CORNWALL, Ontario – When Gord Downie, the lead singer of Canada’s own The Tragically Hip, revealed that he had terminal brain cancer and that the bands Man Machine Poem tour would be his last, fans across the country scrambled to get tickets.
When tickets for the tour went on sale, they were sold out in mere minutes. This lead to an eventual extension of the tour to 15 dates, but even then many fans feared they would have to miss out on what to them at least, is a historic event.
The CBC, perhaps recognizing the gravity of the situation, announced that they would broadcast the Tragically Hip’s final show for free on their channels.
The owner of the Port Theatre Larry Sylvain however, felt that he could take it one step further. In agreement with the CBC, The Port will simulcast the concert at the theatre for free.
“Basically, I wanted to put on the show to give the people of Cornwall an opportunity to view this event as close to the way it was intended as possible,” said Sylvain.
The Tragically Hip have a large following across Canada. Active since the 1980s their songs, often rooted in Canadian history and folk-stories, were the soundtrack the the adolescence of many Canadians. Known for their unique sound, the voice of lead singer Gord Downie is instantly recognizable.
The Tragically Hip’s last show will take place in their hometown of Kingston on Saturday, Aug. 20.
The Port’s doors will open that night at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free, there are 450 seats available and it is first come, first served.
