Rockin’ the Square celebrated Canada’s band with a rockin’ tribute concert that overflowed with local talent.
On Aug. 20 at 7:00 p.m., Kingston rocked out all night in the Springer Market Square to honour the ten-year anniversary of The Tragically Hip’s final concert, held in Kingston on Aug. 20, 2016. As musicians stepped up to the mic and sang, thousands of fans joined in by singing along to their favourite hits, dancing the sidewalks clean to pay tribute to local legends.
The annual free concert, Rockin’ the Square, showcased Canadian talent with a special set of live singalong performances. As host Ben McLean explained to the crowd, each artist was invited to perform one of their favourite Hip songs. All eight acts brought their own personal touch to celebrate the Hip’s originality by preserving their distinct musicality.
Ten years ago, over 25,000 people gathered in the Square to watch The Tragically Hip’s livestreamed farewell as they performed for the last time in their hometown at K-Rock Centre, now known as Slush Puppie Place. Meanwhile, 11.7 million Canadians tuned into CBC‘s commercial-free broadcast, making their grand finale one of the most watched television events in Canadian history.
Although ten years have gone by, fans showed up by lining up at the barricade, flooding the streets, and standing on rooftops, giving a glimpse of what the Square looked like a decade ago.
Local pop-funk band, Nice On, opened the night with “So Hard Done By”. Their soft acoustic cover complimented the original’s gritty yet weary tone.
Then, country singer-songwriter Abby Stewart performed “Small Town Bringdown” from the Tragically Hip’s self-titled debut EP to emphasize their limestone roots.
Next up was a cover of “Take Forever” by jazz vocalist Chantal Thompson and keyboardist Hugh Christopher Brown, who toured with The Hip. As an homage to Gord Downie‘s iconic wardrobe staple, Thompson wore a bright feathered fedora for her performance.
Although the first acts set the tone for a series of unplugged performances that highlighted The Hip’s lyricism and vocals, as the night progressed, everyone became amplified with nostalgia, fueling later acts with lively energy.
When Kasador‘s Cam Wyatt and Thom Draper busted out “Boots or Hearts”, they praised its bouncy guitar arrangement. Living up to the legendary Paul Langlois and Rob Baker, Draper crushed his solos.
Emerging softrock band, Tiny Horse, brought out their rodeo spirits by energetically seizing the stage with a lively performance of “Fireworks”. As they charged in with harmonica solos and acoustic guitar riffs, it was clear that the night was starting to show its wild side.
Pumping up the crowd even more was country duo, The Abrams, who performed “Scared” with acoustic guitars and fiddles in hand. Guitarist John Abrams shouted to the crowd, “No band united Canadians more than The Tragically Hip,” to which the crowd cheered in agreeance. As everyone clapped to the rhythm, James Abrams riffed on his fiddle like a rockstar shredding an electric guitar.
Before a brief intermission, Juno-nominated artist Miss Emily sang one of The Hip’s most moving ballads, “Fiddler’s Green”, signifying the show’s emotional turn as her expressive voice guaranteed a few tears.
After nightfall, headliners Choir! Choir! Choir! turned the crowd into performers through the power of interactive singalongs. Before passing the mic, directors Daveed Goldman and Nobu Adilman divided the crowd down the middle to create harmonies. While lyrics are available on the screen, many knew the songs by heart.
Kingston’s choir consisted of a thousand strong voices eager to belt their favourite songs like “Wheat Kings”, “Grace Too”, and “Ahead by a Century”. When anyone didn’t participate, Goldman and Adilman weren’t afraid to call them out, since their participatory format works best when everyone sings.
Towards the end, earlier musicians were invited back to the stage to sing along to one of the Hip’s signature songs, “Bobcaygeon”. Thousands of lights illuminated the Square as everyone sang one of the best Canadian songs of all time, making it the perfect sentimental close.
Rockin’ the Square honoured the hometown heroes with an energetic evening of tributes and singalongs, proving that The Tragically Hip’s music truly was ahead by a century.
Sure, The Hip is known as “Canada’s band”, but that night, they were Kingston’s once again.
Tags
Abby Stewart, Chantal Thompson, Choir! Choir! Choir!, Forever Hip, Kasador, Miss Emily, Nice On, Rockin the Square, The Abrams, The Tragically Hip, Tiny Horse
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