Tragically Hip play in Victoria
Gord Downie and the band play in Victoria, BC, during the tour. Reuters

Canadian band, the Tragically Hip, gave an emotional final performance in Kingston, Ontario to end the goodbye tour announced after their lead singer was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.

Gord Downie, the band's lead, was pictured in tears as the musicians played their final concert in front of Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau.

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The band's importance to the Canadian psyche was cemented as the concert was live streamed all across the country and broadcast on TV. The final concert in Kingston was sold out within minutes.

Trudeau, who was in the audience, tweeted out his thanks to Downie "on behalf of Canadians", saying they are "forever in our hearts and playlists".

Early in the evening he was seen writing a note of thanks on a wall covered in messages for the band. In his message, he called the Tragically Hip "Canada's band".

The PM was not the only Canadian sending out heartfelt messages on the emotional day. Toronto Police tweeted saying "Canada will be closed tonight" before the concert.

The band had been on a 15-show finale tour named for their latest album, Man Machine Poem. Kingston was the final stop.

After the show the band said: "Thank you, thank you, thank you music lovers!"