The biggest concert in Canadian history was a strangely muted TV event for most of the country.
The coverage came from two angles: There was the live show and there was the peripheral coverage that focused largely on the sprawling spectacle itself.
Toronto station Citytv and sister news station CP24 began their coverage at 6:08 a.m. CBC Newsworld had camera crews and coverage of arriving fans. Each outlet carried impressive aerial shots of the rapidly growing crowd.
When the gates opened at 8 a.m., cameras were rolling as the first arrivals ran madly toward the concert stage. As a group, they abruptly stopped running once they realized there was no one behind them.
By 10 a.m., there were live reports that nine people had been treated for medical emergencies and that one concertgoer had been arrested.
On CP24, Senator Jerry Grafstein was giddy about the world-class news media attending the event, claiming CNN, The New York Times and other news outlets had made the trip.
Meanwhile, CNN's coverage was conspicuously absent all morning - scarcely a mention before noon. Instead, there was a live White House news conference by U.S. President George W. Bush.
Rocker-turned-broadcaster Jian Ghomeshi was there for CBC Newsworld, seemingly miles from the stage. He tried to look suitably concert-hip in black T-shirt and choker.
The TV floodgates opened at noon, with coverage on the aforementioned channels, as well as on MuchMoreMusic, Global, CH and Toronto CTV affiliate CFTO. News programs reported that a man had been arrested for assaulting a police officer. No further details were available.
By 12:30 p.m., the live show had begun. Jann Arden did a nice job on the national anthem to open the show. Then Jim Belushi and Dan Aykroyd took the stage in sports jackets and head bands in the blazing midday heat, singing the blues, sweatin' to the oldies.
CNN finally ran a report on the concert shortly before 1 p.m., with a report from perky correspondent Kendis Gibson standing a safe distance from the madding crowd. Gibson referred to the show as "SARSstock," and noted that the ticket prices were quite reasonable: "They're about $16 U.S., but you're getting robbed if you buy a hamburger here!"
The flurry of TV coverage dropped sharply in the afternoon, as soaps and talk shows occupied their usual timeslots. Unless you lived near the concert site, you probably wouldn't even know it was going on.
Those viewers expecting flat-out concert coverage likely were disappointed.
MuchMoreMusic was the designated daytime broadcaster, but for contractual reasons it, like the CBC, was strictly limited to the amount of live-artist footage it was allowed to air. Instead, it took an interesting tack: It covered the show as an event, not a concert.
MuchMoreMusic's daytime coverage featured brief live clips from the concert stage, interspersed with music videos of the artists and live backstage and field reports from correspondents Bill Welychka and Karina Huber, who had the best vantage point among broadcasters.
The MuchMoreMusic coverage was unusual but never boring. The Tea Party were shown on-stage performing their single Temptation, which segued abruptly into the video for the same song. A pre-show interview with Rush members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson was intercut with their 20-year-old video for the song Zephyrs. And so it went.
Over on CP24, the concert was the only story all afternoon. There were early reports of Bono sightings and rumours that Paul McCartney might perform with The Stones.
By early evening, when the marquee performers began to perform, the crowd was still expanding as Rush cranked out their power rock hits on the stage. No explanation was given for the washing machines behind them during their set.
Even in early prime time, the concert was still off CNN's radar. In truth, the all-news network was getting more mileage out of the repeated footage of the Turkish Prime Minister being dumped by a bull.
Similarly, the concert didn't merit a mention on Entertainment Tonight, although it did include a lead story on how Canadian Shania Twain got back in shape after the birth of her son.
MuchMoreMusic broke at 8 p.m. for a live news conference with The Stones. Mick and the lads seemed game, but the questions were wincingly lame. ("How will this go down in history?" asked one press member.) The conference was mercifully brief, well under five minutes.
The sporadic live coverage picked up shortly after with AC/DC on stage. Their presence clearly prompted the most vociferous response of the day, and rightly so. Guitarist Angus Young dropped his pants to reveal red-and-white boxers.
CBC's coverage began at 9 p.m., helmed by Ralph Benmergui. It opened with a performance by Rush taped hours earlier, followed by clips of Sam Roberts and Mr. Aykroyd and Mr. Belushi. Over on MuchMoreMusic, it was also a greatest-hits package from the day-long concert. Nearly an hour into the show, The Stones were still missing in action.
For those who chose to watch from home, the concert coverage was too scattered to get any real sense of being there. The live performances were doled out sparingly, and no doubt some viewers considered it a bait and switch. As a TV event, it was a letdown.