KINGSTON CELEBRATES THE TRAGICALLY HIP
A CONVERSATION WITH JAYSON DUGGAN, PERFORMING ARTS MANAGER WITH THE CITY OF KINGSTON
2026 is the summer of the Tragically Hip in Kingston. In honour of the 10th anniversary of their final concert played in their hometown of Kingston, the city is celebrating all things Tragically Hip. Fans and music lovers are already enjoying some free Hip events, and many more activities and shows planned for August. One such event is an appearance by Choir! Choir! Choir!. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Jayson Duggan, Performing Arts Manager with the City of Kingston, who is responsible for bringing world renown Choir! Choir! Choir! to Kingston.
“This is part of our Rockin’ The Square Program,” Duggan explained. “This year we are sponsored by Empire Light. The Rockin’ The Square Program is a city of Kingston funded, free, summer, large scale concert program that I was part of starting in 2013. We do usually have one concert a year, some years we have had more than one, and the years during COVID we had none. It is put right in the heart of Kingston. Springer Market Square is our largest gathering space, and it is one way to activate that space. I work closely with the special event office of the city, as we all fall under Arts and Culture Services.”
This year, the concert was included as part of the celebration honouring The Tragically Hip. “Every year I step back and look at what might resonate with our community. What artist makes sense. The programme has always been multi-genre. We have had everything from rock to country to Indigenous EDM to 90s rock. Every year I mix it up. I have worked with Choir! Choir! Choir! many times because I also program a series of shows at Kingston Grand Theatre. That is the bulk of my role. I do, roughly, 50 show seasons of music every year. When this anniversary came into view and how the programming was going to play out, I thought what better way than to bring the community back together on the anniversary day, which is August 20 and deliver a very specific evening of music that celebrates the legacy of The Tragically Hip, with Choir! Choir! Choir!.”
Choir! Choir! Choir! was formed in Toronto by Daveed Goldman and Nobu Adilman. Their concerts are based on audience participation. “The two members of Choir! Choir! Choir! are both very funny individuals on stage. So, it has a comedic element to the presentation. But it is really all about the music. They do it in such a creative and engaging manner that it draws you in as an audience member. And even if you are not a huge fan of singing out loud, you get caught up in it and it becomes super infectious. And both of those members are very good at drawing the audience in and making it a very inclusive event, and that was part of the appeal about this presentation. We wanted everyone to feel included. We have a very large LED screen to project the lyrics of each song. You read along with the lyrics and it takes you back to those memories. It is very much like that. It will be a fun and fascinating night. They also arrange the song live, they get some people singing harmonies, different sections get different parts, and it all comes together in one massive performance,” said Duggan.
CHOIR! CHOIR! CHOIR!
When the Tragically Hip performed their last show, ten years ago on August 20th, the concert was shown in the square. It is nice to have the Choir! Choir! Choir! performance in that particular square, some people can relive that moment in their lives.
“It is remarkable that we are all back together again to celebrate the legacy of the band but also to recreate that moment ten years ago when the square was full of tens of thousands of people. I was there, I was involved with the production that evening, and two blocks away the band was in the arena performing that final show. It was a unique experience.”
Our performance is part of a three-day weekend of activities. There are larger events happening within the city of Kingston. There is an exhibition happening in the Market Wing Exhibition space which is a celebration of Kingston music history, and it will feature a section dedicated to the Tragically Hip of course. So, there are lots of elements happening. But this weekend we are talking about; we will have a large screen for multiple days. On Saturday evening it will be the CBC rebroadcast of the concert. The actual anniversary is on August 20, this will be the main event.”
This particular event, however, promises to be very powerful and packed with emotion. “I think for a lot of people it is going to be more emotional than they expect. And I have no doubt that Choir! Choir! Choir! will probably work in some multi-media aspects that will enhance that emotional element of the performance. It is an interesting event because it is a celebration of the legacy of the band, but we are also looking back. It has been 10 years since the final show of a band that has been a favourite of millions across this country. And there is a sense of that loss, which will come to the forefront for some people.”
But it is a celebration of a band that has certainly impacted millions and left their mark. It is a chance for fans to come together and enjoy, once again, Tragically Hip music being performed live. “It is 100% free. It is funded through the city of Kingston, and this year for the first time Empire Life has come on as a title sponsor and that’s certainly helping our situation significantly. It is for the community and is a completely free event for everybody to come down and enjoy a live music experience.
Choir! Choir! The choir will be performing a free concert in Springer Market Square on August 20, 2026. For more information, consult The City Of Kingston website: https://www.cityofkingston.ca
The Tragically Hip Links
Choir! Choir! Choir! Links
Downtown Kingston Links
Main Photo Credit: David Bastedo
SPILL FEATURE: KINGSTON CELEBRATES THE TRAGICALLY HIP
