RIP Gord Downie

[RGM81]

Gord Downie, front man for the Tragically Hip, passed away last night.

A lot of Canadians are going to be dealing with heavy hearts today. Their music touched a nation's soul.

Big hockey fans, too. Quite a few of their songs are about the great game.

The most well-known is of course 50 Mission Cap, about Bill Barilko and a hockey card.

Bill Barilko disappeared that summer,
He was on a fishing trip.
The last goal he ever scored
Won the Leafs the cup
They didn't win another until 1962,
The year he was discovered.
I stole this from a hockey card,
I keep tucked up under
My fifty mission cap, I worked it in
To look like that

They did a song on their 2006 album, World Container, about life as a goalie. It's called The Lonely End of the Rink.

Here's a cool video put together by a fan with the song.



So many other great songs.

Ron MacLean had this tribute for Gord...

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/m...e-wherewithal/

I'm more than certain we've got some Hip fans here. Share your memories. Let's have some good vibes in Gord's honour.

[scottkoz20]

Buffalo/Niagara Falls I joke occasionally that it’s more of a Canadian city because of the number of Tim hortons that are in the area. But this area was one of biggest US location support areas for the hip, so the rock stations (us and Canadian based) would play the hip regularly

RIP Gord





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[creasecollector]

RIP Gord.

[26CRDS]

Rip

[30ranfordfan]

I remember being in Buffalo, for a Hip Show, and before the game the concourse was rammed with people watching the NHL Draft Lottery on the TVs.

When the Oilers won, and the Sabers were going to lose out on McDavid, there was a lot of boos. I quietly cheered :)




It's sad news that he died, but unless you missed the story that everyone was talking about last summer, not surprising. To be really honest: I cried when I heard he was dying. I expected that I would (again) when he actually died, but I have not. I think the year+ of knowing it was coming dulled my reaction a bit.

Still a very sad though. I was commenting to someone last week that it was only this year when a musician died, and I thought "I'm really going to miss the chance to hear new music from them" (Chris Cornell) and that conversation started because for the first time ever, a musician died and I thought "I really wish I had taken the opportunity to see them perform. Had meant to for years, but just never got around to it" (Tom Petty).

Now? This is the first time a musician (or entertainer, or I could even include Athlete) has died, and I'm left thinking about the fact that one of my all time favorites just died.

I had seen The Hip 12 times in a less-than-16-year stretch. First time was during the Music @ Work tour, December 23rd, 2000, at the Air Canada Centre...... last time was last summer, their final tour, August 16th in Hamilton.

The cynic in me does want to mention how over-blown I think "Canada's love affair with the Hip" is - but I'll just leave it at that. They were a massive act in this country for a lot of years, they do have millions of people that consider themselves fans to some degree, and weather we're talking about the band, or Gord Downie himself, it's a sad day for music fans in the country.

Buffalo/Niagara Falls I joke occasionally that it’s more of a Canadian city because of the number of Tim hortons that are in the area. But this area was one of biggest US location support areas for the hip, so the rock stations (us and Canadian based) would play the hip regularly

RIP Gord





Sent from my iPhone using Sports Card Forum

[dmaksymyshyn]

I remember being in Buffalo, for a Hip Show, and before the game the concourse was rammed with people watching the NHL Draft Lottery on the TVs.

When the Oilers won, and the Sabers were going to lose out on McDavid, there was a lot of boos. I quietly cheered :)

Me and the wife went to that show....we were over at 716, then on the floor, tracking the draft with my phone, waiting for the hip to hit the stage.

I saw them many times in Syracuse at the Landmark Theater. Memories I will never forget. It is so small, and sculpted walls...sound is fantastic. He will be missed.

RIP Gord

[Hockeyrulz15]

One of the greatest lead singers and song writers in history... Gord you will be missed

[30ranfordfan]

I never had the change to see them in a small venue ("club" style). That's basically my one "regret" as far as Hip tours go. Wanted to do it, never got around to it.

Saw them in a couple of Jr. Hockey arenas... and Centre In the Square in Kitchener (comparable to the Landmark in Syracuse). I was sitting in the front row (well, defacto front row.... it was actually row 2, but there is no row 1 in front of the seats we had) for that one.

The Buffalo show was the best seats for an arena show I ever had. We were (I think) 8 rows back of the stage. My brother caught a guitar pick at the end of the show.

So many good times seeing them live, and way more good time where they were the music being played.

Me and the wife went to that show....we were over at 716, then on the floor, tracking the draft with my phone, waiting for the hip to hit the stage.

I saw them many times in Syracuse at the Landmark Theater. Memories I will never forget. It is so small, and sculpted walls...sound is fantastic. He will be missed.

RIP Gord

[mingus_md]

RIP Gord.

[MR.M's Cards]

a6.jpga7.jpg

This was back yard last summer, one of the most emotional events I have ever witnessed and the highlight of my night........saw them several times but show in London stands out.....they played 2 encores and after the second I said to my brother "weird they didnt play little bones" sure enough they came out for a third RIP Gord