Mike Downie & Johnny Fay - No Dress Rehearsal

Music Buddy

No Dress Rehearsal is a 4-part documentary about one of Canada's most-loved rock bands - The Tragically Hip. The film premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on Sept 5, and has been screening at Film Festivals around the country. It is now available to stream on Amazon Prime.
The Tragically Hip rose to rock stardom in the late 80s and early 90s. They toured and recorded relentlessly, and by the late 90s, they were practically a household name. To the great delight of their fans, they showed no signs of stopping. Ever. Then, in 2015, the band’s iconic lead singer—Gord Downie—was diagnosed with incurable brain cancer. He passed away in October, 2017, and a nation mourned the loss of a musical icon, cultural mentor, and cherished storyteller.
The film highlights the endurance of the musical bond, and the mutual love and respect that developed over 30+ years that the band created, recorded, and toured together. The loss of Gord Downie dealt a massive blow, but through the empathetic lens of the film's director Mike Downie (Gord's brother), the remaining members of the band—Paul Langlois, Rob Baker, Gord Sinclair, and Johnny Fay—have found a way to tell the story of Gord and The Hip in their own words. The documentary features rare archival footage, plus candid interviews with band members, family, friends, and colleagues. It is a heartfelt and honest portrayal of life, loss, and love. Above all, it’s about the power of music, and the ways in which Gord Downie was able to captivate, motivate, and inspire.

In this interview, host Jane Gowan speaks with Director Mike Downie and drummer Johnny Fay about the film, the band, and their beloved departed brother and bandmate, Gord.

More Info
The Tragically Hip
No Dress Rehearsal (on Amazon Prime)
The Downie & Wenjack Fund
Music samples in this episode:
"Ahead By A Century" - The Tragically Hip (Trouble At The Henhouse, 1996)
"Fiddler's Green" - The Tragically Hip (Road Apples, 1991)
"Little Bones" - The Tragically Hip (Road Apples, 1991)
"About This Map" - The Tragically Hip (Now For Plan A, 2012)
"Are We Family" - The Tragically Hip (In Between Evolution, 2004)
"Looking For A Place To Happen" - The Tragically Hip (Fully Completely, 1992)
"My Music At Work" - The Tragically Hip (Music @ Work, 2000)
"It's A Good Life If You Don't Weaken'" - The Tragically Hip (In Violet Light, 2002)
"The Stranger" - Gord Downie (Secret Path, 2016)
"The Lonely End of the Rink" - The Trag

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MUSIC BUDDY IS:
Jane Gowan (host, producer, editor) ; Tim Vesely (co-producer)
The show's theme song, "Human Stuff," is written by Jane Gowan and Tim Vesely, and performed by Jane and Tim, with additional vocals by Steve Wright and Connie Kostiuk
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