'It's for Tyler': Band hopes memorial concert will help raise awareness following fatal overdose

An Ottawa band reeling from the loss of their guitarist say they hope his recent death will be a "wake-up call" for the city's music scene.

Tyler Hay, 22, died Monday after a drug overdose, shortly before he was set to leave for a U.S. tour with Canadian punk band Letdown. He was filling-in on guitar for the group. 

Hay's death is one of three fatal overdoses that happened in a 24-hour period earlier this week. Ottawa police suspect fentanyl-laced cocaine may have been involved.

According to friends, Hay and his roommate were celebrating the upcoming tour when the overdose occurred.

"It's just so sad that his one last party before he went out to leave on tour ended up taking his life," said Alec Curren, drummer in the band Southpaw, in an interview with CBC Radio's All In a Day.

'Hoping that it's enough of a wake-up call'

Hay was an integral member in Southpaw, a local metalcore band.

In the wake of his death, Hay's bandmates and friends are organizing a memorial concert to celebrate his life and help raise awareness about the risks associated with drug use.

"For us, as a scene, we're hoping that it's enough of a wake-up call for people to stop and get the help they need," Athan Sinn, Southpaw guitarist and friend of Hay's, said.

"It's for Tyler," he said.  

In between set changes at the concert, peer support workers from Ottawa Inner City Health will be passing out 400 Naloxone kits and teaching people to use them, Sinn said.

"It's not even just him, it's the biggest problem in the scene," Curren explained. "People are dropping left and right from all walks of life because of this stuff."

According to his bandmates, Hay sometimes used cocaine. 

"Anybody close to him, anybody like that really knew him well, knew that he definitely struggled off and on with substance abuse," Curren said.

"But it was nowhere to the point where we thought he was going to lose his life."

Sinn said Hay was on his way to overcoming his addiction and that he had also given up drinking for a period of time. 

"He was getting a lot better. He was super excited to leave on this three-week tour. It was something that was slowly becoming less a part of his life," Curren said of the drug use.

"He was on the better track, finally."

Outpouring of support

The two friends say they've been comforted by all the heartwarming stories people have been sharing about Hay. 

"The support is wild," Sinn said.

Both Sinn and Curren thought of him like a brother. 

"He was there for everyone, no matter what it was, no matter what time it was, he was always there for you," Curren said. "He'd make the time for you, 100 per cent."

Just before he was scheduled to go out on tour, Southpaw finished two new songs with Hay on vocals —  a decision the band is grateful for today.

"I'm so happy that we forced that Friday to happen and that we finished all his vocals," Sinn said. "I'm so happy we have those finished."

Sinn and Curren both say their next live performance will be emotional. 

"I don't want to imagine what it's like playing without him," Curren explained.

The memorial concert is an all-ages show scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. on April 14 at the Bronson Centre. Hundreds of people are expected to attend.

A GoFundMe page has also been set up to help Hay's family cover funeral costs.