What began as a subdued memorial for Gord Downie organized by city officials in his Kingston, Ont. hometown erupted into an improvised candlelight vigil on Wednesday night with residents taking over the proceedings.
Tearing a page from the Tragically Hip frontman香蕉视频直播檚 own taste for the unexpected and impromptu, fans paid tribute to the performer with sing-alongs, breakout dance parties and, in one case, broadcasting classic Hip concerts from a flatscreen TV in the back of a van.
It was a vibrant finale to what started as a formal event honouring of one of Canada香蕉视频直播檚 most prolific band leaders. Downie, who was diagnosed with incurable brain cancer, died Tuesday at 53.
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Upon hearing of Downie香蕉视频直播檚 passing, Jerzy Bohatkiewicz convinced his wife to join him on a five-hour road trip from Wiarton, Ont., to Kingston. He wanted to contribute by throwing open the back doors of his van and playing DVDs of Hip concerts on his TV.
香蕉视频直播淢y heart dropped when I heard Downie passed away and I looked at my wife and I says, 香蕉视频直播楬oney, let香蕉视频直播檚 go down (to) Kingston and do a tribute to the boy,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈 Bohatkiewicz said.
香蕉视频直播淟et香蕉视频直播檚 show everybody. The people who have not had a chance to see them in concert get to see him in concert now. It香蕉视频直播檚 like, close your eyes and just think the band香蕉视频直播檚 in front of the van.香蕉视频直播�
Before he pulled into Kingston香蕉视频直播檚 Springer Market Square, other locals were marking Downie香蕉视频直播檚 life and legacy in their own ways.
The evening began with a couple hundred people milling around the same city square where thousands gathered on Aug. 20, 2016, to watch a public screening of the band香蕉视频直播檚 sold-out final concert.
This time, some brought flowers to place around a commemorative stone for the band. Others shared candles with strangers and recalled their favourite memories of the singer.
A banner was splayed out for people to write their own tributes. When the sheet was full, someone dragged in a large wooden flower to offer space for more messages.
A few steps away, hundreds of people lined up throughout the day to sign a book of condolences.
But as Downie香蕉视频直播檚 unmistakable voice echoed over the loud speakers, the crowd香蕉视频直播檚 energy shifted and a heavy sadness that weighed over Kingston began to lift.
It started when 香蕉视频直播滱head By a Century香蕉视频直播� started playing. One man pulled out his guitar and led the crowd in a sing-along that picked up steam with every verse. Elsewhere, a group of friends bust out dance moves for 香蕉视频直播淏low at High Dough香蕉视频直播� a few moments later.
Robert Easter stood alongside his wife and two children as the celebratory spirit took hold.
香蕉视频直播淓verybody here has probably had Gord Downie and the Tragically Hip in their life,香蕉视频直播� he said.
香蕉视频直播淕ord was doing a lot of really good work in his later days for a lot of important reasons 香蕉视频直播� that香蕉视频直播檚 why I香蕉视频直播檓 here.香蕉视频直播�
Others talked about how they admired the performer taking control of his final days with his fundraising efforts for brain cancer and the 香蕉视频直播淪ecret Path香蕉视频直播� project which drew attention to the plights of Canada香蕉视频直播檚 Indigenous people.
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香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a testament to what he香蕉视频直播檚 meant to Canadians,香蕉视频直播� said Stan MacLachlan, a Toronto resident who decided to stop by the memorial while visiting his son at Queen香蕉视频直播檚 University.
香蕉视频直播淗e香蕉视频直播檚 going to inspire better people.香蕉视频直播�
Still, it was tough for many to face the reality that after saying goodbye to the Tragically Hip, it was finally time to bid farewell to Downie in life.
香蕉视频直播淚t was a moment we all knew was coming, we just didn香蕉视频直播檛 know when,香蕉视频直播� said Scott Hallman, who runs a hot dog stand in a local park.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 like a pillar of the community has been taken away from us.香蕉视频直播�
Tammy Bush brought her children to witness the outpouring of emotion firsthand. Wiping away a few tears, she fondly remembered taking her 15-year-old son Brad Francis to the Hip香蕉视频直播檚 final Ottawa show 香蕉视频直播� her son香蕉视频直播檚 first live concert.
香蕉视频直播淚 told him, 香蕉视频直播榊ou香蕉视频直播檙e never going to see another concert like that.香蕉视频直播� The emotion in that building was incredible,香蕉视频直播� she said.
Bush then paused to reflect on the lingering calm in Kingston as the community digests news of Downie香蕉视频直播檚 passing.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a different feeling in the city today without him,香蕉视频直播� she said.
香蕉视频直播淜ingston embraced him. He香蕉视频直播檚 like our son. He香蕉视频直播檚 everybody香蕉视频直播檚 friend, everybody香蕉视频直播檚 brother.香蕉视频直播�
Earlier, Kingston Mayor Bryan Paterson laid a wreath dedicated to Downie at city hall, which was illuminated in red and white in the evening to honour Downie.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 tragic news and a sad day for Kingston,香蕉视频直播� Paterson said.
香蕉视频直播淏ut you can香蕉视频直播檛 help but think about all the memories, all of the amazing things that he and the rest of the band have done for this community.香蕉视频直播�
Outside the local arena, where Downie and the Hip played their final show in August 2016, a public bench was turned into a more sombre memorial a few steps away from a rock radio station.
Passersby stopped in silence to look at several items left for the tribute, including a fedora similar to the ones Downie wore on the 香蕉视频直播淢an Machine Poem香蕉视频直播� tour that was nestled between a blanket of flowers.
Local transit buses carried their own tributes on their route displays. It was succinct, but seemed to speak volumes for many: 香蕉视频直播滸ord, We香蕉视频直播檒l Miss You.香蕉视频直播�
There was an uncommon slowness in Justin Trudeau香蕉视频直播檚 step Wednesday morning as he walked toward the weekly Liberal caucus meeting on Parliament Hill, his thoughts weighed heavily with the news that Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie had died.
香蕉视频直播淚 thought I was going to make it through this but I香蕉视频直播檓 not,香蕉视频直播� the prime minister said, his voice cracking with emotion, tears streaming down his face.
香蕉视频直播淚t hurts.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淲e all knew it was coming,香蕉视频直播� Trudeau said. 香蕉视频直播淏ut we hoped it wasn香蕉视频直播檛.香蕉视频直播�
Trudeau added that Canada was less of a country for having lost Downie.
There was a personal connection between the prime minister and the musician that was only seen publicly on a few occasions.
As his band wrapped up a 15-stop farewell tour in Kingston, Ont., in the summer of 2016, Downie called out to Trudeau, who was in the audience, urging him to take action on behalf of Canada香蕉视频直播檚 Indigenous peoples, to make their lives better.
Before that show, Trudeau embraced Downie backstage and later described the bittersweet moment as both a celebration of Downie香蕉视频直播檚 life and a chance to say goodbye.
In the months that followed, it was evident that Trudeau had taken the singer香蕉视频直播檚 message to heart as his government took several steps to reconcile with Indigenous communities over the treatment of aboriginal children and families under the residential schools program.
On Wednesday, through tear-welled eyes, Trudeau commended Downie for his love of country, his profound ability to use words to create landscapes and his dedication to the plight of Indigenous Canadians.
香蕉视频直播淕ord was my friend, but Gord was everyone香蕉视频直播檚 friend,香蕉视频直播� Trudeau said. 香蕉视频直播淗e knew, as great as we were, we needed to be better than we are,香蕉视频直播� he added.
香蕉视频直播淥ur buddy Gord, who loved this country with everything he had, and not just loved it in a nebulous 香蕉视频直播榦h, I love Canada way,香蕉视频直播� he loved every hidden corner, every story, every aspect of this country that he celebrated his whole life.香蕉视频直播�
