On Aug. 22, fans can relive The Tragically Hip’s final Man Machine Poem concert with a special CBC broadcast of The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration at 7 p.m. local time on CBC TV and CBC Gem, with additional broadcasts on CBC Radio One, CBC Music, YouTube and SiriusXM.
On August 20th, 2016, fans across the country gathered to watch as one of the nation’s most beloved rock bands, The Tragically Hip took to the stage for their final show. The unforgettable and bittersweet evening served as both a farewell to lead singer Gord Downie and a celebration of the band’s lasting impact on Canadian music and culture.
For over three decades, The Tragically Hip led by the enigmatic frontman Gord Downie built a catalogue of songs that resonated deeply with audiences nationwide. Their music, quintessentially Canadian, narrated tales of the country’s people, places, and history.
The Tragically Hip on the Red Carpet. 2005 Juno Awards. April 3, 2005, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
In May 2016, shortly after the news of Downie’s terminal cancer diagnosis sent shockwaves through the country, The Tragically Hip announced a cross-Canada tour which sold out in minutes. While the band refrained from explicitly calling the tour their last, the Man Machine Poem tour would be their final chapter together with Downie.
Kicking off July 22 in Victoria, British Columbia, the 10-city, 15-show Canadian arena tour culminated in Kingston, Ontario, the city where The Tragically Hip’s journey began. Over 6,700 individuals filled the K-Rock Centre while an additional 25,000 gathered in nearby Springer Market Square to watch a live feed of the concert.
The crowd welcomed the band to the stage with an impromptu rendition of “O Canada” before Downie and his bandmates of more than 30 years, guitarists Rob Baker and Paul Langlois, bassist Gord Sinclair and drummer Johnny Fay, delivered a triumphant three-hour set spanning The Hip’s catalogue.
Among the attendees was Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a Tragically Hip fan since high school. “This is a moment that’s going to be extremely powerful for all Canadians, I know,” he told CBC. “Gord and the Tragically Hip are an inevitable and essential part of what we are and who we are as a country. And tonight we get to say thanks, and we get to celebrate that.”
The concert’s impact was magnified by its simultaneous broadcast across Canada by CBC, allowing fans from coast to coast to join in the experience. Compared to the Superbowl in terms of national attention, over 11.7 million Canadians tuned in as communities gathered in pubs, drive-in theatres and homes across the country to witness the final show.
Throughout the night, Downie acknowledged the support the band had received from fans, telling the crowd, “Thank you, people, for keeping me pushing and keeping me pushing.”
Just over a year later, on October 17, 2017, Downie passed away following his battle with brain cancer. A decade on, the Kingston concert remains an unforgettable moment in Canadian music, when millions across the country came together around The Tragically Hip and the music that had shaped generations of fans.
Featured image: CBC Music live stream of the Tragically Hip’s Man Machine Poem tour finale in Kingston.
