More than 70,000 people rocked out Saturday to the legendary Rolling Stones -- the biggest musical event Atlantic Canada has ever seen.

The gathering on the 40-hectare (99-acre) field in Moncton, N.B. was billed as the biggest on the Stones' recently started world tour.

The band was the headline act in a day-long show that featured performances by Canada's Tragically Hip and Our Lady Peace, Maroon 5 and Les Trois Accord.

The Stones delighted fans when they took the stage at the end of the day.

Amid a dazzling display of fireworks and flashing lights, front man Mick Jagger greeted the enthusiastic crowd by shouting, "Thank you New Brunswick!"

The concert was held on Magnetic Hill, where the layout of the surrounding land produces the optical illusion that a very slight downhill slope is in fact an uphill slope.

The gates opened at noon, and some had been waiting for that to happen since 6:30 a.m., when they crowded into campsites and parking lots surrounding the hill.

Concert promoter Donald K. Donald said tickets for the concert were sold in all four Atlantic provinces, in Quebec and in three American states.

"[Moncton] is a centralized place where we can reach the widest audience," he told The Canadian Press.

Security was tight, with people allowed to bring only blankets, cushions and a single litre of water.

Also, Transport Canada enforced a no-fly zone above and around the concert area.

The Stones' Big Bang Tour supports the band's forthcoming CD, A Bigger Bang, which hits record stores on Tuesday.

Late last month, the Stones played a concert in Ottawa for the first time in 40 years. They drew a crowd of 43,000 to Frank Clair Stadium.

The band will also stop in Calgary and Toronto on its 18-month world tour.