Album Announcement! ‘In Pieces: An Acoustic Retrospective’

We’re very excited to (finally!) share some (sort of) new music and let you know about a project that’s been in the works for several years now.

Today we’re announcing the upcoming release of our double LP, “In Pieces: An Acoustic Retrospective,” a collection of scaled-back versions of songs from across our twenty-year, eight-album catalogue, on Oct. 4, 2024.

Alongside the LP and CD release will be a companion piece annotated book of the collected Great Lake Swimmers lyrics from 2003-2023.

To kick things off, we’ve just dropped new acoustic versions of ‘Your Rocky Spine’ and ‘Changing Colours,’ exclusively on Bandcamp, for Bandcamp Friday today.

For the next 24 hours, Bandcamp waives its fees, and 100% of sales go directly to the artist. So it’s a great time to advance-order the LP, CD or book and get one of the limited edition pressings, which ship on or around Oct. 4th.

The singles will hit streaming platforms next Friday, but if you want a sneak peek (and to support us directly), head over to our Bandcamp page: https://greatlakeswimmers.bandcamp.com/

We’ve also added a raft of tour dates in Canada, the US, the UK, and Europe this fall, so have a look below or at: www.greatlakeswimmers.com/shows to see if we’ll be in your neck of the woods.

Upcoming tour dates:
Sept 17: Milwaukee, WI
Sept 19 & 20: Grand Marais MN
Sept 21: Minneapolis MN
Sept 24: Columbus OH
Sept 25: Buffalo NY
Sept 28: Collingwood ON
Oct 4: Sudbury ON

Oct 13: Brighton UK (sold out)
Oct 14: Bristol UK
Oct 15: Cardiff UK
Oct 16: Manchester UK
Oct 17: London UK
Oct 18: Sint-Niklaas B
Oct 19: Utrecht NL
Oct 20: Arnhem NL
Oct 21: Berlin DE
Oct 22: Oberhausen, DE
Oct 23: Hamburg DE
Oct 24: Groningen NL (Sold out)
Oct 27: Sittard NL
Oct 28: Jena DE
Oct 29: Frankfurt DE
Oct 30: Den Haag NL

Dec 4: Kingston ON
Dec 5: Guelph ON
Dec 6: Hamilton ON
Dec 7: London ON
Dec 12: Toronto ON

New 2024 Tour Dates in Ontario

We’re delighted to announce a run of Ontario tour dates coming up this spring, starting in Meaford, Ontario, on the shores of Lake Huron’s Georgian Bay, at Meaford Hall Arts & Cultural Centre on April 25th. We’ll be playing songs from our new album, Uncertain County, along with favourites from across our twenty-year, eight-album catalogue. Hope you can join us!

April 25: Meaford, ON – Meaford Hall

May 3: Galt, ON – Farm League Brewing

May 24: Tweed, ON – Marble Arts Centre 

May 25: Bancroft, ON – The Village Playhouse 

May 31: Ottawa, ON – Red Bird Live  

June 1: Ottawa, ON – Red Bird Live

June 2: Ottawa, ON – Red Bird Live

June 20: Windsor, ON – Meteor Bar

June 21: Windsor, ON – Meteor Bar

July 14: Durham, ON – Four Winds Music Fest

Great Lake Swimmers’ “Uncertain Country” Tour Continues Into 2024

Great Lake Swimmers’ “Uncertain Country” Tour Continues Into 2024

Great Lake Swimmers’ “Uncertain Country” tour continues into 2024 with new U.S. dates. Starting on Feb. 15th in Lancaster, PA, the tour will take band across the U.S. Southeast to Georgia, Florida, Louisiana and Texas before heading west to Arizona, California, and Oregon. With special guest Clem Snide supporting. Details can be found at: www.greatlakeswimmers.com/shows

Feb. 15: Lancaster, PA – Tellus 360

Feb. 16: Elkton, MD – Elkton Music Hall

Feb. 17: Durham, NC – Motorco Music Hall

Feb. 18: Decatur, GA – Eddie’s Attic

Feb. 19: Jacksonville, FL – Jack Rabbits

Feb. 20: Clearwater, FL – Murray Theatre at Ruth Eckerd Hall

Feb. 22: Baton Rouge, LA – Chelsea’s

Feb. 23: Houston, TX – The Continental Club

Feb. 24: Austin, TX – 04 Center

Feb. 25: Dallas, TX – Club Dada

Feb. 27: Tucson, AZ – Club Congress

Feb. 28: San Diego, CA – Casbah

Mar. 2: Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom

Mar. 5: Boise, ID – Neurolux

Mar. 8: Kansas City, MO – Knuckleheads

Mar. 9: St. Louis, MO – Old Rock House

Mar. 10: Columbia, MO – Rose Music Hall

Mar. 12: Nashville, TN – City Winery Nashville

Mar. 13: Louisville, KY – The Whirling Tiger

Mar. 15: Three Oaks, MI – The Acorn

Mar, 16: Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark

September 2023 in Ontario & Quebec

September is here, and that means it’s less than two weeks until the next leg of our Uncertain Country tour in Ontario and Quebec! 

Oshawa, Kingston, Ottawa, Montreal, Paris, Guelph, Hamilton & Huntsville – we’re coming your way this month.

Special guests Minuscule are opening the Ontario dates, and Picastro will join us in Montreal.

It’s been a while since we’ve visited many of these cities (and a first in Huntsville!) but we’re thrilled to be hitting the road again and hope to see you there if you are in range.

https://greatlakeswimmers.com/shows/

Poster artwork and design by Amy Salganik.

Upcoming September tour dates:

Sept 13: Oshawa, ON – Biltmore Theatre

Sept 14: Kingston, ON – Isabel Bader Theatre

Sept 15: Ottawa, ON – National Arts Centre

Sept 16: Montreal, QC – Le Ritz

Sept 27: Paris, ON – Dominion Telegraph

Sept 28: Guelph, ON – Royal City Mission

Sept 29: Hamilton, ON – Bridgeworks

Sept 30: Huntsville, ON – Sandhill Nursery, Huntsville Festival Of The Arts

More Canadian, U.S., and Europe dates at www.greatlakeswimmers.com/shows

Europe Dates Added, Nov – Dec 2023

It’s been some time since we’ve been in Europe, so we’re delighted to finally announce new 2023 European tour dates this fall to support our latest album, “Uncertain Country.” See below for details (or click the “Shows” link on this site) for upcoming shows in Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Denmark, Scotland, Ireland, and the UK. Joining us will be the incredible Liz Hysen of Picastro, a true gem that we have known since the band’s earliest days in Toronto.

Upcoming Europe / UK dates:

Nov 29, 2023: Diksmuide, B – 4AD

Nov 30, 2023: Hasselt, B – Café Café

Dec 1, 2023: Venlo, NL – Grenswerk

Dec 2, 2023: Deventer, NL – Burgerweeshuis

Dec 3, 2023: Antwerp, B – Djingle Djangle

Dec 4, 2023: Paris, F – La Boule Noire

Dec 6, 2023: Munster, D – Gleis 22

Dec 7, 2023: Hamburg, D – Bahnhof Pauli

Dec 8, 2023: Copenhagen, DK – Huset Musikcafeen

Dec 9, 2023: Berlin, D – LARK

Dec 11, 2023: London, UK – Omeara

Dec 12, 2023: Bristol, UK – Strange Brew

Dec 13, 2023: Manchester, UK – YES

Dec 14, 2023: Dublin, EIR – The Workmans Club

Dec 15, 2023: Belfast, UK – Ulster Sports Club

Dec 16, 2023: Glasgow, UK – Broadcast

Dec 17, 2023: Leeds, UK – Brudenell Social Club

All dates above with Picastro (Liz Hysen solo).

http://www.greatlakeswimmers.com/shows

New U.S. Tour Dates Announced!

We’re proud to officially announce that new U.S. tour dates are now added to the “Uncertain Country” Fall Tour. Indianapolis, Newport, Detroit, Goshen, L.A., San Fran, Bend, Seattle, Denver, Omaha, Des Moines, St. Paul, Milwaukee, Evanston, Columbus, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Sellersville & Albany – the band is coming your way in October and November! See below or click the Shows link for more details. Hope to see you if we’re in your neck of the woods! -Tony.

www.greatlakeswimmers.com/shows

  • October 3: Indianapolis, IN – Hi-Fi 
  • October 4: Newport, KY – The Southgate House Revival 
  • October 5: Ferndale, MI – The Magic Bag  
  • October 7: Goshen, IN – Ignition Music Garage 
  • October 25: Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour (Tony solo)
  • October 26: San Francisco, CA – Café Du Nord  
  • October 27: Bend, OR – Volcanic Theatre Pub  
  • October 29: Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern  
  • November 1: Denver, CO – Globe Hall  
  • November 2: Omaha, NE – The Slowdown  
  • November 3: Des Moines, IA – xBk 
  • November 4: St Paul, MN – Turf Club 
  • November 5: Milwaukee, WI – Shank Hall  
  • November 7: Evanston, IL – SPACE  
  • November 8: Columbus, OH – Rumba Café  
  • November 9: Cleveland, OH – Beachland Tavern 
  • November 10: Pittsburgh, PA – Hard Rock Cafe Pittsburgh 
  • November 12: Sellersville, PA – Sellersville Theatre  
  • November 13: Albany, NY – The Linda 

www.greatlakeswimmers.com/shows

Canadian Tour Dates Announced for 2023

We’re delighted to announce that new tour dates have just been added to our 2023 album release for “Uncertain Country” – we’re heading to Western Canada this Fall and kicking things off in Ontario and Quebec in September. The “Shows” link above has all the details!

It’s also just a few more weeks until the start of our Eastern Canada tour, with Laurel Minnes and a mini-version of the Minuscule choir now added as support! It’s been some time since we’ve been to PEI but we’re excited to start it all off in Charlottetown at the Trailside Music Hall on May 23. Fredericton, Halifax, Saint John and Quebec City are also coming up this month – hope to see you there!

Have you heard the new album yet? Find it streaming or pre-order an LP at our new online store.

Photo and poster by Adam CK Vollick.

“Uncertain Country” Is Out Now!

Today is the day!

The new Great Lake Swimmers album, “Uncertain Country” is out now on all streaming platforms & music services.

The first new Great Lake Swimmers music in nearly 5 years, “Uncertain Country” was inspired by a trip to the north shore of Lake Superior in Summer 2019; when the pandemic put recording sessions on hold, the album was developed in between lockdowns in the Niagara Region of Ontario, Canada.

“Long-time Great Lake Swimmers listeners will find much that they know, from a strong current of nature imagery to Dekker’s wistful & emotive vocal delivery, but also plenty of new territory to discover. Those who are new to the band will find a rich variety of emotional dynamics & musical approaches that still has a coherent core. ‘Uncertain Country’ stands as some of the strongest & most consistent work by one of Canada’s best bands” – Matt Wheeler/Great Dark Wonder (https://greatdarkwonder.com/review-great-lake-swimmers-uncertain-country/)

Track listing:

  1. Uncertain Country
  2. When The Storm Has Passed
  3. I Tried To Reach You
  4. Since January
  5. Swimming Like Flying
  6. On A Ship
  7. Moonlight, Stay Above
  8. Riverine
  9. Quiet Before The Storm
  10. Into It
  11. Promise Of Spring
  12. Think, Think
  13. Respect For All Living Things
  14. Flight Paths
  15. Am I Floating In The Air

Link to stream or order a copy on CD, LP & digital: https://linktr.ee/greatlakeswimmers

Thanks for taking a listen!

New Double Single – “When The Storm Has Passed” and “Moonlight, Stay Above” 

Today’s the day. We’re proud to release two brand new songs as a ‘double single’ from the new Great Lake Swimmers record. The full album will be released on April 28, 2023, but until then, “When The Storm Has Passed” and “Moonlight, Stay Above” are out now on streaming platforms.

Take a listen here.