Two Powerful and Poignant Video Narratives from The Tragically Hip

Two powerful and poignant narratives of The Tragically Hip’s 2016 Man Machine Poem tour will be released this month. A National Celebration encompasses the band’s hometown concert in Kingston from August 20 while Long Time Running is the feature film documentary of the preparations for and completion of the tour.

Long Time Running (in stores now) was created in collaboration between the band, Banger Films, and SHED Creative Agency, a division of Universal Music Canada. The film was directed by Jennifer Baichwal and Nicholas de Pencier and chronicles the rehearsals for and progress of The Tragically Hip’s 15-date cross-Canada tour. Including reflections from Rob Baker, Gord Downie, Johnny Fay, Paul Langlois, and Gord Sinclair, it is a candid revelation of the time, unflinchingly displaying the grace, fragility, courage, and beauty of the band’s tour de force journey, coming, as it did, following the announcement of Downie’s incurable brain cancer diagnosis. Long Time Running includes a 10-minute featurette containing interviews not in the theatrical cut, including reminiscences from Leslie Feist and Sarah Harmer, among others.

A National Celebration will be available on DVD, Blu-Ray and digital on December 22. Mixed for Dolby 5.1, the audio is fully complete and true to how it was performed, with no post-production overdubs, drop-ins, or ‘corrections’ to the artists’ in-the-moment expressions. Containing all 30 songs from the night’s set list, the recording captures an unparalleled, nation-linking occasion. Originally aired live by CBC across all platforms, the concert was experienced by an estimated one-third of Canadians, among the biggest events in the country’s broadcast history.

Long Time Running is available now on DVD & Blu-ray.

Pre-order A National Celebration on DVD & Blu-ray.