While last weekend was technically our last round of shows for 2022, we’re very pleased to announce a solo Tony set and chat with Tim from Paper Beat Scissors for his ‘Daystreaming’ series. Tune in on Facebook or Youtube on Dec. 21, 2022 at 3pm EST / 8pm UK to listen from the comfort of your own home. Hope you can join us then.
Facebook event: https://fb.me/e/3iUDuu1dU
Youtube link: https://youtu.be/dwPE257yvEc
Great Lake Swimmers has a few more shows coming up this December to round out 2022.
Dec. 9th finds us back in the Niagara Region at the Sanctuary Centre for the Arts, with special guests Minuscule.
Dec. 11th we’ll be at the beloved Aeolian Hall in London, Ontario with our good friends Picastro.
Tickets & info are available at https://greatlakeswimmers.com/shows/.
We have lots in the works for the new year so keep an eye on this space for some exciting announcements coming soon!
To mark the occasion of his autobiography’s publication, we’re proud to release our version of Art Bergmann’s “The Legend Of Bobby Bird” via (weewerk).
https://greatlakeswimmers.bandcamp.com/track/the-legend-of-bobby-bird-art-bergmann-cover
Art Bergmann’s recent work proves that he is more essential now than ever, adding a vital new link in the chain of an already incredible life in song. As long-time fans, we continue to be stunned and believe he is currently making some of his best work, and this important song, “The Legend Of Bobby Bird” highlights that.
To echo his words, “people should hear this song and they should just weep…and ask for forgiveness.”
Our version hopes to amplify that sentiment and help tell the story of Bobby Bird, adding to the voices calling for truth and reconciliation with Canada’s First Nations, with a hope to learn and continue the healing process from the atrocities of the residential school system.
When asked what he thought of their cover effort, Art had this to say, “The Great Lake Swimmers have taken my song, “The Legend of Bobby Bird” and created something completely new. Tony Dekker’s beautiful voice is mesmerizing. I am thankful. We are blessed by this version.”
Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/07ffdpmdZu7MlQdfzOZLps
Listen on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-legend-of-bobby-bird-single/1649617456
Listen on Youtube: https://youtu.be/DtVU188wIZU
Listen on Bandcamp: //greatlakeswimmers.bandcamp.com/track/the-legend-of-bobby-bird-art-bergman
Art Bergmann’s authorized biography by Jason Schneider at Anvil Press: https://www.anvilpress.com/…/the-longest-suicide-the…
Upcoming Tour Dates
Oct. 20 – Guelph, ON @ River Run Centre*
Oct. 21 – Peterborough, ON @ Market Hall*
Oct. 22 – North Bay, ON @ Capitol Centre*
* with Jenn Grant
Nov. 16 – St. David’s, NOTL, ON @ Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery
Dec. 9 – Ridgeway, ON @ The Sanctuary
Dec. 11 – London, ON @ Aeolian Hall
More information at https://greatlakeswimmers.com/shows/
October is here, and we have a mini-tour coming up this month in Ontario co-headlining with the wonderfully talented singer and songwriter, Jenn Grant.
Oct. 20, 21 & 22 we’ll be in Guelph, Peterborough and North Bay respectively. Hope to see you there. More info at https://linktr.ee/greatlakeswimmers
Upcoming shows:
Oct. 20, 2022 – Guelph, ON @ River Run Centre w. Jenn Grant
Oct. 21, 2022 – Peterborough, ON @ Market Hall w. Jenn Grant
Oct. 22, 2022 – North Bay, ON @ Capitol Centre w. Jenn Grant
Nov. 16, 2022 – St. David’s, ON @ Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery
Great Lake Swimmers are proud to be part of The Festival Of Small Halls coming up in May 2022. Three shows are scheduled in small halls across Eastern Ontario:
May 13, 2022 – Manotick United Church, Manotick ON
May 14, 2022 – St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Prescott ON
May 20, 2022 – Elgin United Church, Elgin ON
More information at https://ontariosmallhalls.com/2022-spring-schedule/
We hope to see you there!
We’re excited to announce a new series of shows for 2022. More announcements and updates coming soon.
April 23, 2022 – Lion’s Head, ON @ Lion’s Head Rotary Hall (Rescheduled from Dec. 18th).
May 13, 2022 – Manotick, ON @ Manotick United Church https://festivalofsmallhalls.frontgatetickets.com/
May 14, 2022 – Prescott, ON @ St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church https://festivalofsmallhalls.frontgatetickets.com/
May 20, 2022 – Elgin, ON @ Elgin United Church https://festivalofsmallhalls.frontgatetickets.com/
June 24, 2022 – Prince Edward County, ON @ The Hayloft Dancehall. Ticket info: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/great-lake-swimmers-tickets-291026306517
July 31, 2022 – Mulhurst Bay, AB @ Pigeon Lake Music Festival. Ticket info: http://www.plmf.ca/tickets.html
Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/great_lake_swimmers/
Great Lake Swimmers are thrilled to announce their first indoor, full-band show in over a year. On Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021 the band will play the Winter Wander festival in the Westdale Village neighbourhood of Hamilton, Ontario at The Westdale Theatre. Show time is 6:00pm.
Ticket info: https://www.thewestdale.ca/event/great-lake-swimmers/
Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required for entry. Effective October 9, 2021, capacity limits were lifted to allow 100 percent capacity in The Westdale as per provincial government regulations.
Check out our behind-the-scenes video making the song ‘Unmaking The Bed:’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7u14SVEfEgQ
Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/great_lake_swimmers/
Great Lake Swimmers will make their 2021 debut headlining the Seaway Valley Folk Festival on July 24th in Morrisburg, Ontario (near Ottawa) at the picturesque Stone Crop Acres Winery and Vineyard along the St. Lawrence River. Tickets and info at: https://www.harmonyconcerts.ca/event-info/seaway-valley-folk-festival-1
Also just announced, Great Lake Swimmers will be performing at River Road Brewing in Bayfield, Ontario on Sept. 5th, 2021. Details are at: https://www.ticketscene.ca/events/36646/
July 24, 2021 – Morrisburg, ON @ Seaway Valley Folk Festival https://bit.ly/3wI0VIJ
Sept. 5, 2021 – Bayfield, ON @ River Road Brewing & Hops https://bit.ly/3etP7DQ
GREAT LAKE SWIMMERS ARE RELEASING THEIR 2007 PERFORMANCE AT TORONTO’S CHURCH OF THE REDEEMER ON BANDCAMP ON MAY 7 AND ON VINYL / DIGITAL PLATFORMS ON MAY 14, 2021 ON (WEEWERK)
On May 14, Great Lake Swimmers will release the recording of their performance at Toronto’s Church Of The Redeemer on vinyl and digital platforms via (weewerk). The concert capped off the band’s Canadian spring tour of 2007, just days before the group continued on to embark on a full European tour to support the newly released album Ongiara. It was recorded for CBC Radio broadcast by producer and engineer Ron Skinner, with live sound mixed by Andy Magoffin, who also mixed and mastered the recording for this release. The album is notable not only for the grand acoustics of the church, but for the raw first impressions of songs that would become fan favourites, as well as notable guest appearances by Basia Bulat (backing vocals), Owen Pallett (violin), and Bob Egan (pedal steel) in addition to the band’s core lineup. The live set is comprised of songs from the first three Great Lake Swimmers albums; Self-titled (2003), Bodies And Minds (2005), and Ongiara (2007). Live At The Redeemer 2007 will be available on Bandcamp beginning May 7.
Today, audiences can listen to “Your Rocky Spine” from the album. “This version of ‘Your Rocky Spine’ is especially poignant because it was the first time it was played in front of a Toronto audience,” says songwriter Tony Dekker. “It features a guest appearance on backing vocals by Basia Bulat, and would go on to become one of our most well-known songs. As the first song on the album, it was also placed first in the set list, and opened the concert, which took place in the acoustically stunning Church Of The Redeemer.”
Listen here: https://orcd.co/yrslive
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzhobyKuFNk
LIVE AT THE REDEEMER 2007 TRACKLIST
01 Your Rocky Spine (Live)
02 Backstage With The Modern Dancers (Live)
03 Various Stages (Live)
04 Bodies And Minds (Live)
05 Put There By The Land (Live)
06 I Am Part Of A Large Family (Live)
07 Changing Colours (Live)
08 Moving Pictures Silent Films (Live)
09 There Is A Light (Live)
10 Let’s Trade Skins (Live)
11 I Will Never See The Sun (Live)
12 Passenger Song (Live)
13 Where In The World Are You (Live)
14 Song For The Angels (Live)
15 I Became Awake (Live)
16 Imaginary Bars (Live)
There are a few places to see the group perform live online this month, November 2020.
The first is this evening, Nov. 13th at 7:30pm EST, with a special acoustic trio version of the band in the beautiful Aeolian Hall for their Phoenix Sessions. No audience, but the Hall’s grand piano played by keyboardist Kelsey McNulty and upright bass courtesy of Bret Higgins, along with the acoustically dynamic Hall itself. It includes an in-depth interview with the Aeolian’s Clark Bryan. As some may know, Great Lake Swimmers’ history runs deep with the Aeolian, going back to the recording of 2007’s Ongiara there. See details in the flyer for ticket information, and at https://aeolianhall.ca/events/great-lake-swimmers-3/
The second is coming up on Nov. 28th for CityFolk Festival’s 2020 virtual edition. We’re excited to be part of this lineup and our performance features a full five-piece ensemble of Great Lake Swimmers in front of a socially-distanced, fully-masked audience at the wonderful Almonte Old Town Hall in Almonte, Ontario. Tickets are now available for the online broadcast which will include performances by Jason Isbell, Tim Baker, The Abrams, Tom Wilson, Ben Caplan, Nambi, and Johnny Shay. This was an intensely moving performance as it was the first time our group has played together in over 7 months. More details can be found at https://watch.cityfolkfestival.com/schedule/71036/462584; we hope you’re able to join us online.
Also, a special thanks to everyone who participated in last week’s Bandcamp Friday. Orders have gone out this week. In case you missed it, our full catalogue of LPs, CDs, and digital downloads is available on Bandcamp at https://greatlakeswimmers.bandcamp.com/, including an exclusive album of cover songs, “When We Last Shook Hands: Cover Songs Volume 1” collected from the bands performances over the last 15 years.
