The Robb Nash Project Comes To Thompson

During the week of March 18-22, students from across northern Manitoba had the opportunity to watch The Robb Nash Project live at R.D. Parker Collegiate in Thompson. The Robb Nash Project is a live immersive concert experience put on by Robb Nash and his band, focused on shedding light on mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, addiction, and self-harm. Presented in the Letkemann Theatre, the concert balances the serious subjects with inspirational stories and comical quips.

The concert brings stories of hope and support—ultimately letting the audience know that they are not alone in their struggles, and that there is always someone who cares. Robb Nash and his band put on an incredible show, even going so far as to get Rey Basallo, an active choir student at R.D. Parker, to fill in for a missing role during the Thompson leg of their tour, adding another personal level to the show.

By spreading his own story, Robb Nash hopes to let others know their struggles are not individual. Nash presents the story of his life, beginning with the story of his major head injury after a car he was in collided with a semi truck. Seemingly pronounced dead at the scene, he was eventually resuscitated and recovered. Despite his miraculous recovery, he did not feel like it was so miraculous, developing suicidal thoughts from the unhealed trauma that was the accident.

As Nash grew older, he decided to call the semi driver that hit him and let him know that he lived. After the conversation with the truck driver—weight lifted off of both of their shoulders—Nash resolves to continue telling his story to people who have felt the same way as him, hoping to show that you don’t have to die before you begin to live.

Nash invites anyone who has experienced suicidal thoughts to give him their suicide note, as an indication of strength after every show. He now has over 100 of the names signed on the notes tattooed on his arms, to prove they are not alone.