"We'll see you down the road somewhere." With that vaguely spiritual farewell, the Tragically Hip's frontman, Gord Downie (1964-2017)—on a path to his death from terminal brain cancer—concluded the band's epic, deeply emotional final concert in their hometown of Kingston, Ontario on August 20, 2016. Carried live by the CBC, the performance was viewed by an estimated two million people across Canada and the world. The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration captures this momentous event while also conveying the remarkable phenomenon of Canada's sweeping embrace of the longtime group as the nation's band (it's hard to overstate the entire country's identification with Downie and his virtuosic mates). Here, the band serves up 30 songs (including three encores) that combine folk, grunge, and 1960's-like psychedelia sound. In songs like "Fiddler's Green," "Bobcaygeon," "Grace, Too" and "Ahead by a Century," the Tragically Hip present a woven sound that recalls the Who's power and the Grateful Dead's sonic explorations. Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo, this is highly recommended. (T. Keogh)
The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration
(2016) 162 min. DVD: $21.98, Blu-ray: $24.98. Eagle Rock Entertainment (avail. from most distributors). Volume 33, Issue 2
The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration
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