The
Forgotten
Festival

developed
&
directed by
Steven J. Bull

The Forgotten Festival developed & directed by Steven J. BullThe Forgotten Festival developed & directed by Steven J. BullThe Forgotten Festival developed & directed by Steven J. BullThe Forgotten Festival developed & directed by Steven J. Bull

The
Forgotten
Festival

developed
&
directed by
Steven J. Bull

The Forgotten Festival developed & directed by Steven J. BullThe Forgotten Festival developed & directed by Steven J. BullThe Forgotten Festival developed & directed by Steven J. Bull

The Forgotten Festival

The Forgotten FestivalThe Forgotten FestivalThe Forgotten Festival

It ended The Beatles, launched Shock Rock, and introduced a concert tradition.

It's the greatest show you've never heard of!

contact

experience a documentary in an all-new way!

Live music

short films

Live music

Dance along to the music you'd have heard at the original concert. 

Immersive

short films

Live music

Co-MC's Alan Cross ("The Ongoing History of New Music") and Producer/Director Steven J. Bull weave it all together

short films

short films

short films

After the music sets the scene, hear the stories from those who were there. Onstage, backstage and in the crowd.

a concert story like no other. told like no other.

That Show

Who is Steve

That Show

Three weeks after Woodstock, a one-day rock concert happened in Toronto. It featured five Godfathers of 1950's Rock: Chuck Berry, Gene Vincent, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bo Diddley and Little Richard.


It also featured: John Lennon's first solo appearance directly leading to his leaving The Beatles (a week later); the "chicken incident" which thrust Alice Cooper from obscurity to infamy, taking Shock Rock mainstream; a random suggestion that helped introduce lighters to concerts; and it set Alan White on a path to the Rock Hall-of-Fame.

This Show

Who is Steve

That Show

In 2019 the interviews were shot in LA, Chicago, Toronto and Germany.

Then COVID changed everything. Including this project. 


The traditional film idea was scrapped, and the live, multi-media performance was born.

A live band playing the hits you'd have heard in 1969 to set the scene. Then you hear from those who were onstage, backstage and in the crowd. It's all woven together by live, award-winning, storytellers. 


Docu-Formance?

Docu-Theatre?

Concert-Mentary?

We haven't landed on a name yet...

Who is Steve

Who is Steve

Who is Steve

Steven J. Bull is an award-winning broadcaster with experience on three continents, more than a decade of experience in television, and Second City comedy training. 


In other words: he knows a good story when he finds one.


From "Why is there no documentary about this?" to "We better get on the next flight" to "Let's do it live!", this project came together with a poetic symmetry of how the concert did: with haphazard perfection.

an incredible show. incredibly overlooked.

The Toronto Rock & Roll Revival was a watershed moment in music history but, three weeks after Woodstock, it's been overshadowed for years. But you don't have to believe us. Believe those who were there...

FILM HIGHLIGHTS

I need you, Klaus

John's Drummer Boy

John's Drummer Boy

Klaus Voormann recounts how his old friend John Lennon called him for a last-minute gig and gives behind-the-scenes stories of the flight, the Plastic Ono Band's sole, airborne ,rehearsal and the unusual live performance.

John's Drummer Boy

John's Drummer Boy

John's Drummer Boy

Lennon  saw some kid drumming n London and asked him to play a one-off gig. Alan White impressed the Beatle so much he became the go-to for future projects, which led to joining Yes and, in 2017, the Rock & Roll Hall-of-Fame.

R.I.P. Chicken

John's Drummer Boy

Rolling with Edjo

Alice Cooper was more theatre than music. It wasn't supposed to go mainstream. But when a chicken didn't fly and the crowd ripped it apart, the subsequent headlines and Alice's clever reaction changed music forever.

Rolling with Edjo

Burgers with Berry

Rolling with Edjo

With ticket sales  slumping,  a crazy-idea to cold call to Lennon works. So who do you turn to for money? Evidently the head of the Vagabond Motorcycle Club. "Edjo" fronted the cash and his club provided a 100-Harley motorcade, much to the surprise of the artists.

Nervous Doors

Burgers with Berry

Burgers with Berry

Even as one of the biggest rock acts of all time, this show stands out. From the shock of the motorcade, to watching Little Richard own the stage throwing The Doors off their game. And they were the headliners! It resulted in one of the most unusual sets they'd ever play.

Burgers with Berry

Burgers with Berry

Burgers with Berry

Accomplished, local, musicians Danny Taylor and Hughie Leggat were backstage to watch when they were asked to back up Chuck Berry, site unseen. They managed to win him over, even though playing blind. Their pay? A Harvey's hamburger and a coke.

Shot in the dark

In black and white

In black and white

16-year old Doug McClement brought his dad's 8mm camera and a single role of film which gave him 5-minutes, max. By chance he was rolling when Alice Cooper threw a chicken into the crowd. We have exclusive access to this never-before-seen footage. 

In black and white

In black and white

In black and white

The Plastic Ono Band was assembled in the final days before the show. The only time to rehearse was on the flight over. It wasn't documented, but Klaus Voormann immortalized it with his tell-tale artistic style. On camera he digs out and signs over a print. 

Wildly overdue...

In black and white

Wildly overdue...

Rounding out the story and putting it in context are the "three wise men" who guide Steve's journey. A broadcaster, a journalist who was backstage, and a historian all agree this is wildly overlooked and yet tremendously important. Forgotten, no more.

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