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All of Canada turned out to attend The Tragically Hip's last concert

Crowds packed into the sold-out show in Kingston, Ontario and show up in force at viewing parties all around the country.

Adam Rosenberg

on August 21, 2016

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

The Tragically Hip played their final concert on Aug. 21, 2016 as lead singer Gord Downie -- who was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in December -- faced his fans on stage one, last time.

"Thank you for that" was all the Canadian superstar had or needed to say as the show's closing notes rang out across the Rogers K-Rock Centre in Kingston, Ontario. The emotional farewell came after a third encore capped off the three-hour performance.

The Tragically Hip has long been a fixture of the Canadian music scene, with 13 studio albums released since the band formed more than 30 years ago. Nine of those releases achieved #1 status in Canada.

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An adoring nation showed its appreciation with heavily attended viewing parties for the final show. Those that couldn't attend the sell-out performance crowded into streets and theaters to watch the band say goodbye.

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Canadian prime minister and beloved hero of the internet Justin Trudeau, decked out in a denim jacket and Hip t-shirt, watched from a box at the K-Rock Centre. Downie seized the opportunity to call on his prime minister for greater action in addressing Canada's troubled relationship with its indigenous First Nations.

"He's going to take us where we need to go," Downie said of Trudeau (via CBC News). "And we've gotta be a country that's going to take us 100 years to figure out what the hell went on up there. But it isn't cool and everybody knows that. It's really, really bad. We're gonna figure it out."

As the band wound through three hours of music -- a mix of classics and new cuts off the latest album, Man Machine Poem -- Canada's warm reception echoed across social media.

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Topics Music

Adam Rosenberg

Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Games Reporter for Mashable, where he plays all the games. Every single one. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings to mobile favorites and browser-based oddities, he consumes as much as he can, whenever he can.Adam brings more than a decade of experience working in the space to the Mashable Games team. He previously headed up all games coverage at Digital Trends, and prior to that was a long-time, full-time freelancer, writing for a diverse lineup of outlets that includes Rolling Stone, MTV, G4, Joystiq, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, EGM, 1UP, UGO and others.Born and raised in the beautiful suburbs of New York, Adam has spent his life in and around the city. He's a New York University graduate with a double major in Journalism and Cinema Studios. He's also a certified audio engineer. Currently, Adam resides in Crown Heights with his dog and his partner's two cats. He's a lover of fine food, adorable animals, video games, all things geeky and shiny gadgets.