How to Stick it to the Man Over The Tragically Hip Ticket Fiasco

Article by Alycia Douglass | Photo by Kim Pardi (Wiki Commons)

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re probably already aware of (and justifiably pissed at) The Tragically Hip’s current ticket-sale conundrum. On May 24th, The Hip took to social media, sharing the difficult news that frontman, Gord Downie had been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. However, despite the unfavourable prognosis, the band announced one last tour in an effort to allow their fans a final farewell to the beloved Canadian icon.

What should have been a feel-good story about Gord and his love affair with the true-North turned into capitalization on a dying man’s final wish. With presale tickets selling out pretty much immediately, folks were quick to condemn the purchasing process on many ticketing websites.

In response to the massive ticket markups and sold-out shows, The Hip graciously added four more shows to the Man Machine Poem Tour. Keep in mind, we are talking about a dying man. Hope that makes you assholes feel better about using software to buy all the tickets, subsequently jacking the price of said tickets.

The Hip’s fanbase is not defined by age or class, so why is it that only the elite will have the chance to enjoy the concert? The band intended ticket sales to go to the Gord Downie Fund for Brain Cancer Research with donations going directly toward finding a cure. However, with people buying from third-party ticket websites, scalpers are able to cash in on an otherwise charitable event. So what can you, a morally conscious consumer do about this?

Well, for starters, don’t you dare put your money in a filthy scalper’s pocket. But if you do, I would really recommend making a donation to Gord’s charity in the original interest of the cause.

There has also been a lot of buzz lately about the possibility of airing The Hip’s final show on CBC in attempts to reclaim the initial purpose of the tour. If this is the case, and you still haven’t managed to snag yourself a pair of tix, I’d suggest gathering ’round with your pals and a few brews to enjoy the concert the way the CBC intended. There has been no word of the final decision, so until then, we wait with bated breath.

On June 17th, The Hip will release their 14th studio album, Man Machine Poem. If you love the band and are want to do good by Gord, you can pre-order the album on CD or vinyl now. In the meantime, check out the video for In a World Possessed by the Human Mind.

Until next time, stay groovy.

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About Alycia Douglass aka the Rock ‘N’ Roll Nomad: She is a local music blogger with a passion for 60’s and 70’s Classic Rock, finding rare hidden gems, and writing about her passion for music one blog at a time. Sit back, relax, and take a little trip through musical space and time with her here: http://rockandrollnomad.blogspot.ca/