VIDEO: The Tragically Hip played their final concert 4 years ago today

On Aug. 20, 2016, nearly one-third of Canada gathered with friends, family and strangers to watch a special broadcast.

That night, The Tragically Hip played their final concert in the band’s hometown of Kingston, Ont.

It was the final performance of a 15-show tour that began in Victoria a month earlier, and the final performance of the band’s legendary 33-year career.

While only a few thousand people were lucky enough to be inside the Rogers K-Rock Centre in Kingston that night, at least 11.7-million people tuned in to the CBC broadcast.

That’s around one-third of Canada’s entire population.

Since the show happened during the 2016 Summer Olympics, CBC took a break from its coverage of the Games to broadcast the special night, which was introduced by Ron MacLean live from Rio de Janeiro.

Then, the crowd in Kingston and all across the country roared as Gord Downie, Rob Baker, Johnny Fay, Paul Langlois and Gord Sinclair walked onto the stage.

The band kicked off the show with “50 Mission Cap” and followed it up with hit after hit, like “Courage (For Hugh MacLennan),” “Wheat Kings” and “At The Hundredth Meridian.”

For the next four hours, the entire country basically shut down and was entranced by the stage presence of Gord Downie, one last time.

After a 21-song set, which included a brief intermission, the band went on to play three encores, each one more emotional than the last as people could sense that the end was close.

Finally, the 30th and final song of the night, “Ahead by a Century” began to play and CBC showed the crowds at some of the bigger viewing parties across Canada.

From the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver to Springer Market Square in Kingston to Grand Parade in Halifax, NS and, of course, Bolton Street in Bobcaygeon, Ont., there wasn’t a dry eye in Canada.

It’s a night that plenty of Canadians will never forget and, for many, it’s hard to believe it’s already been four years.

Downie lived for more than a year after that final show, finally succumbing to his terminal illness on Oct. 17, 2017.

His legacy and the music created by the Tragically Hip, however, will never die.