Canada Celebrates -- And Mourns -- As Rockers The Tragically Hip Say Goodbye
"There is a Canadianness that runs through them to the point where new citizens should be given a Tragically Hip CD after they take the oath."
By Leah Schnurr
LOADINGERROR LOADING
OTTAWA (Reuters) - The Tragically Hip, the Canadian rock band beloved for songs about local culture, small towns and hockey, wrapped up an emotional tour with a hometown concert on Saturday, giving fans a chance to bid farewell to lead singer Gord Downie, who has been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.
Known in Canada as simply “The Hip,” the band is on what is expected to be its final tour with Downie, 52, who announced his illness in May.
Advertisement
Downie is considered one of Canada’s greatest songwriters, and news of his illness prompted an outpouring of shock and support. Towns across the country declared Tragically Hip days.
“Farewell to Canada’s greatest rock band,” The Toronto Star newspaper said in a headline on Friday.
The band’s last hometown show in Kingston, Ontario, has been billed as a national celebration. It was broadcast live, with bars and outdoor venues across the country hosting public viewings.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has said Downie had “been writing Canada’s soundtrack for more than 30 years,” was at the show.
Advertisement
Trudeau told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp at the event 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.”
On behalf of Canadians, I thank Gord Downie and the Hip for their decades of service to Canadian music. Forever in our hearts and playlists.
Downie, known for his frenetic stage presence and telling long stories in the middle of songs, has maintained his pace during the tour, clad in custom-made bright metallic suits.
The tour sold out stadiums across the country in minutes, prompting controversy about ticket resellers. Tickets for Saturday’s show went for upwards of $1,000 on ticket reseller StubHub on Friday.
Advertisement
Trudeau was offered tickets by the band and will pay for them, his spokesman said.
Formed in the 1980s with roots in blues and rock, the Tragically Hip found radio popularity on both classic and alternative rock stations. A slew of singles became radio fixtures, while the band’s 14 albums nabbed numerous awards.
The band’s well-known lyrics often make intrinsically Canadian references, such as to the 1972 hockey series between Canada and the Soviet Union.
“There is a Canadianness that runs through them to the point where new citizens should be given a Tragically Hip CD after they take the oath,” said Alan Cross, a radio show host and music historian who called Downie “the rock and roll poet laureate of Canada.”
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.