When Darren Sawchuk sings "there's no dress rehearsal, this is our life" the words hold a new meaning.
The Winnipeg lawyer plays in a Tragically Hip cover band but its more than a melody he has in common with his musical idol, Sawchuk also has an untreatable cancer.
"When you hear lyrics to Ahead By a Century … really those that are given a warning signal that you only have a certain amount of time left, you do what you can during that time to make the most of everyday," he said.
In May, Gord Downie, the lead singer and lyricist of the iconic Canadian rock band, announced he has terminal brain cancer. The band are on their way across the country for their Man Machine Poem Tour, Downie's last, and will play in Winnipeg on Friday.
Darren Sawchuk sings in the Winnipeg-based Tragically Hip cover band. (CBC)
Sawchuk is hoping that he can get on stage and sing with Downie, although he said he'd be happy to just watch from his front row seats.
The show will be memorable for many reasons, including their shared journey with terminal cancer.
"That was at a fairly critical time of my own health situation," Sawchuck said, adding he was told his cancer couldn't be treated in March.
"There is a certain connection that you have with other people who have received that kind of diagnosis and I immediately felt for his close family and friends and for what they are going through."
In 1989 when the Hip's second studio album, Up to Here, came out Sawchuk was hooked.
"They were kind of like Canadian grunge, straight ahead rock and roll with rhythm and blues underneath it and great lyrics," Sawcuk said.
As each album came out and Downie and the boys told the story of the great Canadiana through songs like Bobcaygeon, At the Hundredth Meridian and Ahead by a Century, Sawchuk followed along. It wasn't enough just to listen, the Winnipegger also had to play. He formed the cover band with friends and it became an anchor through all of life's changes.
"The soundtrack of my life has included the opportunity to play their music with a great group of friends. So every time we get a chance to get together we celebrate their music," he said.
Drummer Kristjan Kristjansson said he was a hair metal guy listening to Van Halen when Sawchuk introduced him to the Hip. (CBC)
Drummer Kristjan Kristjansson said he was a hair metal guy listening to Van Halen when Sawchuk introduced him to the Hip.
"Truth is that Darren's our [Gord] Downie, so my relationship with the Hip was through Darren," Kristjansson.
"We had built our relationship based on this music so it adds to the importance of this week."
Holding back tears, Kristjansson said he was proud of the strength his friend has shown. He said that although their cover band might just seem like a hobby, it is so much more.
"We are just playing music and having fun but it's important," he said.
When Wheat Kings starts Sawchuk said his dream would be to sing the harmony but he's "not counting his chickens." As he goes to watch his hero, sharing a similar diagnosis, Sawchuk said it's important to always have hope.
"I'm not counting Gord down and out and I'm counting myself down and out. I hope that there are lots of these last tours to come," he said.
The Tragically hip Play at the MTS Centre on Friday.
A cancer treatment and research fundraiser will be held at Jekyll & Hyde's on Osborne Street and Stradbrook Avenue Thursday at 8 p.m. CT.
Winnipeg musician with terminal cancer hopes to get on stage with the Tragically Hip
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