Members of The Tragically Hip touched down in Vancouver on September 28 to attend a screening of Prime Video’s new four-part docuseries, The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal, at the Vancouver International Film Festival. Afterwards, they joined fellow cast and crew members at a special celebration hosted at Amazon’s new 43,000 square foot atrium at The Post, the flagship office at the company’s Vancouver Tech Hub.
Guests at the post-screening reception mingled with members of the band and heard remarks from docu-series director and producer Mike Downie (brother of the band’s frontperson, Gord Downie) and Brent Haynes, Head of Originals, Canada at Prime Video.
"This project is a labour of love, with personal and unseen footage from the band’s 40-year history. We set out to understand what held the band together, what pushed them apart and how they captured the hearts and minds of so many fans both in Canada and around the world," said Mike Downie.
Released on Prime Video on September 20, The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal takes an intimate and unvarnished look at the extraordinary 40-year journey of Canada's most beloved rock bands. The series chronicles the triumphs, trials and deep bonds of brotherhood that defined The Tragically Hip's rise from basement shows to arena rock legends.
From their hometown of Kingston, ON, Rob Baker, Gord Downie, Johnny Fay, Paul Langlois and Gord Sinclair skyrocketed to fame as The Tragically Hip with their signature blend of rock anthems and poetic lyricism. Over their storied career, the band released 14 studio albums, 9 of which hit #1 in Canada, won 17 Juno Awards, and were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and received a star on Canada’s Walk Of Fame. Their 2016 cross-Canada tour, undertaken after Downie's terminal cancer diagnosis, was a cultural phenomenon watched by millions.
The post-screening reception was one of the first events at Amazon’s new atrium at The Post following the September 5 ribbon-cutting ceremony officially launching the space. The open-plan, large-scale atrium features 22-foot high ceilings, new amenities for Amazon employees, and original artwork with a nod to the building’s history as Vancouver’s Main Post Office, including an 18-foot mural resembling a pixelated postage stamp.
