From Kingston to across Canada: The Tragically Hip celebrated in new series

Two weeks after winning over audiences at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), winning the Audience Award for Best Documentary, the new series The Tragically Hip : No Dress Rehearsal brings Kingston pride to the small screen.

Broadcast on Prime Video From September 20, this intimate production, directed by Mike Downiebrother of the late singer Gord Downiedelves into the history of a cult group that left its mark on the Canadian musical landscape for nearly 40 years.

The four-episode, one-hour series first premiered at TIFFwhere the audience showed their love for the band by taking to the streets of downtown Toronto to sing their songs after the screening.

The series focuses on the exceptional trajectory of Tragically Hipbeginnings in the bars of Kingston in the 80s to their final tour in 2016, as Gord Downie faced terminal cancer.

An intimate look and touching tribute to a band whose impact extends far beyond Ontario’s borders.

A work that is both introspective and retrospective

With never-before-seen footage, never-before-aired performances and candid testimonies, this documentary series details the story of the band that left an indelible mark on the Canadian music scene, as evidenced by their nine number-one albums in the country and their 17 Juno Awards.

The creation of The Tragically Hip : No Dress Rehearsal was a challenge for Mike Downie.

This is the biggest project I have ever worked on.he explains, but it was above all an opportunity to revisit the memories and highlights of his brother’s group, which was able to capture the essence of Canada in song.

In 2021, while he was presenting his project to Amazon, Mike Downie remembers being interrupted by representatives of Prime Video : they wanted this retrospective to see the light of day at all costs.

Prime Video, It’s the biggest company in the world, and I couldn’t believe it when they said they wanted to do this show. I’ve been making and selling documentaries for 30 years, and it never happens that easily. But it really got the ball rolling almost immediately.

Between 2017 and 2022, the members of the group spoke very little to each other, explains Mikebut their reunion around this project after years of silence has allowed deep ties to be rekindled. They faced adversity, internal conflicts, and yet their friendship remained the glue that held them together.says the director.

The Pride of a City: Kingston and the Hip

For residents of KingstonTHE Tragically Hip represent much more than just a rock band. We are imbued with the aura of Hip. It is the pride of the city. exclaims Éric Galarneau, who lives in Kingston for about twenty years.

There is the Tragically Hip Waywhich is the street in front of our big arena. There is the Gord Downie Pier… THE Hipit’s a bit everywhere! It’s part of the Kingstonian fiber.

This closeness to the band members goes further than the infrastructures that bear their names: despite their star status, they have remained close to the community.

They grew up in Kingston and from time to time, we can talk to some members of the group who still live [ici]says the mayor of the municipality, Bryan Paterson, whose favorite song is Ahead by a Century.

There is a lot of pride in the community. The group The Tragically Hipit’s not just a musical group — it’s a part of our family.

This strong connection to the city and southern Ontario is reflected in the way the band has incorporated local narratives into their songs that name cities like Bobcaygeon, Millhaven and Toronto, and which are nothing less than the history of Canada put into song.

The song Fifty Mission Capfor example, talks about the former player of Maple Leafs Toronto’s Bill Barilko died in a plane crash after scoring the winning goal that clinched the Stanley Cup Leafs in 1951. The song Wheat Kingsshe mentions the case of David Milgaard who spent 23 years in prison for a murder and rape he did not commit.

A phenomenon that transcends linguistic boundaries

Although the group is English-speaking, the Tragically Hip have also been able to touch the hearts of French-speaking Canadians.

Judy Duguay, a resident of Kingston originally from Trois-Rivières, recalls his surprise when he first met the group during a visit to FestiVoix in his hometown in 2007: I didn’t think people would know them. The festival was full and everyone was singing. Even in Quebec, people know the words.

Mike Downiein a reflection on the group’s interest in French Canada, confides: I know Gord wanted to make a French album, and I think the artist in him wanted to challenge himself.

A sentimental closeness which can be explained by the geography of the city of origin of the Hipsince as the director points out, we are not from Toronto, we are from Kingston.

The guys in the band were very aware of the Quebec experience. They grew up with the separatist movement of the 80s and 90s. They felt the pull of Quebec, being so close to the border.

A series that will allow us to mourn

Gord Downie’s death in 2017 left a huge void among fans and loved ones alike. For his brother, creating this documentary series about the band was nothing less than a way to deal with his grief.

Talking to so many people about my brother through these interviews… I don’t want to say it was a form of therapy, but it probably was. I often burst into tears during the interviews, and often the subject would cry too. We both cried.he admits.

Residents of Kingston Those who attended the group’s last concert at the K-Rock Center in August 2016 also experienced a moment of intense emotion.

Judy Duguay, who was present at this historic event, remembers: The atmosphere was extraordinary. We all knew that Gord Downie was going to die… There was really an atmosphere of love, then peace.

This concert, followed by nearly 12 million Canadians on television (New window)represented a cathartic moment for the entire country.

Seven years after Gord’s death, Judy hopes the documentary series will help Canada smile after its collective grief. She sees it as a way to turn the loss of one of her favourite artists into a celebration of his life and work.

Over time, we are happy to resurrect these things. And we are happy to talk about them and we have a smileshe said, adding that It makes us feel good.