Hip’s last concert to be livestreamed at Meridian Centre
KARENA WALTER
POSTMEDIA NETWORK
Tragically Hip fans can gather to watch the band’s final concert by video at the Meridian Centre.
The downtown arena will be broadcasting the iconic Canadian group’s last concert live on Aug. 20 on its jumbotron scoreboard.
“It may be a bit of nostalgia for people who saw them here last year,” said Meridian Centre spokeswoman Kay Meilleur, explaining there were over 5,000 people in the building for the February 2015 concert.
“If they don’t have tickets hopefully they can re-live the moment a little bit.”
The Tragically Hip have embarked on a goodbye tour this summer after frontman Gord Downie was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. The band’s final concert is being held in their hometown of Kingston.
Meilleur said the Meridian Centre will lower the 12-foot by 17-foot four-sided scoreboard during the event and bring in additional sound systems so participants feel like they’re in a concert.
Tickets are free and available at the Meridian Centre’s box office. There is a limit of four per person.
The Canadian Cancer Society will accept donations at the event in Downie’s honour.
Doors open at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 20 and the concert begins at 8:30 p.m. Concession stands will be open.
The event comes after St. Catharines Coun. Mat Siscoe asked staff to find a location where the concert could be live-streamed.
He said Wednesday the Tragically Hip are the quintessential Canadian band and many people weren’t going to get the chance to see them in concert again because tickets sold out.
The original idea was to stream the concert in a park, but Siscoe said the Meridian Centre wanted to get involved.
“They’re putting together something I think is going to be a great low-cost event of the city and a great no-cost event for residents,” he said.
The concert broadcast is one of a series of ways St. Catharines has tried to honour Downie and the Tragically Hip.
In May,council approved a motion by Coun. Bruce Williamson requesting that Downie and the band
Wainfleet bog fire out If they don’t have tickets hopefully they can re-live the moment a little bit.”
Kay Meilleur be awarded the Order of Canada and that the process be expedited because of Downie’s diagnosis.
The resolution was sent to the Chancellery of Honours by MP Chris Bittle and was supported by Niagara-on-the-Lake and Port Colborne councils and acknowledged by the Prime Minister’s office.
St. Catharines Mayor Walter Sendzik is currently growing a beard for 11 weeks in a fundraiser for the Walker Family Cancer Centre in honour of Downie.