Rolling Stones Hit Montreal

Apr. 24, 1965 - The St. Raymond’s area of Montreal has never been a likely haven for rock stars, so when Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Brian Jones stopped at the Adreoli Garage on St. Jacques and Regent today to replace a broken mirror, the local kids quickly swarmed to catch a glimpse.

The Stones, riding high on their hit single “The Last Time,” performed before 5,000 screaming fans at the Maurice Richard Arena last night and were driving to Ottawa for their next show, as other band members had already gone ahead in another car.

Mary-Jane Riccardi, who lives near the garage, was the first to spot and identify the shaggy young rockers.

“I was going down the street to see my cousin, and I said, ‘That’s Mick Jagger right over there. She goes, ‘Yeah, sure.’”

An immediate plan took shape to create proof of the unlikely encounter. 

“My cousin came from her house and she brought the camera. Her mother called my mother and said, ‘You can’t leave those girls with those old men,’ so my mother came down and took the picture.”

The photo (below) features Dolores, Mary-Jane, Carol and Richard alongside Brian Jones, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, with the garage owner Andreoli in the background.

“They were very gracious, they were very nice to talk to us teenage girls,” said Riccardi.

Meanwhile another local teen named Peter Ponzi started chatting with Brian Jones, who is an avid train buff, and the two crossed the street to study the trains below the incline.

“We went across the street with him because Mick wanted to rest,” said Ponzi. “For us, just being with the Stones was impressive. But the next day, to have people believe us was another story.”

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