aug. 19 1980 (actual footage)

[raitisfreimanis]

I was there. Zon was the warmup group. We did get a refund for our tickets and then I saw the show at Maple Leaf gardens the following year. Good show.

[TheDanielime]

And this is why I love rock n roll.

[adamtheboyfromdenmar]

I didn't know that Alice Cooper had so many fans.

[Faltzerbeast90]

what was the name of the song he was playing in the beginning?

[pantera63]

@Faltzerbeast90 Eighteen.

[SouthPawBrown]

what instrument was he explaining there at the end?

[jbadal1]

I like at 1:48 the kid egging-on the cop and then runs like a baby when the cop chases him into the stands.

[timin770]

dumb-ass muskrat-munching canucks

[REZBLUE22]

@timin770 Yeah because this never happens in America! derp.

[timin770]

@REZBLUE22 where has something like this happened in "America", punk?

[REZBLUE22]

@timin770 Guns n Roses in St. Louis and Maryland. Marilyn Manson in Kansas City. Black Sabbath in Milwaukee. The Who in Cincinnati. I mean, did you honestly think this kind of thing never happened EVER in the US? How dense can you be?

[timin770]

@REZBLUE22 The fact that you threw in Who Cincinnati is a red flag for me. That was not a riot; it was a rush for seats, and people got trampled. I'll have to research your list to see what other lies you've told.

[dsfddsgh]

I always thought canadians were too stoned to riot.

[keef186]

"Alright Clancy take the boys around back..."

[canucblade]

i'm glad i wasn't around then

[virrepirreboy]

Whats happining here?

[krazydrummer]

We dont fuck around in Toronto! Alice Cooper riots, Racist Murder Riots in 1992, G20 riots.

[dogterd]

ugh... and to think I lived in Saskatchewan when this happened. I must go to the penalty box and feel shame.

[Beatnikzombie]

Alice always claims he's never missed a show.

[Beatnikzombie]

I went to a cancelled Cooper concert last night. We took the news much better than this. We had a good time regardless.

[TheRonaldo666]

Wish he would do more "no shows" they're almost better than the concert!!!

[Beatnikzombie]

@TheRonaldo666 Nothing is better than the concert.

[mooksterUSofA]

@TheRonaldo666

I know what you're saying - I was at this AC "show"

[TrandomnesstwO]

The cops on horses got a nice view at random flying chairs I had to get a laugh out of that scene.

[JacobSmithUK]

wuy did alice not go on

[thegirl44]

@JacobSmithUK

He had an asthma attack.

When Alice was a kid his parent's moved from Motown to Arizona for his health. Something about the climate in Toronto, on the day, set off that long dormant condition.

[JDMATRIX]

LMAO I wish I was born back then. im a 88 fuck lol

[wretchedbastard]

My first job was at the CNE in a hamburger stand right outside the stadium, and I worked that night.

I was scared shitless...we boarded it up and sat inside almost the whole night. People were pounding on it, we could hear stuff breaking and people fighting. At least we had stuff to eat.

Haven't worked since! :-)

[UpperCanada1812]

i was born in nov 1980... interesting to see this.

[rextasy]

Teenage Head? Really?

Between this and 10 cent beer night, it's no wonder the '70s ruled.

[lesterclaypool1]

Beer strike summers were about the only painful thing about the 7o's. Then again, we had Quaaludes to compensate.

[jobser12345]

who the guy telling the cops to suck his cock at 1:47 ? that is cool !

[actron]

As Bryon Gysin once said, man is a bad animal.

[RobertVienneau]

I was on the floor and was discusted by chairs hitting people in the head, ran at one guy to confront him and a cop ran at both of us on a horse, billyclub in hand. Horses are huge when galloping at you.

[RobertVienneau]

I was there and my firend Dave had a fight earlier that evening as if that wasn't bad enough. He later collected tickets that had been thrown away and made money from what I understand cashing them in.

[ToonsTent]

I was at that concert. I remember it well. What happened was, there was some small time bar band that opened up, then afterwards they kept the crowd waiting for over two hours without saying a word as to what was taking so long. Finally some geek came out and informed the already drunk and impatient crowd that Alice wouldn't be showing up, then he stupidly offered to have the opening act return ... that's when the first folding chair hit the stage. The rest ... is history!

[FREDDYMERCURY1996]

I know somoene who was there and know hates alice cooper cuz there was no refund

[lesterclaypool1]

What are you talking about? Our money was refunded. I even cashed in tickets that I had picked up that weren't mine.

There wasn't an immediate refund, you had to contact CNE after.

[jeffy10420]

thats hilarious, all the 70's rockers, "disco sux man!"

[turnoffthetv]

My mother and father were at this show. My mother was pregnant with me at the time and in the ruckus and trying to leave, my mom was shoved down ten rows of stairs. Somehow, I did not miscarry! To this day my mom gets pissed when I listen to Alice. LOL

[hmrto]

Zon played, & later Alice's guitarist came on & said they would start soon. They were apparently just waiting for more cops to show. Should have just cancelled the whole thing. I was young & thought the riot was great though!

[antiislamist]

Lol, I love that cop @ 1:00 who's just on his horse, watching impassively as chairs go flying by

[youthgw]

this is why he doesnt play int toronto anymore but he plays in hamilton all the time, still going every year

[rocknrollattic]

Not true.

He's played Toronto numerous times since then.

[jobser12345]

the next time he played in toronto was about 10 years later. he promise the people there will be more blood than ever.

[Chonandabarbarian]

@youthgw dude hes playing in toronto next friday with rob zombie! It's gunna be the best!

[TinyDancer500]

Wow, great footage! I nearly went, but couldn't get a ticket, poor student and all. My Mum freaked when the news broke. Love seeing JD before he became Mr. Stuffypants "John", and never thought I'd hear Alice Cooper and Harry Chapin mentioned in the same sentence, cosmic.

[heidiwylde2010]

Wow, tabroncial asthma, wow, poor Alice.

[blahblahnik152]

lol why don't the cops just shoot tear gas at the crowd.

[prittyinpink2008]

OMG I WAS THERE IT WAS SOMETHING

[thegirl44]

I was there too, I lied to my mum about going to concerts for a few years after. I've told her that I did, but I still feel bad about lying to my mum.

[daveo1962]

I was as well..never thought I would see it again!!

[Vatch1966]

I was only 14 years old and I clearly remember the front page of the Toronto Star the next morning. The year before,I wanted to go see KISS..(This was the last tour featuring all 4 original members before Peter Criss left) and my parents would not let me go -unless I had adult accompaniment-because they worried about such incidents as the Alice Cooper riot and The Who concert tragedy in Cincinnati breaking out.

[b1chvj39]

I remember that!!! My mom, step-father and my aunt were there!!! I'm so glad they weren't hurt!!! I'd hope they got a refund out of it!!!

[thegirl44]

As I recall, we weren't reimbursed for this particular concert, but it caused further shows from being performed and the balance of my season's pass was reimbursed.

[telemat]

It was the time when Alice was in a really bad health, we can see it at the end of this video, he looks so skinny and pale.

[LordSim76]

Those were the days! Considering his music at the time, I would have thrown chairs if he'd shown up.

Also, I didn't realize that Budweiser caused asthma.

[rocknrollattic]

Do you remember what the other two Toronto rock riots were that year Davey??

[thegirl44]

I remember that Teenage Head was the one that caused the CNE to cancel concerts for a while, what was the other?

[rocknrollattic]

@thegirl44

yep Teenage Head was the second one...the third riot that year was Nash The Slash.

I do believe both shows/riots happened at Ontario Place.

[thegirl44]

@rocknrollattic

They did happen at Ontario Place, but if I remember correctly, although I'm old and I probably won't, the Teenage Head concert was the last of the summer series at OP, while the CNE still had a few shows coming that they didn't honour.

My dad ended up working on "Kids of Degrassi Street", of all things, because he was booked to do the sound at the CNE shows that were cancelled.

[canada995]

@thegirl44 y wat happened to the head??

[thegirl44]

@canada995

You mean recently or then?

Recently, Frankie Venom died. Then, the same summer as this riot, at riot at a Teenage head concert caused the CNE to cancel the rest of the scheduled shows for the summer.

[KornmanUNstoppable]

@rocknrollattic I dont think it was in Toronto but almost a decade later There was a riot after GNR refused to play after James Hetfield got injured by Pyro during Metallica's set during their joint tour

[rocknrollattic]

@KornmanUNstoppable

That was in Montreal,the Toronto concert the next night was cancelled,and then rescheduled.

[TNJesusLuvr]

why do canadians hate chairs so much?

[thegirl44]

It's not the chairs it's the sitting. Jesus, is that you Jesus?

[juspertti]

The Master of Theatrical Rock.