Back to This Week in Music History: June 24 - 30
June 27, 1970: Festival Express Train Tour Across Canada Kicks Off
Think Films
The Trans-Continental Pop Festival, better known as the "Festival Express," kicked off in Toronto, Ontario with the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, The Band, the Flying Burrito Brothers and Buddy Guy Blues Band performing to 37,000 people at the CNE Grandstand. The bands all took a train across Canada for the tour that would be documented in the 2004 film Festival Express. The riding-the-rails idea has spawned a number of musical imitators over the years, with Skrillex, Pretty Lights, Grimes, Diplo and others scheduled to take part in this July's Full Flex Express tour across six cities.
