August 21/16
Last night was the last concert to ever be performed by The Tragically Hip.
Not because the band is breaking up over artistic differences, not due to inflated egos, not because of jealousies, and not because they just reached the end and wanted to stop playing together.
The Tragically Hip have come to the end of performing due to the health of Gord Downie, lead singer and by most accounts Canada's Poet Laureate.
They say that time waits for no man and that is true but in this case time has come too early. Gord is 52, two years younger than this blogger, and in the prime of his life artistically speaking.
His songs have evoked memories for Canadians from shore to shore and far up into the north.
He has used his position to remind us of our obligations to leave the planet better than we found it, to stand up for those less fortunate than ourselves, and to be the best person we can be each and every day we walk this earth.
My first concert in Canada was at the old Corel Centre in Ottawa to see The Hip. I was spellbound as Gord described my new home through choice lyrics that left me wanting to explore all this great land has to offer.
In many ways he was our conscious and reminded us of how fortunate we are to live in such an amazing country, to never take things for granted, and to celebrate the smallest things as if they meant the most to us as they do.
Watching the end of the concert made me cry like I've only cried before at the loss of a loved one.
The look in his eyes said it all, he has more stories to tell us but not the time and it makes him angry.
He let those emotions out in one of the last songs they performed with some raw tears flowing down his cheeks as he yelled his protest at the unfairness of it all. Yet he also took the time to remind us to solve our northern problems, typical Gord to be thinking of others as time is ticking away.
I don't know how long Gord has but I hope he spends it with family and friends, taking in the love and affection he richly deserves as well as giving it to those he loves.
Gord Downie and The Tragically Hip shall forevermore be part of the Canadian landscape.
"A Head By A Century" is by far my favourite Hip song and one I'll listen too as I raise a glass in his memory at some point in the future.
Thank you Gord for the music but more importantly for reminding me what it means to be Canadian.
#Downie #TragicallyHip #Hip4Life
Marcus
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