Tragically Hip tribute act brings Tour for the Cure to N.B. stages
Grace 2 shows in Saint John, Sussex and Moncton in May will support the Canadian Cancer Society
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“There are a lot of tribute acts out there, but there was only one Gord Downie,” Grace 2 frontman Andy Werhspann said in a telephone interview from Toronto.
“The way the Tragically Hip connected with Canadians and brought us all together with their final tour was really special. It’s its own lore.”
The Tragically Hip scored many big hits that are part of Canada’s social fabric and Downie was well known for his poetry, onstage rants during songs and his philanthropic work that earned him many accolades, including the Order of Canada.
The Tragically Hip performed in New Brunswick many times, from small bar gigs in the early days to full-house romps at the Moncton Coliseum. In 2005, they performed at the Magnetic Hill concert site as one of the opening acts for The Rolling Stones.
Downie was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2016 but continued working. He died Oct. 17, 2017, at age 53.
“I was lucky enough to see three of their final shows. The love and the energy in the room, and everyone singing along, it was something special,” Werhspann said. “We like to promote our shows as a Tragically Hip party. But we don’t dress up like the band. Gordon’s silver suit and hat were HIS thing. We’re just a bunch of Hip fans who got together and put a band together. We didn’t know it would become as big as it has. The crowds always know all the words,” he said.
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