If you have to go – and we all have to, eventually – Gord Downie, lead singer of the iconic Canadian band The Tragically Hip, is at least leaving the stage on his own terms.
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“There’s something going on north of the border tonight and it involves somebody who we consider a family member just because he’s part of the group of touring musicians that we’ve met over the years”. Even if you are not a Hip fan, you can still respect them and what they accomplished as a band for over 30 years.
“We’re in good hands, folks, real good hands”, said Downie, who revealed earlier this year that he has terminal brain cancer. The high-energy performance aired live across the country on CBC to countless viewing parties from longtime and casual fans alike.
The farewell tour kicked off in Victoria in July, one of 15 shows held across the country.
Gord Downie took the stage with The Tragically Hip for the final time on August 20 at Rogers K-Rock Centre in Gord’s hometown of Kingston, Ontario, as he doesn’t have much longer to live. “Prime Minister Trudeau’s got me, his work with First Nations”.
On Saturday, the Prime Minister’s official photographer tweeted a photo of himself and Gord embracing before the show. “I think the fact that they didn’t make it big in America makes them more of a Canadian band somehow”.
“Besides them being a great rock band, I guess it’s that they tell the stories of average Canadians”, Xie said.
The sold-out concert took place in The Tragically Hip’s hometown and it’s the final stop on the band’s farewell tour.
Man Machine Poem, the band’s most recent album, was released in June (16).
Mr Trudeau could be seen in the audience nodding and mouthing “thank you”.
Arm in arm, Downie, Rob Baker, Paul Langlois, Gord Sinclair and Johnny Fay walked off for the last time.
The trio of “Locked in The Trunk Of A Car”, “Gift Shop” and “Ahead By A Century” brought the emotional evening to a close.
“I hope it placed even more pressure on the Prime Minister to make good on the promises and the kind words that he has said about indigenous people, and about that being the most important relationship to fix”.
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FSIN said they are thankful for Downie publicly supporting the building of better communities and improving the lives of First Nations people across Canada.
