Lead singer Gord Downie was recently diagnosed with brain cancer so the show was nearly certainly the very last, opportunity for Canadians to see the group live. None of the band’s albums have made it into the U.S. top 100. Its exact cause is unknown, but current research is pointing to genetic mutation.
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Downie received a diagnosis of glioblastoma, an aggressive brain tumour, in December and has undergone surgery, as well as chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
The band announced in May that Downie has terminal brain cancer and planned its summer tour as a “way of dealing with the news”.
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“He’s going to be looking good for about at least 12 more years”.
“Well, you know, prime minister Trudeau’s got me, his work with First Nations”.
In an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Trudeau reminisced about how he used to enjoy the band’s music during his school and university years.
Minutes earlier, as the raucous sold-out crowd waited for the band to emerge, an impromptu rendition of O Canada broke out and a banner reading “Thank You Prime Minister Downie!” was passed around the arena. I just want to send them our energy from our gathering up to their gathering up there, and wish the best to Mr. Gord Downie. “Forever in our hearts and playlists”, the PM wrote. They played an awesome 30-song set loaded with hits, and finished with three encores.
The Hip then segued into songs from their latest album, Man Machine Poem, before running through their previous records.
They then embraced, stood arm-in-arm as the crowd cheered, and then walked off stage for good.
However, that did not disappoint the hundreds of fans sitting on the grass to listen to Hip front-man Downie belt out the lyrics fans have grown accustom to – including Nautical Disaster, New Orleans Is Sinking and Bobcaygeon before ending with Ahead by a Century.
“After playing 21 songs, Downie and his fellow bandmates — guitarists Rob Baker and Paul Langlois, bassist Gord Sinclair and drummer Johnny Fay — embraced and prepared to retire for a pre-encore break.
“Thank you, people, for keeping me pushing and keeping me pushing”, he told the audience, dressed in one of the sparkling metallic leather suits now forever linked to the tour.
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After it ended, Toronto broadcaster and writer Alan Cross tweeted: “We will talk about this show in hushed tones for years to come”.
