Corey Beierbach rehearses on Thursday, January 23, 2020 for The Hat Rocks Cancer charity concert (photo courtesy Colton Mckee)

By Chantal Wagner

The Hat Rocks Cancer Concert Tonight

Show of a lifetime for The Straight Jackets’ lead guitarist as he battles brain cancer

Jan 24, 2020 | 1:34 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The show must go on.

Corey Beierbach, the lead guitarist of The Straight Jackets in Medicine Hat was diagnosed with brain cancer last fall.

He says, “I was in the Calgary hospital and the doctor said to me, so I hear you’re a guitar player, I said yah, he said are you familiar with the Tragically Hip, yup, Gord Downie, yup, well you have the same thing he had which is Glioblastoma Multiforme.”

The type of brain cancer the two men were diagnosed with is very aggressive and incurable.

Downie lost his battle less than two years after his diagnosis.

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Since Beierbach’s diagnosis, he has had most of the tumour removed.

However, his diagnosis -like Downie’s- is terminal, and doctors think he has two more tumours.

He knows his fate, but Beierbach said he wanted to continue playing, and do some really good shows with a big crowd.

So, The Straight Jackets planned The Hat Rocks Cancer charity concert; featuring themselves and a dozen bands.

“Put all my heart and soul and energy into that one note or that song, or the set and just let it all out emotionally, that way through my guitar,” Beierbach said.

The soundcheck was yesterday for the show at the Esplanade tonight.

His bandmate, lead vocalist, and friend Aaron Simpson says it will be an emotional night. “I know his family Corey’s daughter Kayla and son Marshall are really psyched about it and when it was sold out I messaged Corey and was like it’s sold out dude, and he was pretty happy.”

Despite Beierbach’s situation, he considers himself really blessed to have his family, the band, and the local community behind him.

There’s even a beer with Hell’s Basement. Owner Mike Patriquin says, “We thought it would be really cool to do something special so we designed a custom label for this event, the Royal was super on-board with supporting the charity, so a dollar from every can sold at the Royal at the after-party after the concert at the Esplanade will go towards the charity.”

Though the show is sold out, the public can join in the after-party, or donate to the cause by visiting this link.

Beierbach’s doctor says he is doing well and will begin chemotherapy in pill form.

All proceeds from the show will benefit the Margery E. Yuill Cancer Centre in Medicine Hat and the Corey Beierbach trust fund to help him with expenses and his battle with cancer.