Although the band didn’t really gain fame in the United States, they were equivalent to the Rolling Stones and Pearl Jam’s popularity in Canada – making it all the more hard for fans to say goodbye.
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Within the audience at the sold-out concert was Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who was among those treated to a marathon The Hip show.
“He’s going to be looking good for about at least 12 more years”.
#Canadaisclosed was the mantra, as was “Hip Night in Canada” and, of course, #InGordWeTrust.
Those at the concert, which was broadcast live across Canada, experienced a whirlwind of feelings, with Downie, 52, breaking down in tears as he crooned his hit “Grace, Too” before departing the stage, according to the Washington Post. “The Hip is a Canadian treasure and I’m really going to miss them”.
At one point, Downie thanked the crowd for “keeping me pushing, and keeping me pushing”.
Gord put on a characteristically energetic performance throughout the 30-song set – including three encores – despite having been diagnosed with a glioblastoma, the most aggressive cancerous brain tumor.
He told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp at the event that he became a fan of the band in university and called it “an inevitable and essential part of what we are and who we are as a country”.
The commercial-free special presentation was carried live on radio and TV and was streamed live online via the CBC’s website, apps, YouTube channel and Facebook page.
Tickets for Saturday’s show went for upwards of US$1,000 (S$1,300) on ticket reseller StubHub last Friday.
Justin Trudeau mouthed “thank you” and nodded from the audience in gratitude. He said the band remains anchored in Canada in so many ways through their lyrics and music.
Celebrations also took place internationally – at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, the Canada Olympic House will host a party for Canadian athletes along with their family and friends. “Gord!” chants – with fan favourites Fifty-Mission Cap, Courage, the latter during which cardboard maple leafs were handed out for the audience to hold up with the #Courage4Gord hashtag, Wheat Kings and At The Hundredth Meridian, the latter which saw Downie fully engaged.
Damien Follett is a musician from St. John’s who has been playing Hip songs since he started.
Former Kingston Collegiate students Gord Sinclair (bass), Rob Baker (guitar), Johnny Fay (drums) and Gord Downie (the charismatic frontman) unite to form The Tragically Hip in Kingston, Ont.
They then embraced, stood arm-in-arm as the crowd roared, and then walked off stage for good.
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Before performing the “Road Apples” song “Fiddler’s Green”, Downie seemed to reference the outpouring of support from fans in the wake of his diagnosis.
