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Canadian Legend Gord Downie Announces That He Has Terminal Cancer

Green Building

By Green Building
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Green Building Canucks Franchise Player

Green Building

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Gord Downie, The Tragically Hip lead singer, diagnosed with terminal brain cancer

Gord Downie, lead singer of the Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip, has terminal brain cancer, the group announced on its website Tuesday morning.

According to a letter addressed to fans, Downie was diagnosed in December and the band has been “standing by him” during this difficult time.

“Since then, obviously, he’s endured a lot of difficult times, and he has been fighting hard. In privacy along with his family, and through all of this, we’ve been standing by him,” the group said.

The band also revealed it will hold another tour this summer, but the date has yet to be determined.

“This feels like the right thing to do now, for Gord, and for all of us,” said the band. “So, we’re going to dig deep, and try to make this our best tour yet.”

http://globalnews.ca/news/2718237/the-tragically-hip-lead-singer-gord-downie-diagnosed-with-terminal-brain-cancer/

 

---------------------

 

hip_bus

 

Hello friends.

We have some very tough news to share with you today, and we wish it wasn’t so.

 

A few months ago, in December, Gord Downie was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.

 

Since then, obviously, he’s endured a lot of difficult times, and he has been fighting hard. In privacy along with his family, and through all of this, we’ve been standing by him.

 

So after 30-some years together as The Tragically Hip, thousands of shows, and hundreds of tours…

We’ve decided to do another one.

 

This feels like the right thing to do now, for Gord, and for all of us.

 

What we in The Hip receive, each time we play together, is a connection; with each other; with music and it’s magic; and during the shows, a special connection with all of you, our incredible fans.

 

So, we’re going to dig deep, and try to make this our best tour yet.

 

We hope you can come out and join us this summer – details and dates will be coming this week.

 

And we sincerely thank all of you, for your continued love and support,

 

Paul, GordD, Johnny, Rob, GordS

 

http://www.thehip.com/

 

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Green Building Canucks Franchise Player

Green Building

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I'm likely not the only Canadian who can state that The Tragically Hip was his first big ticket concert. First concert of any kind for that matter. At 15 I joined a group of 8 others aged 14-15 and we hopped onto a BC Ferry to make our way to a house in East Van, where we'd be crashing, before hopping into taxi's and heading to the show. 

 

That night in 1996 (I think :unsure:) proved to be the first of many concerts for that group of teens, maybe partly due to the fact that the first one was such an amazing experience. 

 

It's very surreal to know that their upcoming tour could very well be their last, and in turn I could be one of the last, albeit of millions, to attend one of theirs.

 

 

 

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Warhippy Canucks Hall-of-Famer

Warhippy

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I was going to Carelton University in ottawa and was out three for 18 months.  My buddies and I stopped in at the Byward Market to start priming for the night and hit up the Hard Rock Cafe to start

 

About 20 minutes in to a semi quiet Thursday night the staff announced they had a situation and were going to be closing the doors.  They then turned off the lights.

 

Moments later the first licks of 50 Mission Cap came off the stage and the Tragically Hip started what was one of the most intimate small venue shows I've ever attended.  There might have been 45 people in the whole place + staff and they played a 90 minute set.

 

This band through the 80's and 90's were pure Canadiana.  What a tough tough break and what a tragic loss to the Canadian identity musically.

 

 

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-DLC- Canucks Hall-of-Famer

-DLC-

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Gutted, fully, completely.

 

Just dug out that old video and posted it earlier too....been singing Cordelia under my breath ever since.

 

This is just gut wrenching news, and I am so sad.  In knowing the horrible battle in front of him, may he find comfort, dignity and peace throughout it.

 

 

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drdeath Canucks Star

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Truly terrible news :(. My personal Hip story would be about a decade ago I spent a summer in South America. Loved my time there but was definitely ready to come back home at the end. On the flight to Toronto (my first touchpoint back in Canada) I randomly came across the Hip's That Night In Toronto concert on the in-flight entertainment. There was something just so surreal about Bobcaygeon, and that specific line after flying all night to get back into Canada and to this day I still associate Bobcaygeon with coming home, even though home was really another 4+ hours away.

 

 

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Green Building Canucks Franchise Player

Green Building

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45 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

I was going to Carelton University in ottawa and was out three for 18 months.  My buddies and I stopped in at the Byward Market to start priming for the night and hit up the Hard Rock Cafe to start

 

About 20 minutes in to a semi quiet Thursday night the staff announced they had a situation and were going to be closing the doors.  They then turned off the lights.

 

Moments later the first licks of 50 Mission Cap came off the stage and the Tragically Hip started what was one of the most intimate small venue shows I've ever attended.  There might have been 45 people in the whole place + staff and they played a 90 minute set.

 

This band through the 80's and 90's were pure Canadiana.  What a tough tough break and what a tragic loss to the Canadian identity musically.

 

 

Sweet! I would always choose a small venue show over an arena type location if given the choice. Much more personal. Giant concerts are a blast as well, but for completely different reasons and sometimes, but not always, can feel rushed, or showcase bad audio. If a small venue has bad acoustics it almost doesn't matter because everyone is within 60 feet of the band anyways. 

 

I know there are better choices, but I always thought that Mesa Luna would be a good place for The Tragically Hip to play a show near sundown. Richard's on Richard's would be another obvious choice. As would my back yard.

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aGENT Canucks Hall-of-Famer

aGENT

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Such crappy news this morn.

 

I had the pleasure of meeting him briefly after a Hip show at the Moore theater in Seatlle years ago. Contrary to his on stage persona he was incredibly humble, reserved, even shy. Always fiercely intelligent and thoughtful though, on stage or off, as far as I could tell.

 

Seeing him at, I think it was the Vogue, on a Country of Miracles tour was an especially wonderful experience. It was like sitting in his living room or in a relaxed recording studio and chatting with him while he put his musical talents and wonderful wit on display.

 

Truly a great artist, a wonderful  entertainer, incredibly thoughtful, humble, witty and sensitive human and he will greatly missed my many.

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