The Hip came out for a double encore throughout the tour, and Saturday night was no different, performing hits “Nautical Disaster”, “Scared”, and “Grace, Too”.
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The band ended its 15-show “Man Machine Poem” tour Saturday night in their hometown of Kingston, Ontario.
It’s expected to be the Hip’s final tour as Downie revealed earlier this year he is fighting terminal brain cancer.
Before the show started, Trudeau’s official photographer posted a photo on Twitter of the prime minister embracing Downie.
From all Canadians, thanks for the memories Gord.
Bobcaygeon’s public screening of the CBC’s broadcast of the concert was one of more than 400 that were staged across the country.
Mr Trudeau tweeted after the concert that the band would be “forever in our hearts and playlists”.
Despite being diagnosed with glioblastoma, the most aggressive cancerous brain tumor, an energetic Downie was in fine form as he and his bandmates played an epic 30-song set, punctuated by three encores.
Around Canada and online, social media was buzzing at full throttle with scores of tweets from people sharing their thoughts about Saturday’s concert and information about where viewing parties were being held.
The sell-out gig gave fans a chance to say farewell to 52-year-old Gord Downie, who is seen as one of the country’s greatest songwriters.
“He’s going to be looking good for about at least 12 more years”.
People craned around stairwells to get a look at Gord Downie and The Tragically Hip, as the band played a mini concert at Kensington Market’s Pedestrian Sundays on Augusta Ave., September 30, 2012.
Lead singer Gord Downie, decked out in a metallic silver suit and hat, hugged and kissed his bandmates before they stepped on stage before an overflowing crowd at the K-rock centre.
Damien Follett is a musician from St. John’s who has been playing Hip songs since he started. His rock-and-blues band, often known by the shorthand “The Hip” formed in the 1980s, penned lyrics about small-town Canadian life, that won them a broad national following over the course of 14 albums, though they are largely uknown outside Canada.
The band’s biggest hit closed the show, “Ahead By A Century”.
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.
“Thank you, people, for keeping me pushing and keeping me pushing”, he said, which sparked a “Gordie!” chant from the audience.
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The band members then embraced, stood arm in arm as the crowd roared, and walked off stage.
