The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal

Last updated
The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal
GenreMusic documentary
Directed by Mike Downie
Country of originCanada
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes4
Production
Production companiesFully and Complete Productions
Amazon MGM Studios
Original release
Network Amazon Prime Video

The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal is a Canadian television documentary series, which premiered on Prime Video in 2024. [1] Directed by filmmaker Mike Downie, the four-episode series profiles the history of the influential Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip, including interviews with the band members and other cultural figures including musician Geddy Lee, comedians The Trailer Park Boys, actor Will Arnett and broadcaster George Stroumboulopoulos. [2]

Contents

Production

Downie described the series as "the most fulfilling experience and rewarding experience I’ve ever had in making a film", but also the hardest thing he had ever done since working on the project sparked a lot of memories of the death of lead singer Gord Downie, his brother. [3]

According to Downie, the goal of the series was not just to document the band's history, but also to explore the question of how the band's music came to resonate so strongly with Canadians. [3]

Downie conceived the project as "a film chopped into four pieces" rather than a television series, so that its presentation would be consistent throughout. [4]

Release

The series received a preview screening at the Royal Alexandra Theatre on September 5, 2024, as part of the Primetime program at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, [5] in advance of its Prime Video debut on September 20. [6] The screening was followed by an outdoor public singalong of Tragically Hip songs "Grace, Too", "Ahead by a Century" and "Bobcaygeon", led by Choir! Choir! Choir! [7]

Within one week of its premiere on Prime Video, it had already become the most-watched Canadian documentary series, excluding sports documentaries, in the service's history. [4]

In December 2024, the band released their 2021 Juno Awards performance of "It's a Good Life If You Don't Weaken", with Feist on lead vocals, as a promotional single for the series. [8]

Critical response

Alex Hudson of Exclaim! rated the series 8 out of 10, writing that "At the heart of the story, of course, is Gord Downie — whose art and personality retain a certain enigma in spite of this deep dive. His tragic absence means that he's never able to offer the same level of career retrospection as his bandmates. The final episode, which covers the end of the Hip as well as his later solo works and activism, is a tear-jerker. And yet, even in its saddest moments, No Dress Rehearsal is about celebrating rather than wallowing." [9]

In its year-end review of Canadian film and television production in 2024, industry magazine Playback named it Documentary of the Year. [4]

Awards

The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal won TIFF's People's Choice Award for Documentaries. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Tragically Hip</span> Canadian rock band

The Tragically Hip, often referred to simply as the Hip, was a Canadian rock band formed in Kingston, Ontario in 1984, consisting of vocalist Gord Downie, guitarist Paul Langlois, guitarist Rob Baker, bassist Gord Sinclair, and drummer Johnny Fay. They released 13 studio albums, one live album, one EP, and over 50 singles over a 33-year career. Nine of their albums have reached No. 1 on the Canadian charts. They have received numerous Canadian music awards, including 17 Juno Awards. Between 1996 and 2016, the Tragically Hip were the best-selling Canadian band in Canada and the fourth best-selling Canadian artist overall in Canada.

<i>Up to Here</i> 1989 album by the Tragically Hip

Up to Here is the debut studio album by Canadian rock band the Tragically Hip, released in September 1989. It is one of the band's most successful albums, achieving Diamond status in Canada for sales of over a million copies, earning the band a Juno Award for Most Promising Artist, and also introduced fan-favourite songs such as "Blow at High Dough", "New Orleans Is Sinking", and "Boots or Hearts". The album reached No. 13 on RPM's Canadian Albums Chart, and both "Blow at High Dough" and "New Orleans is Sinking" reached No. 1 on the RPM Canadian Content singles charts.

<i>Road Apples</i> (album) 1991 studio album by The Tragically Hip

Road Apples is the second studio album by Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip. The album contains the hit singles "Three Pistols", “Little Bones,” and “Twist My Arm." During the Hip's last tour, in 2016, songs from this album were played live on a regular basis, featuring the above-mentioned songs as well as ”Long Time Running”, “Last of the Unplucked Gems”, “The Luxury”, and “Fiddler's Green.” References to many prominent figures were used, including Tom Thomson and Jacques Cousteau, as well as political situations in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The track “Fiddler's Green" was written for Gord Downie's young nephew, who died during the writing of the album. Because of the personal nature of the song, the Hip did not play it live often, but they played it on a regular basis during their final tour.

<i>In Violet Light</i> 2002 studio album by the Tragically Hip

In Violet Light is the eighth full-length album by Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip. The album debuted at #2 on the Canadian Albums Chart, selling almost 33,000 copies in its first week. The album has been certified platinum in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gord Downie</span> Canadian musician and writer (1964–2017)

Gordon Edgar Downie was a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, musician, writer, poet, and activist. He was the singer and lyricist for the Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip, which he fronted from its formation in 1984 until his death in 2017. He is revered by many as an inspiring and influential artist in Canada's music history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Sadies</span> Canadian rock and roll / country band

The Sadies are a Canadian rock and roll / country and western band from Toronto, Ontario. The band consists of Travis Good, Sean Dean and Mike Belitsky. Dallas Good, a founding member, died in 2022. Dallas and Travis are the sons of Margaret and Bruce Good, and nephews of Brian and Larry Good, who are members of the Canadian country group The Good Brothers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feist (singer)</span> Canadian musician

Leslie Feist, known mononymously as Feist, is a Canadian indie pop singer-songwriter and guitarist, performing both as a solo artist and as a member of the indie rock group Broken Social Scene.

"Fifty Mission Cap" is a song by Canadian rock group The Tragically Hip. It was released in January 1993 as the second single from the band's third full-length album, Fully Completely. It was first played in front of a live concert audience at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto on December 16, 1991.

"Bobcaygeon" is a song by Canadian rock band the Tragically Hip. It was released in February 1999 as a single from their sixth album, Phantom Power, and has come to be recognized as one of the band's most enduring and beloved signature songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ahead by a Century</span> 1996 single by the Tragically Hip

"Ahead by a Century" is a song by Canadian rock band the Tragically Hip. It was released as the lead single from the band's fifth studio album, Trouble at the Henhouse. The song reached number one on Canada's singles chart, and is the band's most successful single in their native Canada. It was one of the 10 most-played songs in Canada in 1996. The song was nominated for "Best Single" at the 1997 Juno Awards. The song was certified platinum in Canada in 2016.

<i>The Grand Bounce</i> 2010 studio album by Gord Downie and the Country of Miracles

The Grand Bounce is the third solo album by Gord Downie, the lead singer of The Tragically Hip. It was released on 8 June 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grace, Too</span> 1994 single by The Tragically Hip

"Grace, Too" is a song by Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip. It was released in September 1994 as the lead single from their fourth studio album, Day for Night. The song peaked at number 11 on the RPM Canadian Singles chart.

<i>Man Machine Poem</i> 2016 studio album by the Tragically Hip

Man Machine Poem is the thirteenth and final studio album by Canadian rock band the Tragically Hip, released on June 17, 2016 on Universal Music Canada. It is their last album to be released before the death of lead singer Gord Downie, as well as their last to be composed of new material. Produced by Kevin Drew and Dave Hamelin, the album is named after a track which appeared on the band's previous album Now for Plan A.

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<i>Long Time Running</i> 2017 Canadian documentary

Long Time Running is a 2017 Canadian documentary film, directed by Jennifer Baichwal and Nicholas de Pencier. The film profiles the Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip during their Man Machine Poem Tour of 2016, which followed the band's announcement of lead singer Gord Downie's cancer diagnosis.

<i>Introduce Yerself</i> 2017 studio album by Gord Downie

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References

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