An amazing art and music exhibition celebrating the Junos in 2016...
Alan Doyle at The JUNO Tour of Canadian Art | JUNO TV
Link to the official video....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM2mU_wI2pc&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Thursday 31 March 2016
Alan Doyle at the Junos (2016).
Alan Doyle at The JUNO Tour of Canadian Art | JUNO TV
Link to the official video....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM2mU_wI2pc&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Great Big Sea and Throwback Thursday...Sea to Great Big Sea (Junos 1998)
Alan Doyle has been nominated this year for a Canadian music industry Juno Award for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year for his So Let’s Go album. Although Great Big Sea has been nominated many times for a Juno award over the years they haven’t had any success. Here is hoping 2016 will be Alan Doyle’s year.
I found this really interesting newspaper article on Great Big Sea before the 1998 Juno Awards in Vancouver, British Columbia. Great Big Sea was nominated for two awards, Group of the Year and the Best Roots or Traditional Album for a Group for their album Play.
The article comes from a fan site that contains a lot of transcripts of newspaper articles from the early years of Great Big Sea (1997 to 1999). It is difficult to know whether these articles have been altered in anyway when transcribed, as I haven’t been able to compare them with the originals.
I have decided to take them at face value. This is based on a number of articles and interviews I have read and videos seen with the members of Great Big Sea. The comments made in this article seem genuine to me.
I found these early comments interesting, in particular about the boys in the band having to challenge the stereotypes of Newfoundlanders and being in a band based in Newfoundland. Nearly 20 years on two of the members of Great Big Sea still live and work out of St. John’s, Newfoundland and Sean McCann only moved to the mainland last year.
I was interested in the comments made by Sean McCann about Great Big Sea being a collective and all band members having a equal say. This decision would come back to bite them over 20 years later when they decided to go their separate ways.
Many of the songs from the Play album have become fan favourites including Ordinary Day, When I’m Up (I Can’t Get Down), The Night Pat Murphy Died and Donkey Riding. These songs are still being played and can possibly be heard at any concert by Alan Doyle and Sean McCann by this year along with all the fabulous new music of course.
I hope you enjoy this article as much as I have. There is a great collection of articles at this site for all those fans interested in reading some early Great Big Sea interviews.
I have circulated some videos of the music from the Play album from the CBC 20th anniversary concert in Toronto a couple of years ago on my Google + page. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.
“From sea to Great Big Sea” By J.M. Sullivan. The Globe and Mail. February 13, 1998 http://greatbigsea.tripod.com/athome/articles/feb1398.html8
0ne place Great Big Sea won't be on March 22 is Vancouver, the location of this year's Juno Awards. Not that they don't belong: On Wednesday, the Newfoundland based quartet was nominated for two Junos, as Canadian group of the year and best roots/traditional ensemble. But this is a principled group and, well, they've told Juno organizers they won't show up en masse to accept any award or play.
The reason? Well, they're going to be on tour in Texas that month, so perhaps just one band member will get the nod to make the long flight to and from British Columbia to serve as the group's representative.
But, more importantly, with such Maritimes acts as Lennie Gallant, Super Friendz, Jamie Sparks and the Glamour Puss Blues Band shut out of the Junos, they feel the East Coast scene has been underrepresented at what is for many the premiere showcase of Canadian music.
Sean McCann, guitarist and singer, said, "We take that as a little bit of an insult. This is such a vibrant scene, and there's a huge catalogue of people to draw from."
Taking stands is nothing new for Great Big Sea, particularly when it comes to matters Newfoundland. Last summer they were angered when the promoter of the Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill suggested the band wear sou'westers on stage and bring a dory along with them.
"It was very bad when we first started out" five years ago, said the group's multi-instrumentalist, Bob Hallett. "We would be advertised as part of a Newfie Night or Screech Night. Now we have it in our contract that words like "Newfie" and "Screech" don't appear in any context with us."
Along with battling the Newfie stereotype, Great Big Sea want to dispel the myth that you can't live in Newfoundland and work as a successful band. Indeed, in the Maritimes, Great Big Sea is a bonafide supergroup, having won a third consecutive award for entertainer of the year at the recent East Coast Music Awards in Halifax, plus four other trophies, including those for group of the year and song of the year (for When I'm Up).
"The stupidest question a journalist ever asked me," said guitarist singer Alan Doyle, "was when would we be good enough to move to the mainland. "
"We want to be good enough to stay here," snorted McCann. "We're lucky to be from a place that has such a culture, and such a self-deprecating sense of humour. Maybe the rest of Canada will start to look beyond the jokes and The Shipping News and see what it's like to live in this exotic place in the middle of the ocean. . . . I'd be happy if we just played here, and audiences flew in to see us."
Luckily for the rest of Canada, it hasn't come to that yet. On Feb. 24, the band begins an 11-city Ontario tour in Sudbury. This should add to the sales of its second album, Play, which has already sold more than 200,000 copies in this country. Meanwhile, a new video for the Sea's cover of R.E.M.'s End of the World As We Know It will debut soon on Much Music, and a third album is in the works.
Great Big Sea recorded Play and have shot half their videos in Newfoundland. They are adamant about doing as much of their work as they can at home, partly because it allows them to have a real life ("You can walk home after you're finished at the studio," said McCann) and partly because the atmosphere helps preserve a specific folk flavour they deem essential to their music.
"It's not Celtic rock," said Hallett, although the term is often applied to them. "Rock to me is based on a 12-bar rhythm. This is based on Newfoundland music."
"Pushing the envelope," said Doyle. "Faster and louder. Not just a rock band with a mandolin player added."
"With the pop part being that annoying lyric hook you can never get out of your head," McCann explained. "The one everybody's always trying to write."
It's a sound each member had been searching for individually, before they all ended up at Doyle's parents' house for a jam session Christmas Day in 1993. "We didn't know if we wanted to be in a band together. We didn't know if we were going to like each other," said Hallett.
That initial uneasiness was put aside and the band got going: Tours of Canada, England, Poland, Germany, Scotland. Concerts. Record deals. "We did so much playing live that I think people discovered us before we were much on the radio," said bassist Darrell Power.
Great Big Sea's sweep of the East Coast Music Awards earlier this month has definitely lifted them a notch up the publicity scale. The band members suddenly found themselves being asked for opinions on questions like the structure of the ECMA awards, and whether Sarah McLachlan is a real Maritimer or not. "I don't think anyone has done more for Canadian music in the last 12 months than Sarah has," said Doyle. The band was firmly behind the awards, and still consider them valuable: They had met record-company representatives, and signed record deals at earlier ECMAs. And when it comes to politics or anything else, "my opinion shouldn't count any more than someone who works in a candy store," Doyle said.
The United States might be the next country to fall under the spell of Great Big Sea. The group has signed with Sire Records, former home of Talking Heads and k.d. lang, and "we'll start flinging ourselves like spaghetti against the wall and see if anything sticks," said McCann.
Meanwhile, they're a little worried about their third recording. Unlike the first two, it may not have a oneword title. Up and Play, they said, happened to match the feelings of the different albums. The next may be as long as, well ... 11 words.
"But, judging by the hours of arguing that went into the first two, I'm not eager to start this now," said Hallett.
"We're a collective, which is unwieldy, and I'm proud we're together after five years," said McCann. "Four heads are better than one. Sometimes we slow ourselves down, but that can be a good thing. We have to agree on everything."
Just like the Spice Girls?
"Unlike the Spice Girls," said Doyle, "we are not in excellent physical condition."
Great Big Sea plays North Bay, Feb. 25; Peterborough, Feb 26; Kingston, Feb. 28; Hamilton, March 1; Windsor, March 3; Orillia, March 4; Kitchener, Mar. 5; Brantford, Mar. 6; London, Mar. 7; Sarnia, Mar. 8.
I found this really interesting newspaper article on Great Big Sea before the 1998 Juno Awards in Vancouver, British Columbia. Great Big Sea was nominated for two awards, Group of the Year and the Best Roots or Traditional Album for a Group for their album Play.
The article comes from a fan site that contains a lot of transcripts of newspaper articles from the early years of Great Big Sea (1997 to 1999). It is difficult to know whether these articles have been altered in anyway when transcribed, as I haven’t been able to compare them with the originals.
I have decided to take them at face value. This is based on a number of articles and interviews I have read and videos seen with the members of Great Big Sea. The comments made in this article seem genuine to me.
I found these early comments interesting, in particular about the boys in the band having to challenge the stereotypes of Newfoundlanders and being in a band based in Newfoundland. Nearly 20 years on two of the members of Great Big Sea still live and work out of St. John’s, Newfoundland and Sean McCann only moved to the mainland last year.
I was interested in the comments made by Sean McCann about Great Big Sea being a collective and all band members having a equal say. This decision would come back to bite them over 20 years later when they decided to go their separate ways.
Many of the songs from the Play album have become fan favourites including Ordinary Day, When I’m Up (I Can’t Get Down), The Night Pat Murphy Died and Donkey Riding. These songs are still being played and can possibly be heard at any concert by Alan Doyle and Sean McCann by this year along with all the fabulous new music of course.
I hope you enjoy this article as much as I have. There is a great collection of articles at this site for all those fans interested in reading some early Great Big Sea interviews.
I have circulated some videos of the music from the Play album from the CBC 20th anniversary concert in Toronto a couple of years ago on my Google + page. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.
“From sea to Great Big Sea” By J.M. Sullivan. The Globe and Mail. February 13, 1998 http://greatbigsea.tripod.com/athome/articles/feb1398.html8
0ne place Great Big Sea won't be on March 22 is Vancouver, the location of this year's Juno Awards. Not that they don't belong: On Wednesday, the Newfoundland based quartet was nominated for two Junos, as Canadian group of the year and best roots/traditional ensemble. But this is a principled group and, well, they've told Juno organizers they won't show up en masse to accept any award or play.
The reason? Well, they're going to be on tour in Texas that month, so perhaps just one band member will get the nod to make the long flight to and from British Columbia to serve as the group's representative.
But, more importantly, with such Maritimes acts as Lennie Gallant, Super Friendz, Jamie Sparks and the Glamour Puss Blues Band shut out of the Junos, they feel the East Coast scene has been underrepresented at what is for many the premiere showcase of Canadian music.
Sean McCann, guitarist and singer, said, "We take that as a little bit of an insult. This is such a vibrant scene, and there's a huge catalogue of people to draw from."
Taking stands is nothing new for Great Big Sea, particularly when it comes to matters Newfoundland. Last summer they were angered when the promoter of the Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill suggested the band wear sou'westers on stage and bring a dory along with them.
"It was very bad when we first started out" five years ago, said the group's multi-instrumentalist, Bob Hallett. "We would be advertised as part of a Newfie Night or Screech Night. Now we have it in our contract that words like "Newfie" and "Screech" don't appear in any context with us."
Along with battling the Newfie stereotype, Great Big Sea want to dispel the myth that you can't live in Newfoundland and work as a successful band. Indeed, in the Maritimes, Great Big Sea is a bonafide supergroup, having won a third consecutive award for entertainer of the year at the recent East Coast Music Awards in Halifax, plus four other trophies, including those for group of the year and song of the year (for When I'm Up).
"The stupidest question a journalist ever asked me," said guitarist singer Alan Doyle, "was when would we be good enough to move to the mainland. "
"We want to be good enough to stay here," snorted McCann. "We're lucky to be from a place that has such a culture, and such a self-deprecating sense of humour. Maybe the rest of Canada will start to look beyond the jokes and The Shipping News and see what it's like to live in this exotic place in the middle of the ocean. . . . I'd be happy if we just played here, and audiences flew in to see us."
Luckily for the rest of Canada, it hasn't come to that yet. On Feb. 24, the band begins an 11-city Ontario tour in Sudbury. This should add to the sales of its second album, Play, which has already sold more than 200,000 copies in this country. Meanwhile, a new video for the Sea's cover of R.E.M.'s End of the World As We Know It will debut soon on Much Music, and a third album is in the works.
Great Big Sea recorded Play and have shot half their videos in Newfoundland. They are adamant about doing as much of their work as they can at home, partly because it allows them to have a real life ("You can walk home after you're finished at the studio," said McCann) and partly because the atmosphere helps preserve a specific folk flavour they deem essential to their music.
"It's not Celtic rock," said Hallett, although the term is often applied to them. "Rock to me is based on a 12-bar rhythm. This is based on Newfoundland music."
"Pushing the envelope," said Doyle. "Faster and louder. Not just a rock band with a mandolin player added."
"With the pop part being that annoying lyric hook you can never get out of your head," McCann explained. "The one everybody's always trying to write."
It's a sound each member had been searching for individually, before they all ended up at Doyle's parents' house for a jam session Christmas Day in 1993. "We didn't know if we wanted to be in a band together. We didn't know if we were going to like each other," said Hallett.
That initial uneasiness was put aside and the band got going: Tours of Canada, England, Poland, Germany, Scotland. Concerts. Record deals. "We did so much playing live that I think people discovered us before we were much on the radio," said bassist Darrell Power.
Great Big Sea's sweep of the East Coast Music Awards earlier this month has definitely lifted them a notch up the publicity scale. The band members suddenly found themselves being asked for opinions on questions like the structure of the ECMA awards, and whether Sarah McLachlan is a real Maritimer or not. "I don't think anyone has done more for Canadian music in the last 12 months than Sarah has," said Doyle. The band was firmly behind the awards, and still consider them valuable: They had met record-company representatives, and signed record deals at earlier ECMAs. And when it comes to politics or anything else, "my opinion shouldn't count any more than someone who works in a candy store," Doyle said.
The United States might be the next country to fall under the spell of Great Big Sea. The group has signed with Sire Records, former home of Talking Heads and k.d. lang, and "we'll start flinging ourselves like spaghetti against the wall and see if anything sticks," said McCann.
Meanwhile, they're a little worried about their third recording. Unlike the first two, it may not have a oneword title. Up and Play, they said, happened to match the feelings of the different albums. The next may be as long as, well ... 11 words.
"But, judging by the hours of arguing that went into the first two, I'm not eager to start this now," said Hallett.
"We're a collective, which is unwieldy, and I'm proud we're together after five years," said McCann. "Four heads are better than one. Sometimes we slow ourselves down, but that can be a good thing. We have to agree on everything."
Just like the Spice Girls?
"Unlike the Spice Girls," said Doyle, "we are not in excellent physical condition."
Great Big Sea plays North Bay, Feb. 25; Peterborough, Feb 26; Kingston, Feb. 28; Hamilton, March 1; Windsor, March 3; Orillia, March 4; Kitchener, Mar. 5; Brantford, Mar. 6; London, Mar. 7; Sarnia, Mar. 8.
Sunday 27 March 2016
Alan Doyle and TBG in the Bahamas (2016)…
Recently Alan Doyle and two members of The Beautiful Gypsies, Cory Tetford and Kendel Carson played their last concert of the second leg on their tour of America in Freeport on Grand Bahama. What a wonderful concert that would have been for those fans able to go.
One fan who was lucky enough to attend wrote a wonderful short post on the Facebook Online Kitchen Party, A Great Big Sea Community Forum…
“So I had the privilege of attending the show in Freeport, Bahamas last night with Alan, Cory and Kendel…Sorry no photos or videos although I was sitting front row in this amazing theatre, I soaked it all in and lived the moments…it was truly a magical night!…”
What was really special about this post is that it is not very often we come across fans, myself included who are right there in the moment with the music and choose not to take photographs and videos to share online. The name of the fan was removed to protect their privacy and their friend’s privacy.
The Bahamas Weekly was there and their staff photographer took some wonderful photographs and shared a story via their online site and their Facebook page. The concert was a charity event to support the Grand Bahama Performing Arts Society at the Regency Theatre that provided opportunities and scholarships for performing arts schools and students.
The article states “The concert has been made possible through the generosity of Brendan Paddock and Renee Vedd-Paddock who made the arrangements and donated the costs to bring Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies performance to Grand Bahama for the many beneficiaries of the Society.”
I have shared a copy of this article on my Google + page.
I have enclosed a wonderful photograph of Alan, Cory and Kendel doing a sound check that was circulated on Twitter. No copyright infringement intended.
The Bahamas Weekly@BahamasWeekly Canada's Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies sound check in Grand Bahama Photo:Mackey Media Ltd. 24 March 2016 (No copyright infringement intended).
One fan who was lucky enough to attend wrote a wonderful short post on the Facebook Online Kitchen Party, A Great Big Sea Community Forum…
“So I had the privilege of attending the show in Freeport, Bahamas last night with Alan, Cory and Kendel…Sorry no photos or videos although I was sitting front row in this amazing theatre, I soaked it all in and lived the moments…it was truly a magical night!…”
What was really special about this post is that it is not very often we come across fans, myself included who are right there in the moment with the music and choose not to take photographs and videos to share online. The name of the fan was removed to protect their privacy and their friend’s privacy.
The Bahamas Weekly was there and their staff photographer took some wonderful photographs and shared a story via their online site and their Facebook page. The concert was a charity event to support the Grand Bahama Performing Arts Society at the Regency Theatre that provided opportunities and scholarships for performing arts schools and students.
The article states “The concert has been made possible through the generosity of Brendan Paddock and Renee Vedd-Paddock who made the arrangements and donated the costs to bring Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies performance to Grand Bahama for the many beneficiaries of the Society.”
I have shared a copy of this article on my Google + page.
I have enclosed a wonderful photograph of Alan, Cory and Kendel doing a sound check that was circulated on Twitter. No copyright infringement intended.
The Bahamas Weekly@BahamasWeekly Canada's Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies sound check in Grand Bahama Photo:Mackey Media Ltd. 24 March 2016 (No copyright infringement intended).
Alan Doyle and TBG in Georgia…A review (2016).
Recently Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies played a concert at Eddie’s Attic in Georgia. Long term Alan Doyle fan Jaime Lubin was there and wrote a wonderful review about the concert.
It is always special to read Jaime’s reviews about the concerts she attends, and describes so beautifully what the music means to her, what the band sang, the stories they told, the individual brilliance of the band members and what happened on the stage between the band and the audience.
What is so special about this review was to read about Jaime’s visit home to Georgia and seeing the music through her parent’s eyes for the first time. The music of Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies definitely captures people and families across generations from very young children to grandparents.
I am unable to circulate the article on my Google + page so I have kept a copy here.
It is always special to read Jaime’s reviews about the concerts she attends, and describes so beautifully what the music means to her, what the band sang, the stories they told, the individual brilliance of the band members and what happened on the stage between the band and the audience.
What is so special about this review was to read about Jaime’s visit home to Georgia and seeing the music through her parent’s eyes for the first time. The music of Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies definitely captures people and families across generations from very young children to grandparents.
I am unable to circulate the article on my Google + page so I have kept a copy here.
While I am fully aware of copyright I feel that editing of this piece of writing would be so disrespectful to Jaime. No copyright infringement intended.
Take Us Home: Alan Doyle and the Beautiful Gypsies Come to Eddie’s Attic by Jaime Lubin published on the 23 March, 2016 for the Huffington Post.
“You couldn’t help but be moved by the music. From the moment they walked onstage it brought a smile to your face.”
And thus my mother, a newcomer to iconic musician Alan Doyle and his band The Beautiful Gypsies, describes their infectious energy. Last weekend’s concert at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, Georgia, proved to be especially full of firsts: The first sold-out show on the group’s Southern US tour, the first time most of the Gypsies had ever been to Georgia period, probably the first time that a Newfoundland folk song (“Lukey’s Boat) has been played in Decatur, and one particularly awesome first for me - definitely not a newcomer - was getting to share the band’s magic with my parents in the place where I grew up.
Intimate from the word “go,” the evening kicked off with Alan standing solo on a tiny stage to welcome the enthusiastic crowd crammed in among tables, bar, and bleachers. Eddie’s quirky layout doesn’t allow for much personal space (if you want guaranteed seating, you have to reserve a table), but what it lacks in room it makes up for in warmth and a hardworking, congenial staff. Proclaiming it “the coolest little music venue I’ve been to in some time,” Alan sang the acapella tune “Dream of Home,” causing everyone present to tear up at his raw emotion, and then stirred the assembly into raucous laughter by riffing on his mispronunciation of Decatur (“Deh-kat-terre”). Few artists can administer mood whiplash as superbly as Alan Doyle.
If the spell was cast in those opening moments, the next moves ensured its impact would last. Joined onstage by Kendel Carson, Shehab Illyas, Kris Macfarlane, Cory Tetford, and the aptly-named Paul Kinsman, Alan launched into a selection of upbeat songs that got the entire room moving and cheering. Whether from his first solo album Boy on Bridge, his latest entitled So Let’s Go (nominated for a 2016 Juno Award), or old favorites from Great Big Sea (Alan’s “mothership” band for the first twenty years of his career), he and the Gypsies breathed exquisite life into each piece.
I’ve always experienced a kind of spiritualism in the midst of Alan’s performances, but the Eddie’s Attic setlist brought that ethereal beauty into focus like never before. From “Dream of Home,” which my mother called a prayer, to the catchy bluegrass parody “Hit the Ground and Run“, the darkly humorous “Testify” (both co-written by Russell Crowe), and the radiantly energetic “Ordinary Day” to name a few, the show was woven on tales of saints and sinners, infused with divine intervention. In another first, I could fully appreciate the extensive influence of Alan’s degree in English and Religious Studies upon on his music. Nothing preachy or exclusive exists in his work; but listen to those thoughtful lyrics, inviting voice and the Gypsies’ reinvigorating instrumentals, and suddenly you’re cleansed, open, grateful for the world’s blessings. When they played “Where the Nightingales Sing,” Kendel and Cory breathing raptly to recreate a modern waltz, I felt as if they’d given us all a deep, lingering soul kiss.
Speaking of soul, Cory’s rendition of “Georgia on My Mind” was the undisputed standout of the night. Guitar in hand, the born-and-bred Newfoundlander delivered the Southern classic with such otherworldly mastery of R&B you’d swear he was secretly a good ol’ boy (or possibly possessed by the ghost of Ray Charles). The force of his performance absolutely brought the house down, capped off by Alan pretending to look aghast and quipping, “I’ve made a terrible mistake [giving Cory the reins]!” which sent the audience into fits of hilarity.
But memorable moments always abound when you’re dealing with the Beautiful Gypsies. Kendel Carson charmed the throng as usual, shaking her curtain of luxurious Rapunzel hair as she wielded her fiddle like an enchantress with a wand. Between firing off impressive violin solos (“When I’m Up”), incorporating a little fancy footwork (“My Day”), and letting loose a gorgeous singing voice (“Shine On”), it seems there’s nothing this lady can’t do. Shehab Illyas, comically stoic on bass, provided the essential fulcrum at the center of the group’s swirling energy; even caught up in Alan’s celebrations over a pint of Guinness, he kept everyone together with pulsating rhythm, never missing a beat or a chance to pour his heart into glorious sounds. No drummer ever matches Kris Macfarlane’s levels of percussive poetry, but I caught a new glimpse into his abilities when he accompanied Alan on “Laying Down to Perish” via accordion. The haunting melodies he coaxed out perfectly illustrated the tragic elegy about mariners preparing to meet their icy deaths. And Paul Kinsman - who has never toured outside Newfoundland before, another first! - managed astonishing switches between keyboard and piano accordion from number to number, including an heroic solo on the love anthem “Sea of No Cares.” Watching the Gypsies operate separately and in tandem, navigating the small space with constantly changing equipment and dancing in effervescent harmony, it was clear that we were in the presence not just of consummate professionals, but of a loving and multitalented family.
And for those few hours, it seemed that all inside Eddie’s Attic truly were family, or at least a connected congregation. Throughout the night as the Gypsies shared stories from their travels - including how Alan and Cory met decades ago on a barroom floor while the latter played guitar lying on his back - the crowd was drawn into every bit of banter. A man named Chuck, seated at the table nearest the stage, became part of the show when Alan repeatedly handed him drink after drink, even receiving his own round of applause.
Awed by Alan, my mother whispered, “He genuinely wants everyone here to have a good time.”
It’s true. That commitment to spreading happiness isn’t unique to the Eddie’s Attic gig; it’s intrinsic to Alan and the Gypsies wherever they go, a quality so legendary that fans trek from all areas of the globe to bask in it. (Several at the Decatur show had traveled over 1000 miles from Canada or the Northeastern US just for the single night of music.) You can see it in the Gypsies’ chemistry onstage, in Alan’s exhortations for audiences to clap and sing along, and in the way they play encore after encore, even when an eight-hour bus ride lurks immediately ahead. This will always be their gift.
But what was unique to Eddie’s Attic, at least to me, was the glow from my parents’ faces that night, and the calm that pervaded the room despite the constant action. Following the Gypsies’ incantations, I realized why it means so much for Alan and his frequent collaborators like Scott Grimes to play their hometowns. In a few happy instants your child and adult selves merge; you can introduce joyful new melodies to those who shaped you, and everybody grows closer than they ever thought possible. This is why I’m so grateful that I could share the evening with my parents. That night in Decatur, thanks to Alan and the Beautiful Gypsies, I could truly say I was home.
And if you’re still wondering whether newcomers to this merry band really feel so euphoric the first time out, I give you my mother’s final words on the subject: “I didn’t have to know Alan’s songs; I knew his heart. And that made all the difference.”
Take Us Home: Alan Doyle and the Beautiful Gypsies Come to Eddie’s Attic by Jaime Lubin published on the 23 March, 2016 for the Huffington Post.
“You couldn’t help but be moved by the music. From the moment they walked onstage it brought a smile to your face.”
And thus my mother, a newcomer to iconic musician Alan Doyle and his band The Beautiful Gypsies, describes their infectious energy. Last weekend’s concert at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, Georgia, proved to be especially full of firsts: The first sold-out show on the group’s Southern US tour, the first time most of the Gypsies had ever been to Georgia period, probably the first time that a Newfoundland folk song (“Lukey’s Boat) has been played in Decatur, and one particularly awesome first for me - definitely not a newcomer - was getting to share the band’s magic with my parents in the place where I grew up.
Intimate from the word “go,” the evening kicked off with Alan standing solo on a tiny stage to welcome the enthusiastic crowd crammed in among tables, bar, and bleachers. Eddie’s quirky layout doesn’t allow for much personal space (if you want guaranteed seating, you have to reserve a table), but what it lacks in room it makes up for in warmth and a hardworking, congenial staff. Proclaiming it “the coolest little music venue I’ve been to in some time,” Alan sang the acapella tune “Dream of Home,” causing everyone present to tear up at his raw emotion, and then stirred the assembly into raucous laughter by riffing on his mispronunciation of Decatur (“Deh-kat-terre”). Few artists can administer mood whiplash as superbly as Alan Doyle.
If the spell was cast in those opening moments, the next moves ensured its impact would last. Joined onstage by Kendel Carson, Shehab Illyas, Kris Macfarlane, Cory Tetford, and the aptly-named Paul Kinsman, Alan launched into a selection of upbeat songs that got the entire room moving and cheering. Whether from his first solo album Boy on Bridge, his latest entitled So Let’s Go (nominated for a 2016 Juno Award), or old favorites from Great Big Sea (Alan’s “mothership” band for the first twenty years of his career), he and the Gypsies breathed exquisite life into each piece.
I’ve always experienced a kind of spiritualism in the midst of Alan’s performances, but the Eddie’s Attic setlist brought that ethereal beauty into focus like never before. From “Dream of Home,” which my mother called a prayer, to the catchy bluegrass parody “Hit the Ground and Run“, the darkly humorous “Testify” (both co-written by Russell Crowe), and the radiantly energetic “Ordinary Day” to name a few, the show was woven on tales of saints and sinners, infused with divine intervention. In another first, I could fully appreciate the extensive influence of Alan’s degree in English and Religious Studies upon on his music. Nothing preachy or exclusive exists in his work; but listen to those thoughtful lyrics, inviting voice and the Gypsies’ reinvigorating instrumentals, and suddenly you’re cleansed, open, grateful for the world’s blessings. When they played “Where the Nightingales Sing,” Kendel and Cory breathing raptly to recreate a modern waltz, I felt as if they’d given us all a deep, lingering soul kiss.
Speaking of soul, Cory’s rendition of “Georgia on My Mind” was the undisputed standout of the night. Guitar in hand, the born-and-bred Newfoundlander delivered the Southern classic with such otherworldly mastery of R&B you’d swear he was secretly a good ol’ boy (or possibly possessed by the ghost of Ray Charles). The force of his performance absolutely brought the house down, capped off by Alan pretending to look aghast and quipping, “I’ve made a terrible mistake [giving Cory the reins]!” which sent the audience into fits of hilarity.
But memorable moments always abound when you’re dealing with the Beautiful Gypsies. Kendel Carson charmed the throng as usual, shaking her curtain of luxurious Rapunzel hair as she wielded her fiddle like an enchantress with a wand. Between firing off impressive violin solos (“When I’m Up”), incorporating a little fancy footwork (“My Day”), and letting loose a gorgeous singing voice (“Shine On”), it seems there’s nothing this lady can’t do. Shehab Illyas, comically stoic on bass, provided the essential fulcrum at the center of the group’s swirling energy; even caught up in Alan’s celebrations over a pint of Guinness, he kept everyone together with pulsating rhythm, never missing a beat or a chance to pour his heart into glorious sounds. No drummer ever matches Kris Macfarlane’s levels of percussive poetry, but I caught a new glimpse into his abilities when he accompanied Alan on “Laying Down to Perish” via accordion. The haunting melodies he coaxed out perfectly illustrated the tragic elegy about mariners preparing to meet their icy deaths. And Paul Kinsman - who has never toured outside Newfoundland before, another first! - managed astonishing switches between keyboard and piano accordion from number to number, including an heroic solo on the love anthem “Sea of No Cares.” Watching the Gypsies operate separately and in tandem, navigating the small space with constantly changing equipment and dancing in effervescent harmony, it was clear that we were in the presence not just of consummate professionals, but of a loving and multitalented family.
And for those few hours, it seemed that all inside Eddie’s Attic truly were family, or at least a connected congregation. Throughout the night as the Gypsies shared stories from their travels - including how Alan and Cory met decades ago on a barroom floor while the latter played guitar lying on his back - the crowd was drawn into every bit of banter. A man named Chuck, seated at the table nearest the stage, became part of the show when Alan repeatedly handed him drink after drink, even receiving his own round of applause.
Awed by Alan, my mother whispered, “He genuinely wants everyone here to have a good time.”
It’s true. That commitment to spreading happiness isn’t unique to the Eddie’s Attic gig; it’s intrinsic to Alan and the Gypsies wherever they go, a quality so legendary that fans trek from all areas of the globe to bask in it. (Several at the Decatur show had traveled over 1000 miles from Canada or the Northeastern US just for the single night of music.) You can see it in the Gypsies’ chemistry onstage, in Alan’s exhortations for audiences to clap and sing along, and in the way they play encore after encore, even when an eight-hour bus ride lurks immediately ahead. This will always be their gift.
But what was unique to Eddie’s Attic, at least to me, was the glow from my parents’ faces that night, and the calm that pervaded the room despite the constant action. Following the Gypsies’ incantations, I realized why it means so much for Alan and his frequent collaborators like Scott Grimes to play their hometowns. In a few happy instants your child and adult selves merge; you can introduce joyful new melodies to those who shaped you, and everybody grows closer than they ever thought possible. This is why I’m so grateful that I could share the evening with my parents. That night in Decatur, thanks to Alan and the Beautiful Gypsies, I could truly say I was home.
And if you’re still wondering whether newcomers to this merry band really feel so euphoric the first time out, I give you my mother’s final words on the subject: “I didn’t have to know Alan’s songs; I knew his heart. And that made all the difference.”
Wednesday 23 March 2016
Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies... Photographs from the road in America (2016).
Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies have nearly finished their second leg of their American Tour for this year.
As Alan and the band members travel though the southern states of American they have shared some wonderful images through their official social media accounts of the places they have been, the venues have played and the fun they have had.
I always like to keep a few of my favourites in a blog post. My favourite is the picture by Paul Kinsman of Alan Doyle writing his second book in a shopping centre food hall in Alabama and of course a gorgeous selfie from the bunk on the tour bus.
These pictures are from the official Twitter accounts of Alan Doyle and Paul Kinsman and the official Instagram account of Alanthomasdoyle.
I have been exploring my phone and finally found out how to use the screen saving function as a way of recording and sharing stories from social media. This in my opinion gives greater ownership of the content to the creators. As always no copyright infringement intended.
As Alan and the band members travel though the southern states of American they have shared some wonderful images through their official social media accounts of the places they have been, the venues have played and the fun they have had.
I always like to keep a few of my favourites in a blog post. My favourite is the picture by Paul Kinsman of Alan Doyle writing his second book in a shopping centre food hall in Alabama and of course a gorgeous selfie from the bunk on the tour bus.
These pictures are from the official Twitter accounts of Alan Doyle and Paul Kinsman and the official Instagram account of Alanthomasdoyle.
I have been exploring my phone and finally found out how to use the screen saving function as a way of recording and sharing stories from social media. This in my opinion gives greater ownership of the content to the creators. As always no copyright infringement intended.
Bob Hallett on American and Canadian Audiences...
Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies are playing the last concerts of their second leg of their American tour this year through some of the southern states.
So what are some of the differences between American and Canadian audiences? As I have only been to Canada and not America it would be unfair of me to even attempt to answer this question.
This question was pondered by Bob Hallett six years ago as Great Big Sea toured America. It was the topic of his first post on the Bob’s Journey in 2010 that explains the differences from his point of view about Canadian and American audiences.
The post is copied here for Bob to speak in his own words. As always no copyright infringement intended.
On RE-FIGHTING THE WAR OF 1812
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
After guff about kitchen parties, one of the most common questions interviewers pose to us is about Canada vs. the USA. Somewhat surprisingly it is a question we only get asked in Canada – are audiences in the USA different?
The fact that we only get asked this question in Canada tells you almost everything you need to know about the difference. At the risk of making a sweeping generalization, English Canadians tend to have a fierce inferiority complex when it comes to the US. In Toronto and other centers close to the border, it is a conversation that never ends.
All this has been in my mind lately, during a tour that has crossed and re-crossed the border countless times over the past year. We used to make a huge distinction about playing in the USA and Canada, but as time goes by, and audiences south of the border have grown, it made less and less sense to draw a line between US and Canadian legs of a tour.
To answer the uber question, however, there are differences, sometimes big ones. They are just not the ones the interviewers are expecting. Some differences are obvious, some not so much, some so subtle you really have to think hard. For example, in the paragraph above I used the phrase ‘south of the border’ to describe America; this is a common Canadian expression, understood by everyone. There is no real equivalent in the American lexicon. In the unlikely event that someone needs to discuss Canada, they just say ‘Canada’. Our country registers so little on American culture that it has never even been necessary to invent some linguistic nickname. I titled this piece ‘Re-fighting the War of 1812’. In America that was a minor conflict, pretty much forgotten by the history books. To Canadians it was a defining moment, the subject of libraries and monuments nationwide.
This is where the real differences lie – while both countries share similar language, economic systems and racial make-up, cultural history makes people think along very different lines. Canadian history is all about the easy transformation from colony to country, a state built on compromise. This has lead to a very relaxed attitude about social practices and cultural expressions. There is just no equivalent to the American culture wars. To offer an example, Newfoundland is a religious and conservative place by Canadian standards, at least on the face of things. At the same time it is socially liberal in a way that would be unthinkable in most of modern America. A few years ago a law was passed making gay marriage legal in Newfoundland. The attitude of the government was that ‘really, who cares anyway’. All parties supported the motion, and it caused barely a ripple in the public eye. In America this is a serious public issue, with political lives and millions of dollars devoted to fighting this battle. In Newfoundland it was a massive collective yawn.
On the other hand Newfoundlanders, and many Canadians look on America’s energy and pride with stark envy. Canadians are cautious and self-effacing, qualities useful in your banker, not so much in the arts and business worlds. A messianic figure like Obama would never arise in Canada – not because of racism, but because characters that dynamic just do not enter politics in English Canada.
A few recent events put this all in my mind. Walking around Windsor, Ontario, gives you a tangible physical divide to compare to the mental one. You can taste and touch America from Windsor, as Detroit looms right across the water. And the cities could not be more different. Windsor is a pretty typical small Canadian city, very multi-cultural, clean and prosperous, with a bustling downtown and a fairly diverse economy. Detroit feels a little like a war zone these days, buffeted by economic forces beyond its control, a city turning into something very different altogether. It can be a scary place, but also one where you feel something fascinating and amazing might emerge. It is a city that spawned both Motown and Eminem. I cannot see such figures coming from our side of the river. Windsor feels a hell of a lot safer; and believe me, this is a good thing. But it also, like Canada in general, it may lack the edge from which great ideas spring forth.
A better illustration of this whole difference thing might be found in our shows themselves. When introducing ‘Hemethead’, Alan sometimes does a funny bit about the Vancouver Olympics, when the Canadian hockey teams defeated their American counterparts for the gold medals. The subtext of this joke works entirely differently depending on what side of the border we are on. In Canada, this was a major national triumph, the Superbowl and World Cup all rolled into one, the sports story of the decade. In America, where hockey is a minor sport with zero cultural resonance, no one even noticed. The joke is secondary in Canada, where doing the bit reminds our audience of that great outpouring of pride and patriotism, and everyone collectively basks in the glow for a few minutes. In America, people laugh more at the gag itself, while seemingly a little bemused that we are attaching so much weight to an event that barely made it onto their radar.
Introducing ‘Yankee Sailor’ every night has also revealed a few truths. Myself and Alan and Joel and Paul talked and thought a lot about this song while we were writing it. We were trying to tell a simple story, one man’s heartbreak and redemption, and through that make a statement about the bittersweet history of Newfoundland. It can feel like a very different song, depending on where we play it. Our American audiences feel bad for the guy, but also appreciate the song on another level – they also see the celebration of America that is the songs subtext. They see the girl’s embrace of the American dream as logical and admirable, even if a little painful for those left behind. Canadians seem to take the opposite tack. They feel really bad for the guy, and are irritated at the girl who left him to go to America. While it was not our intention, the song actually feeds on Canadians fear of the other, their insecurity about living next to (and largely ignored by) the most powerful country in the world. (It is also quite possible that I am imaging all this; you have a lot of time to think when you are just standing there with a low whistle, waiting for a chorus).
Now that I think about it, this whole essay really makes no sense in American terms. To be Canadian is to worry about this sort of thing – we are a nation of navel gazers and second guessers. Americans just forge ahead, confident in theirs and their country’s future. And as someone who works in both countries, I am fine with that. It’s what makes it fun.
So what are some of the differences between American and Canadian audiences? As I have only been to Canada and not America it would be unfair of me to even attempt to answer this question.
This question was pondered by Bob Hallett six years ago as Great Big Sea toured America. It was the topic of his first post on the Bob’s Journey in 2010 that explains the differences from his point of view about Canadian and American audiences.
The post is copied here for Bob to speak in his own words. As always no copyright infringement intended.
On RE-FIGHTING THE WAR OF 1812
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
After guff about kitchen parties, one of the most common questions interviewers pose to us is about Canada vs. the USA. Somewhat surprisingly it is a question we only get asked in Canada – are audiences in the USA different?
The fact that we only get asked this question in Canada tells you almost everything you need to know about the difference. At the risk of making a sweeping generalization, English Canadians tend to have a fierce inferiority complex when it comes to the US. In Toronto and other centers close to the border, it is a conversation that never ends.
All this has been in my mind lately, during a tour that has crossed and re-crossed the border countless times over the past year. We used to make a huge distinction about playing in the USA and Canada, but as time goes by, and audiences south of the border have grown, it made less and less sense to draw a line between US and Canadian legs of a tour.
To answer the uber question, however, there are differences, sometimes big ones. They are just not the ones the interviewers are expecting. Some differences are obvious, some not so much, some so subtle you really have to think hard. For example, in the paragraph above I used the phrase ‘south of the border’ to describe America; this is a common Canadian expression, understood by everyone. There is no real equivalent in the American lexicon. In the unlikely event that someone needs to discuss Canada, they just say ‘Canada’. Our country registers so little on American culture that it has never even been necessary to invent some linguistic nickname. I titled this piece ‘Re-fighting the War of 1812’. In America that was a minor conflict, pretty much forgotten by the history books. To Canadians it was a defining moment, the subject of libraries and monuments nationwide.
This is where the real differences lie – while both countries share similar language, economic systems and racial make-up, cultural history makes people think along very different lines. Canadian history is all about the easy transformation from colony to country, a state built on compromise. This has lead to a very relaxed attitude about social practices and cultural expressions. There is just no equivalent to the American culture wars. To offer an example, Newfoundland is a religious and conservative place by Canadian standards, at least on the face of things. At the same time it is socially liberal in a way that would be unthinkable in most of modern America. A few years ago a law was passed making gay marriage legal in Newfoundland. The attitude of the government was that ‘really, who cares anyway’. All parties supported the motion, and it caused barely a ripple in the public eye. In America this is a serious public issue, with political lives and millions of dollars devoted to fighting this battle. In Newfoundland it was a massive collective yawn.
On the other hand Newfoundlanders, and many Canadians look on America’s energy and pride with stark envy. Canadians are cautious and self-effacing, qualities useful in your banker, not so much in the arts and business worlds. A messianic figure like Obama would never arise in Canada – not because of racism, but because characters that dynamic just do not enter politics in English Canada.
A few recent events put this all in my mind. Walking around Windsor, Ontario, gives you a tangible physical divide to compare to the mental one. You can taste and touch America from Windsor, as Detroit looms right across the water. And the cities could not be more different. Windsor is a pretty typical small Canadian city, very multi-cultural, clean and prosperous, with a bustling downtown and a fairly diverse economy. Detroit feels a little like a war zone these days, buffeted by economic forces beyond its control, a city turning into something very different altogether. It can be a scary place, but also one where you feel something fascinating and amazing might emerge. It is a city that spawned both Motown and Eminem. I cannot see such figures coming from our side of the river. Windsor feels a hell of a lot safer; and believe me, this is a good thing. But it also, like Canada in general, it may lack the edge from which great ideas spring forth.
A better illustration of this whole difference thing might be found in our shows themselves. When introducing ‘Hemethead’, Alan sometimes does a funny bit about the Vancouver Olympics, when the Canadian hockey teams defeated their American counterparts for the gold medals. The subtext of this joke works entirely differently depending on what side of the border we are on. In Canada, this was a major national triumph, the Superbowl and World Cup all rolled into one, the sports story of the decade. In America, where hockey is a minor sport with zero cultural resonance, no one even noticed. The joke is secondary in Canada, where doing the bit reminds our audience of that great outpouring of pride and patriotism, and everyone collectively basks in the glow for a few minutes. In America, people laugh more at the gag itself, while seemingly a little bemused that we are attaching so much weight to an event that barely made it onto their radar.
Introducing ‘Yankee Sailor’ every night has also revealed a few truths. Myself and Alan and Joel and Paul talked and thought a lot about this song while we were writing it. We were trying to tell a simple story, one man’s heartbreak and redemption, and through that make a statement about the bittersweet history of Newfoundland. It can feel like a very different song, depending on where we play it. Our American audiences feel bad for the guy, but also appreciate the song on another level – they also see the celebration of America that is the songs subtext. They see the girl’s embrace of the American dream as logical and admirable, even if a little painful for those left behind. Canadians seem to take the opposite tack. They feel really bad for the guy, and are irritated at the girl who left him to go to America. While it was not our intention, the song actually feeds on Canadians fear of the other, their insecurity about living next to (and largely ignored by) the most powerful country in the world. (It is also quite possible that I am imaging all this; you have a lot of time to think when you are just standing there with a low whistle, waiting for a chorus).
Now that I think about it, this whole essay really makes no sense in American terms. To be Canadian is to worry about this sort of thing – we are a nation of navel gazers and second guessers. Americans just forge ahead, confident in theirs and their country’s future. And as someone who works in both countries, I am fine with that. It’s what makes it fun.
Friday 18 March 2016
Great Big Sea, Ordinary Day, St. Patrick’s Day and Billboard.
Today the Irish, their descendants and their friends celebrate St. Patrick’s day wherever they may be in the world. Happy St. Patrick’s Day to Great Big Sea, their family, friends and fans.
According to Wikipedia “Patrick was a 5 th century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop of Ireland…The 17 March is the day where the foremost patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick (AD 385-461) died… The day commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland and celebrates the heritage and culture of the Irish in general…
People celebrate St. Patrick’s day in many ways by organising parades and festivals, dances and banquets, the wearing of green clothing, and through ‘ceilithe’ or the Irish traditional music sessions. Eating and drinking restrictions have been lifted and have been an integral part of celebrations.”
Today the online Billboard site published an article “These Are the 25 Most Popular St. Patrick’s Day Songs on YouTube: Exclusive” by Joe Lynch. The article describes the 25 most popular songs that appear most frequently on St. Patrick’s Day play lists worldwide. The list includes songs from U2, Dropkick Murphys, The Cranberries, The Dubliners, The Progues, Celtic Woman, Van Morrison and Great Big Sea. The article has links to all the videos including Ordinary Day.
The article writes about the inclusion of Great Big Sea “Similarly, while Great Big Sea are Canadian, their folk sound draws on hundreds of year of Irish heritage in Newfoundland and Labrador, thus their inclusion”.
I can not circulate the article on my Google + page for those interested. I circulated a copy of Great Big Sea’s Ordinary Day.
I hope you enjoyed this collection of videos as much as I did.
Great Big Sea helping out some students in distance learning in 2011. From CBC Canada. No copyright infringement intended.
According to Wikipedia “Patrick was a 5 th century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop of Ireland…The 17 March is the day where the foremost patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick (AD 385-461) died… The day commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland and celebrates the heritage and culture of the Irish in general…
People celebrate St. Patrick’s day in many ways by organising parades and festivals, dances and banquets, the wearing of green clothing, and through ‘ceilithe’ or the Irish traditional music sessions. Eating and drinking restrictions have been lifted and have been an integral part of celebrations.”
Today the online Billboard site published an article “These Are the 25 Most Popular St. Patrick’s Day Songs on YouTube: Exclusive” by Joe Lynch. The article describes the 25 most popular songs that appear most frequently on St. Patrick’s Day play lists worldwide. The list includes songs from U2, Dropkick Murphys, The Cranberries, The Dubliners, The Progues, Celtic Woman, Van Morrison and Great Big Sea. The article has links to all the videos including Ordinary Day.
The article writes about the inclusion of Great Big Sea “Similarly, while Great Big Sea are Canadian, their folk sound draws on hundreds of year of Irish heritage in Newfoundland and Labrador, thus their inclusion”.
I can not circulate the article on my Google + page for those interested. I circulated a copy of Great Big Sea’s Ordinary Day.
I hope you enjoyed this collection of videos as much as I did.
Great Big Sea helping out some students in distance learning in 2011. From CBC Canada. No copyright infringement intended.
Paying for Meet and Greets… A reflection….
Recently I was reading the newspaper when I came across a story about recent meet and greets being offered by Justin Bieber in Seattle, Washington where he struggled to raise a smile for those fans who shelled out $2000 to meet him before the concerts on his Purpose tour.
Fans posted their pictures on social media and where he looked disinterested and bored. Many fans expressed how disappointed they were with whole experience, while others defended him.
This is Justin Bieber’s first concert in the over three years and he offered two packages. The packages gave fans the chance to take a selfie with him or a group selfie plus a range of other options.
To be fair to Justin Bieber there are a lot of really nice fan photos taken at these kinds of events. I certainly understand that being his first concert tour in three years he may be a little apprehensive and despondent to fans.
But that is the chance these fans take when they pay big money for meet and greets. Their favourite musicians and artists may be having a bad day. They are after all human. From their perspective it must be awfully annoying and frustrating when fans continually want to meet, talk to, touch, hug and kiss them for these fan pictures and want stuff.
I understand why fans would want these kind of packages as they provide a once in a life time opportunity to meet one of their favourite musicians and artists in a safe environment and in particular one that doesn’t annoy them at private times, in their down time when they don’t want to deal with fans. But there will always fans who disrespect that private time.
Approximately two years ago I wrote a post about meet and greets. “Paying for a meet and greet” posted on 17 February, 2012 about my experiences with meet and greets. Once upon a time meet and greets were free and a great way to promote the product an artist or musician was selling and created a lot of good will amongst their fans. As a fan I still wouldn’t pay for a meet and greet no matter how much I liked them.
I found a really great opinion piece “Why You Shouldn’t Pay For Meet and Greets" by Taryn McElheran published on 22 January, 2015 at Confront.com while researching this post. I agree with everything this writer says about paying for meet and greets, although I wouldn’t pay to meet Taylor Swift even if she did bake cookies.
The article has been edited for copyright reasons and I can not circulate it on my Google + page for those interested.
“I’ll admit, I struggled to open this topic up without making myself sound close-minded about the idea of meet and greets. While I do believe that it’s a fantastic opportunity for fans to be able to get up-close and personal with their favourite musicians/celebrities, I honestly believe that all it is, is a money grab.
When I was younger and going to smaller clubs and venues to see my favourite musicians perform, it was almost expected of them to stick around and hang out with their fans. It was the ultimate form of appreciation for spending the money to see them perform – even if it were only for a measly $10. It was probably a small band mentality that had them being more aware of what their presence would do to their fan base, which in turn would build a more solid base for their ultimate success in the future.
I’ve followed more than a few bands over the years and some of them have stuck with the same mentality that it’s all about the fans. It’s a great way for them to keep building a more solid fan base while continuing to grow in the music business. However, the same bands have also added meet and greet packages to their ticket roster but the meet and greet package itself isn’t what bothers me, it’s the price they charge for it. It’s one thing if you’re spending a decent amount to have an ultimate one-on-one fan experience that will be one for the record books, but it’s another if you’re paying a large amount of money to stand in line with hundreds of other fans for an experience that lasts less than five minutes. Sure, that includes a decent seat in the venue and a boatload of merchandise, but isn’t it the experience we as fans want to remember?
I can’t speak for others, but if I’ve been there supporting the band/musician since the beginning, I find it a little insulting that I would have to pay anywhere from an extra hundred, up towards the thousands to have a three minute conversation with my favourite artist. A conversation that used to be included with just the cost of a ticket. The experiences after the show went from mingling in the venue, to waiting for them by the tour bus, to now having to pay hundreds of dollars to just say hello and maybe grab a picture in between, if we’re lucky. Don’t get me wrong, I’m well aware that everybody needs to make a living and it is just another form of getting paid, but to me it strips the experience of memories because the cost is borderline outrageous. In fact, most prices I see now are at least $200 more than the cost of a regular ticket to see them perform….
In retrospect, I find that when bands and musicians start having paid meet and greets when on tour, it means they’ve made it to the big leagues – so I also get why they do it. They’re no longer capable of handling the mass of fans that want to get up close and personal with their idols and it becomes more of a control issue. When you’re only one person or a group of five people trying to take on thousands of fans, it can become overwhelming and dangerous. A meet and greet allows a fan of any age to have a guaranteed up-close experience with someone they’ve idolized in a safe and controlled environment, which is ideal for both the fans and the artists.
So while I don’t really understand the necessity to pay a large portion of money to meet someone for only a brief moment, kudos to those who can and do – it proves you’re willing to go the extra mile to show support for your favourite musicians. And for those who love small town bands who are just making it, be sure you cherish each and every moment you get to spend with them because you never know when they’ll get discovered by the big guys. The intimate talks you once had with your favourite members could soon be a distant memory.”
Fans posted their pictures on social media and where he looked disinterested and bored. Many fans expressed how disappointed they were with whole experience, while others defended him.
This is Justin Bieber’s first concert in the over three years and he offered two packages. The packages gave fans the chance to take a selfie with him or a group selfie plus a range of other options.
To be fair to Justin Bieber there are a lot of really nice fan photos taken at these kinds of events. I certainly understand that being his first concert tour in three years he may be a little apprehensive and despondent to fans.
But that is the chance these fans take when they pay big money for meet and greets. Their favourite musicians and artists may be having a bad day. They are after all human. From their perspective it must be awfully annoying and frustrating when fans continually want to meet, talk to, touch, hug and kiss them for these fan pictures and want stuff.
I understand why fans would want these kind of packages as they provide a once in a life time opportunity to meet one of their favourite musicians and artists in a safe environment and in particular one that doesn’t annoy them at private times, in their down time when they don’t want to deal with fans. But there will always fans who disrespect that private time.
Approximately two years ago I wrote a post about meet and greets. “Paying for a meet and greet” posted on 17 February, 2012 about my experiences with meet and greets. Once upon a time meet and greets were free and a great way to promote the product an artist or musician was selling and created a lot of good will amongst their fans. As a fan I still wouldn’t pay for a meet and greet no matter how much I liked them.
I found a really great opinion piece “Why You Shouldn’t Pay For Meet and Greets" by Taryn McElheran published on 22 January, 2015 at Confront.com while researching this post. I agree with everything this writer says about paying for meet and greets, although I wouldn’t pay to meet Taylor Swift even if she did bake cookies.
The article has been edited for copyright reasons and I can not circulate it on my Google + page for those interested.
“I’ll admit, I struggled to open this topic up without making myself sound close-minded about the idea of meet and greets. While I do believe that it’s a fantastic opportunity for fans to be able to get up-close and personal with their favourite musicians/celebrities, I honestly believe that all it is, is a money grab.
When I was younger and going to smaller clubs and venues to see my favourite musicians perform, it was almost expected of them to stick around and hang out with their fans. It was the ultimate form of appreciation for spending the money to see them perform – even if it were only for a measly $10. It was probably a small band mentality that had them being more aware of what their presence would do to their fan base, which in turn would build a more solid base for their ultimate success in the future.
I’ve followed more than a few bands over the years and some of them have stuck with the same mentality that it’s all about the fans. It’s a great way for them to keep building a more solid fan base while continuing to grow in the music business. However, the same bands have also added meet and greet packages to their ticket roster but the meet and greet package itself isn’t what bothers me, it’s the price they charge for it. It’s one thing if you’re spending a decent amount to have an ultimate one-on-one fan experience that will be one for the record books, but it’s another if you’re paying a large amount of money to stand in line with hundreds of other fans for an experience that lasts less than five minutes. Sure, that includes a decent seat in the venue and a boatload of merchandise, but isn’t it the experience we as fans want to remember?
I can’t speak for others, but if I’ve been there supporting the band/musician since the beginning, I find it a little insulting that I would have to pay anywhere from an extra hundred, up towards the thousands to have a three minute conversation with my favourite artist. A conversation that used to be included with just the cost of a ticket. The experiences after the show went from mingling in the venue, to waiting for them by the tour bus, to now having to pay hundreds of dollars to just say hello and maybe grab a picture in between, if we’re lucky. Don’t get me wrong, I’m well aware that everybody needs to make a living and it is just another form of getting paid, but to me it strips the experience of memories because the cost is borderline outrageous. In fact, most prices I see now are at least $200 more than the cost of a regular ticket to see them perform….
In retrospect, I find that when bands and musicians start having paid meet and greets when on tour, it means they’ve made it to the big leagues – so I also get why they do it. They’re no longer capable of handling the mass of fans that want to get up close and personal with their idols and it becomes more of a control issue. When you’re only one person or a group of five people trying to take on thousands of fans, it can become overwhelming and dangerous. A meet and greet allows a fan of any age to have a guaranteed up-close experience with someone they’ve idolized in a safe and controlled environment, which is ideal for both the fans and the artists.
So while I don’t really understand the necessity to pay a large portion of money to meet someone for only a brief moment, kudos to those who can and do – it proves you’re willing to go the extra mile to show support for your favourite musicians. And for those who love small town bands who are just making it, be sure you cherish each and every moment you get to spend with them because you never know when they’ll get discovered by the big guys. The intimate talks you once had with your favourite members could soon be a distant memory.”
Saturday 12 March 2016
When the Sun Shines on a Hairy Newfoundlander…Alan Doyle.
This post title ‘When the Sun Shines on a Hairy Newfoundlander’ comes from a quote from Alan Doyle’s official Instagram account in February earlier this year. The quote comes with a selfie taken while he was out and about on a beautiful day at home in St. John’s.
When the sun shines and the resulting light in Newfoundland during the Winter (and although often freezing cold) it is definitely one of the most beautiful experiences ever. I was lucky enough to experience the sun shining and this amazing light during Winter when I was there last year.
While nearly all of Alan’s selfies are fabulous and I love the stories they tell, this one is probably the best one I have ever seen and my absolute favourite. While I am sure Alan is referring to the beautiful day in St. John’s, he is also referring to all the success in his life both personal and professional.
alanthomasdoyle When the Sun Shines on a Hairy Newfoundlander.(date unknown) From the official Instagram account of @alanthomasdoyle. (no copyright infringement intended)
Yesterday Alan announced on Twitter that Spring has sprung and he was going to shave his beard. (Much to the disappointment of many of the fans) It was a sad day indeed for those fans who are fans of Alan Doyle and the beard. But I guess touring south to a warmer climate it was time for a change.
Sonic Entertainment Group, Alan’s management group said on their Twitter feed…
Sonic Ent. Group@SonicEnt Group @alanthomasdoyle the king of the selfie –live tweets his farewell to his winter beard. March 10. 2016 #adventureswithalan
Yes, I have to agree with Sonic Entertainmant Alan is king of the selfies…
I was always excited when Alan began growing his Wolf beard (as it was affectionately known) for his appearance on Republic of Doyle. I just loved following the story of their appearance and watching the episodes Alan, Scott and Allan were involved in.
(A scene from Republic of Doyle with Alan Doyle and Scott Grimes (When The Whistle Blows Episode 6 Season 7). (From cbc.ca and no copyright infringement intended)
Alan has been posting selfies on his official Instagram account showing the Beard's progress.
I have decided to keep a copy of a couple of them here as I really love them. I have not included all of the selfies of the Winter Beard due to copyright.
From the Alanthomasdoyle official Instagram account. As always no copyright infringement intended.
Alanthomasdoyle Nashville Bound Newfoundland Fella with Nashville Filter. (date unknown)(No copyright infringement intended)
Alanthomasdoyle Week 3 Winter Beard. (date unknown)(No copyright infringement intended)
Alanthomasdoyle This lucky fella is on a plane bound for Newfoundland. Merry Christmas all. (date unknown)(No copyright infringement intended)
Alanthomasdoyle About a week into the Winter Beard. (date unknown)(No copyright infringement intended)
When the sun shines and the resulting light in Newfoundland during the Winter (and although often freezing cold) it is definitely one of the most beautiful experiences ever. I was lucky enough to experience the sun shining and this amazing light during Winter when I was there last year.
While nearly all of Alan’s selfies are fabulous and I love the stories they tell, this one is probably the best one I have ever seen and my absolute favourite. While I am sure Alan is referring to the beautiful day in St. John’s, he is also referring to all the success in his life both personal and professional.
alanthomasdoyle When the Sun Shines on a Hairy Newfoundlander.(date unknown) From the official Instagram account of @alanthomasdoyle. (no copyright infringement intended)
Yesterday Alan announced on Twitter that Spring has sprung and he was going to shave his beard. (Much to the disappointment of many of the fans) It was a sad day indeed for those fans who are fans of Alan Doyle and the beard. But I guess touring south to a warmer climate it was time for a change.
Sonic Entertainment Group, Alan’s management group said on their Twitter feed…
Sonic Ent. Group@SonicEnt Group @alanthomasdoyle the king of the selfie –live tweets his farewell to his winter beard. March 10. 2016 #adventureswithalan
Yes, I have to agree with Sonic Entertainmant Alan is king of the selfies…
I have written another post paying tribute to his Winter Beard that was published on January 6, 2016. The post contains some selfies taken by Alan at home and on the road of the early stages of him growing the beard. It is copied below.
This current post continues on with that theme. I have kept a copy of some of them here because I love stories like this and the stories the selfies tell. They seem to get lost on social media due to the amount of material produced. The fans love them too.
From the official Twitter account of Alan Doyle. As always no copyright infringement intended.
Alan Doyle @alanthomasdoyle Clean as a whistle. Bring on the Spring. March 10, 2016.
Alan Doyle @alanthomasdoyle Ah…sure about this? March 10, 2016
Alan Doyle @alanthomasdoyle I have decided Spring has Sprung. Farewell Winter Beard. March 10, 2016.
@alanthomasdoyle Thanks Nashville. Now bound for LA. (Beard week 4 btw) Date unknown. From the official instagram account of @alanthomasdoyle. (No copyright infringement intended)
Winter Beard Tribute January 6, 2016.
From the official Twitter account of Alan Doyle. As always no copyright infringement intended.
Alan Doyle @alanthomasdoyle Clean as a whistle. Bring on the Spring. March 10, 2016.
Alan Doyle @alanthomasdoyle Ah…sure about this? March 10, 2016
Alan Doyle @alanthomasdoyle I have decided Spring has Sprung. Farewell Winter Beard. March 10, 2016.
@alanthomasdoyle Thanks Nashville. Now bound for LA. (Beard week 4 btw) Date unknown. From the official instagram account of @alanthomasdoyle. (No copyright infringement intended)
Winter Beard Tribute January 6, 2016.
Alan Doyle, much to many fan's delight, has decided to grow his beard again this Winter.
I was always excited when Alan began growing his Wolf beard (as it was affectionately known) for his appearance on Republic of Doyle. I just loved following the story of their appearance and watching the episodes Alan, Scott and Allan were involved in.
(A scene from Republic of Doyle with Alan Doyle and Scott Grimes (When The Whistle Blows Episode 6 Season 7). (From cbc.ca and no copyright infringement intended)
Alan has been posting selfies on his official Instagram account showing the Beard's progress.
I have decided to keep a copy of a couple of them here as I really love them. I have not included all of the selfies of the Winter Beard due to copyright.
From the Alanthomasdoyle official Instagram account. As always no copyright infringement intended.
Alanthomasdoyle Nashville Bound Newfoundland Fella with Nashville Filter. (date unknown)(No copyright infringement intended)
Alanthomasdoyle Week 3 Winter Beard. (date unknown)(No copyright infringement intended)
Alanthomasdoyle This lucky fella is on a plane bound for Newfoundland. Merry Christmas all. (date unknown)(No copyright infringement intended)
Alanthomasdoyle About a week into the Winter Beard. (date unknown)(No copyright infringement intended)
Friday 11 March 2016
Newfoundland and the art of giving…
Since I have been a fan of Newfoundland and it’s local music and artistic tradition, I have noticed that many of those musicians and artists who have achieved success within Newfoundland, Canada and overseas like to give their time to help raise money for worthy causes.
With the help of their fellow Newfoundlanders, they dig deep into their pockets and support a range of causes and help improve the quality of life of others.
But until recently I didn’t really know how much the island of Newfoundland gave to charity. Recently in a CBCNL article titled “A generous bunch: N.L. leads Canada in charitable donors,” by Laura Howells published online on March, 7, 2016 describes just how much Newfoundlanders give to charity within the Canadian context. This contribution has been supported by statistics.
“In 2013, the latest year for which data are available, 87 per cent of people in Newfoundland and Labrador donated to a charitable organization or nonprofit, making it the only province to significantly exceed the 82 per cent national average….
This top place ranking is nothing new for the province: it's had the highest charitable donor rate in Canada since 2004, when 93 per cent of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians made donations…”
A chief executive officer from the Community Sector Council makes some interesting comments about Newfoundland’s charity donations. She said “the province's smaller average donation is likely due more to people's financial situation than their altruism.”…What amazes me is the extraordinarily high percentage of people that are willing to give…That's really more important when you're thinking about social capital and goodwill and people's participation, rather than the actual dollar amount that people give.”
Many of the events I have seen in St. John’s for charity are expensive to attend. I know that no matter how much I would like to attend, I just couldn’t because I couldn’t afford them.
The article provides some reasons why the donations are high in Newfoundland. These include the Newfoundland island idea of while not totally isolated and disconnected there is the idea of looking out for others in their own community.
The statistics did not include contributions made to pages like Gofundme and the daily acts of kindness from others in the day to day life.
I have circulated the article on my Google + page for those interested.
The posters are from three recent charitable events held by the artistic and music community in St. John’s , Newfoundland. The posters were circulated on social media.
With the help of their fellow Newfoundlanders, they dig deep into their pockets and support a range of causes and help improve the quality of life of others.
But until recently I didn’t really know how much the island of Newfoundland gave to charity. Recently in a CBCNL article titled “A generous bunch: N.L. leads Canada in charitable donors,” by Laura Howells published online on March, 7, 2016 describes just how much Newfoundlanders give to charity within the Canadian context. This contribution has been supported by statistics.
“In 2013, the latest year for which data are available, 87 per cent of people in Newfoundland and Labrador donated to a charitable organization or nonprofit, making it the only province to significantly exceed the 82 per cent national average….
This top place ranking is nothing new for the province: it's had the highest charitable donor rate in Canada since 2004, when 93 per cent of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians made donations…”
A chief executive officer from the Community Sector Council makes some interesting comments about Newfoundland’s charity donations. She said “the province's smaller average donation is likely due more to people's financial situation than their altruism.”…What amazes me is the extraordinarily high percentage of people that are willing to give…That's really more important when you're thinking about social capital and goodwill and people's participation, rather than the actual dollar amount that people give.”
Many of the events I have seen in St. John’s for charity are expensive to attend. I know that no matter how much I would like to attend, I just couldn’t because I couldn’t afford them.
The article provides some reasons why the donations are high in Newfoundland. These include the Newfoundland island idea of while not totally isolated and disconnected there is the idea of looking out for others in their own community.
The statistics did not include contributions made to pages like Gofundme and the daily acts of kindness from others in the day to day life.
I have circulated the article on my Google + page for those interested.
The posters are from three recent charitable events held by the artistic and music community in St. John’s , Newfoundland. The posters were circulated on social media.
Thursday 10 March 2016
Alan Doyle and TBG...The American Tour Poster 2016.
Yesterday Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies started gathering in Toronto for the next leg of the Americian tour.
Alan Doyle @alanthomasdoyle Early rise to catch first flight in over a month. SO LET'S GO. 9 March, 2016.
Alan Doyle@alanthomasdoyle Last weekend night at home for a while. Next weekend in Texas! Who's coming to the kitchen party? 6 March, 2016. (From the official Twitter account of Alan Doyle. No copyright infringement intended)
The best tour poster and advertisment of them all. An absolutely drop dead gorgeous selfie from Alan Doyle on the eve of the tour.
Alan Doyle @alanthomasdoyle Last day home for a while. Doing a bit of work in here! Fun stuff. 8 March, 2016. (from the official Twitter account of Alan Doyle. No copyright infringement intended.)
I love this new Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies American tour poster containing the selfie taken by Shehab and used to advertise concerts on social media. I have kept a copy here because I really love it.
Alan Doyle@alanthomasdoyle Last weekend night at home for a while. Next weekend in Texas! Who's coming to the kitchen party? 6 March, 2016. (From the official Twitter account of Alan Doyle. No copyright infringement intended)
The best tour poster and advertisment of them all. An absolutely drop dead gorgeous selfie from Alan Doyle on the eve of the tour.
Alan Doyle @alanthomasdoyle Last day home for a while. Doing a bit of work in here! Fun stuff. 8 March, 2016. (from the official Twitter account of Alan Doyle. No copyright infringement intended.)
Great Big Sea and Throwback Thursday… Early Tour Posters.
Continuing on with my Great Big Sea and Throwback Thursday theme, I recently found an amazing collection to early tour posters of concerts in Newfoundland. The posters were of Great Big Sea as a solo act and as part of a line for festivals around St. John’s and other parts of Newfoundland.
Great Big Sea performed at regular shows for the students at Memorial University, George Street, The Valley Salmon Festival and the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival throughout the early 1990’s. I was particularly interested in the poster for a pub show on George Street, Jungle Jim’s in which they charged only $5. What a show that would have been.
Although the tour posters have copyright on them, information from the Digital Archives at the Memorial University Library can be shared under certain circumstances. For example, they can be legally downloaded as long as there is full recognition of where they came from, shared for no profit and do not prevent others from sharing them. I hope my understanding of their copyright policy is the correct.
Great Big Sea performed at regular shows for the students at Memorial University, George Street, The Valley Salmon Festival and the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival throughout the early 1990’s. I was particularly interested in the poster for a pub show on George Street, Jungle Jim’s in which they charged only $5. What a show that would have been.
Although the tour posters have copyright on them, information from the Digital Archives at the Memorial University Library can be shared under certain circumstances. For example, they can be legally downloaded as long as there is full recognition of where they came from, shared for no profit and do not prevent others from sharing them. I hope my understanding of their copyright policy is the correct.
There is a whole range of fascinating information in the digital archives about Newfoundland and Labrador musical traditions if you are interested. I hope you enjoy these posters from the digital archives as much as I have.
Friday 4 March 2016
Great Big Sea and Throwback Thursday…Safe Upon The Shore…Part Three. (Final).
Post Three - The Interview.
During 2010 the boys from
Great Big Sea did a lot of interviews, not only for the Safe Upon The Shore album, but for their solo projects.
I found this interview from
The Telegram in 2010 which was the first time Alan, Bob and Sean had sat down
and done an interview with the local newspaper together.
I found this article very significant
on a personal level. During my time as a fan during the later years of Great
Big Sea and even still now as an Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies fan, I
always look forward to when concerts were announce in St. John’s. As a fan I
have always preferred to travel to St. John’s, Newfoundland to see one concert
there, rather than see lots of concerts elsewhere in Canada or the United States.
In this interview Great Big
Sea explain their relationship to St. John’s and Newfoundland. I never knew or understood this. This interview, although I don’t know how relevant it is now, has changed
my perspective about where and how will I see the boys play, in which ever
form in the future. I guess that will now include having to attend concerts
outside of St. John’s.
From the Telegram interview…
"And no one's really
asked us to do it. It's kind of funny when people say well, you don't play
Newfoundland. Well people don't actually phone us and ask us to play
either," McCann said.
"This band is a St. John's band," Hallett said. "This is an export thing. We always looked at it that way. We knew from the beginning, the kind of career we wanted was not going to be playing bars and small pubs in Newfoundland. We wanted to travel around the world with this. So that's where our focus was from Day 1. It's not like we kind of pulled away from Newfoundland. Right from Day 1, by month three, we were touring in England and Nova Scotia and places like that. We never had that kind of (in-Newfoundland) career to pull away from in the first place."
"This band is a St. John's band," Hallett said. "This is an export thing. We always looked at it that way. We knew from the beginning, the kind of career we wanted was not going to be playing bars and small pubs in Newfoundland. We wanted to travel around the world with this. So that's where our focus was from Day 1. It's not like we kind of pulled away from Newfoundland. Right from Day 1, by month three, we were touring in England and Nova Scotia and places like that. We never had that kind of (in-Newfoundland) career to pull away from in the first place."
The article has been edited
for copyright reasons. No copyright infringement intended. This article has not
been circulated on my Google + page.
‘Great Big Sea’ Safe Upon The Shore. Published in The Telegram online. July 10,2010.
Thursday, July 8 was a day of
firsts for Sean McCann, Bob Hallett and Alan Doyle of Great Big Sea. It was the
first time, in 17 years, all three sat together for an interview with The
Telegram.
It was also the first time they had held a hardcopy of their new CD, "Safe Upon the Shore." The album is scheduled to hit store shelves July 13.
A preview copy had been sent to The Telegram. Doyle stared down at the cover - a dramatic image of a young man laid out on a beachfront, with a woman cradling him in her lap. The young man's eyes have a vacant stare. The sea rolls in the background and dark, stormy skies loom above.
Doyle flipped open the CD package and closed it again, looking once more at the cover art. "It looks good," he said, passing it to McCann.
McCann mentions he tried to buy the Grant Boland painting the cover art was based on. "(But) it sold right away for like $11,000."
Although "Safe Upon the Shore" has a look suggesting a collection of folkish tunes based on a hard life on the sea, the album actually throws at you surprising elements of traditional music from the Southern United States.
"Safe Upon the Shore" was engineered in St. John's at Great Big Studios, but also in New Orleans at The Music Shed. Steve Berlin acted as a producer on the album. An instrumentalist himself, Berlin works with the band Los Lobos and can also be heard on Paul Simon's "Graceland."
"I mean, we were in New Orleans and Steve wanted and we all wanted to let parts of that Southern world get on the record. So we made spaces for washboards and Southern harmonica players and a few Bourbon Street trombones," Doyle said.
There were no apologies for wandering outside the realm of traditional East Coast instrumentation.
"It's always hard to add new stuff to old ways, but a lot of it we found really fun," he said. "Like some of the songs were kind of written around that idea. Like 'Hit the Ground and Run' was written to be a bluegrass song and we're not a bluegrass band, but all around we were like, this is going to be a bluegrass song. We're singing a bluegrass song."
The Telegram's interview with McCann, Hallett and Doyle is in the sunned atrium of the Sheraton Hotel, still widely known around the province as the Hotel Newfoundland. Like the hotel itself, the band has sometimes had a hard time bringing the public along with the changes it makes.
"Our audience probably has a more conservative view of the band than we do," Hallett said.
Great Big Sea was never a band of traditional purists. They never committed to traditional music and only traditional music.
While their musical roots come from provincial traditions, they themselves have never spent time touring the small towns of Newfoundland swearing the allegiance to the button accordion.
"We never really toured Newfoundland," McCann said. "I think we did it once years ago. Natalie McMaster, we were the opening act. That was 15 years ago I think."
"That was the only time we ever did the Arts and Culture Centres," Doyle said to McCann, "isn't it?"
"And no one's really asked us to do it. It's kind of funny when people say well, you don't play Newfoundland. Well people don't actually phone us and ask us to play either," McCann said.
"This band is a St. John's band," Hallett said. "This is an export thing. We always looked at it that way. We knew from the beginning, the kind of career we wanted was not going to be playing bars and small pubs in Newfoundland. We wanted to travel around the world with this. So that's where our focus was from Day 1. It's not like we kind of pulled away from Newfoundland. Right from Day 1, by month three, we were touring in England and Nova Scotia and places like that. We never had that kind of (in-Newfoundland) career to pull away from in the first place."
What Great Big Sea has done with "Safe Upon the Shore" is try some new musical ideas. The album includes collaborations with Joel Plaskett, Randy Bachman ("Dear Home Town"), Russell Crowe and a handful of others. There is a Kinks cover and a cover of "Gallows Pole," which the band had performed at the closing of the Juno Awards (not the one in St. John's, the one before).
But for anyone who might feel that Great Big Sea are travelling too far afield from their Canadian coastal roots with "Safe Upon the Shore" ...
"I'd tell them to skip to track eight," Doyle said with a laugh, citing the title track. It is a seafarers ballad, opening with just vocals from McCann and adding vocal harmonies.
"As she drew near, she felt a fear that something was astray/his mouth was slack and his blue eyes stared blindly at the day," sings McCann. "And in a day she turned her gaze from the corpse the driftwood bore/ and the cold, cold sea pushed ruthlessly safe upon the shore."
"I'd like everyone to like the record all the time, I think we all would," Doyle said. "But one of the reasons why we were brave enough to do different things on the songs on this record is we knew we had stuff like 'Road to Ruin' and 'Wandering Ways' and 'Have A Cuppa Tea' and those kind of songs. Like they could have been on a Great Big Sea record in 1994. I'd be more worried about doing a whole record of that. That would bore people more than the new stuff would shock people.
"And you know, the more we go along, the more comfortable I am with the notion of some part of the record and some part of the concert, some part of it is for us. Some part of it has to satisfy us," he said.
"Making the same record over and over again, while there possibly is a chunk of the audience that want that, it's too boring, it's too easy. Not only that we'd lose interest in it and if we're not convincingly selling this stuff live it's not going to work anyway," Hallett added.
And the American south influences do not overwhelm the album, as "Safe Upon the Shore" shows. Several songs on the record were written here in Newfoundland and Labrador in a four-day excursion to Humber Valley Resort on the west coast of the island.
One song to come from that session was "Follow Me Back," written by Hallett, Jeremy Fisher and Jean O'Brien. Hallett and O'Brien sing together in the feathery-light tune.
"That's just one track. One microphone, one track with Jeremy Fisher playing guitar in a cabin in Humber (Valley Resort) with Bob and Jean singing in the room," McCann said. "There's no production involved, Steve Berlin certainly wasn't involved, we just kept that demo. ... There was nothing to mix because there was no tracks to mix. There's only one track. That's old school."
Doyle kicks in his own "old school" simultaneous to McCann, smiling.
McCann said 12 other songs were recorded the same way in the Humber Valley, but "Follow Me Back" was the only one that went straight to the record from its first recording.
"I think it makes for a more honest song, because you don't have time to rethink, 'OK, what's more appropriate, let's decorate this, what would people like to hear?' That's not what happened with that song and I think that's why it strikes a nerve," McCann said.
Hallett said songs sometimes need time and work, "but that one got to its end point very quickly. There's a little bit of serendipity there I s'pose.
"A lot of the ballads we've done too, we put a lot of stuff on top of them. We've really sugar-coated them a lot," he said. "And then, by the end of it, I wouldn't say we were unhappy, but everyone was sort of like, 'Maybe we've driven past the house here.' We just removed the temptation for ourselves on that song."
Great Big Sea has toured throughout the United States in the last year. Their goal of their concerts has remained the high-energy, fan-rewarding marathons the band made their name on through special appearances and television specials.
Doyle said the band has been playing around 40 songs a night. In Chicago, they added solo songs between their two sets - a time normally given to an intermission.
"All told the show was four minutes shy of three hours," Doyle said.
"I'd do that every night if I could," McCann said.
"The unfortunate thing is the audience needs to pee," Hallett added with a laugh.
They are still working out how all of "Safe Upon the Shore" will translate to that live show - what might have to go so the new songs can be added.
Meanwhile, they wait to see how fans will respond to the record's release.
Some of the tracks are already available for download. For another taste, there is a video for "Nothing But a Song," the second track for "Safe Upon the Shore" on the Great Big Sea website. The video was shot shortly before Canada Day, the band said, when Great Big Sea were in Grand Cayman on vacation - they extended from three to six days in order to make a music video.
It was the last chance for vacation time, as trips to the promotional run for their newest CD begins.
It was also the first time they had held a hardcopy of their new CD, "Safe Upon the Shore." The album is scheduled to hit store shelves July 13.
A preview copy had been sent to The Telegram. Doyle stared down at the cover - a dramatic image of a young man laid out on a beachfront, with a woman cradling him in her lap. The young man's eyes have a vacant stare. The sea rolls in the background and dark, stormy skies loom above.
Doyle flipped open the CD package and closed it again, looking once more at the cover art. "It looks good," he said, passing it to McCann.
McCann mentions he tried to buy the Grant Boland painting the cover art was based on. "(But) it sold right away for like $11,000."
Although "Safe Upon the Shore" has a look suggesting a collection of folkish tunes based on a hard life on the sea, the album actually throws at you surprising elements of traditional music from the Southern United States.
"Safe Upon the Shore" was engineered in St. John's at Great Big Studios, but also in New Orleans at The Music Shed. Steve Berlin acted as a producer on the album. An instrumentalist himself, Berlin works with the band Los Lobos and can also be heard on Paul Simon's "Graceland."
"I mean, we were in New Orleans and Steve wanted and we all wanted to let parts of that Southern world get on the record. So we made spaces for washboards and Southern harmonica players and a few Bourbon Street trombones," Doyle said.
There were no apologies for wandering outside the realm of traditional East Coast instrumentation.
"It's always hard to add new stuff to old ways, but a lot of it we found really fun," he said. "Like some of the songs were kind of written around that idea. Like 'Hit the Ground and Run' was written to be a bluegrass song and we're not a bluegrass band, but all around we were like, this is going to be a bluegrass song. We're singing a bluegrass song."
The Telegram's interview with McCann, Hallett and Doyle is in the sunned atrium of the Sheraton Hotel, still widely known around the province as the Hotel Newfoundland. Like the hotel itself, the band has sometimes had a hard time bringing the public along with the changes it makes.
"Our audience probably has a more conservative view of the band than we do," Hallett said.
Great Big Sea was never a band of traditional purists. They never committed to traditional music and only traditional music.
While their musical roots come from provincial traditions, they themselves have never spent time touring the small towns of Newfoundland swearing the allegiance to the button accordion.
"We never really toured Newfoundland," McCann said. "I think we did it once years ago. Natalie McMaster, we were the opening act. That was 15 years ago I think."
"That was the only time we ever did the Arts and Culture Centres," Doyle said to McCann, "isn't it?"
"And no one's really asked us to do it. It's kind of funny when people say well, you don't play Newfoundland. Well people don't actually phone us and ask us to play either," McCann said.
"This band is a St. John's band," Hallett said. "This is an export thing. We always looked at it that way. We knew from the beginning, the kind of career we wanted was not going to be playing bars and small pubs in Newfoundland. We wanted to travel around the world with this. So that's where our focus was from Day 1. It's not like we kind of pulled away from Newfoundland. Right from Day 1, by month three, we were touring in England and Nova Scotia and places like that. We never had that kind of (in-Newfoundland) career to pull away from in the first place."
What Great Big Sea has done with "Safe Upon the Shore" is try some new musical ideas. The album includes collaborations with Joel Plaskett, Randy Bachman ("Dear Home Town"), Russell Crowe and a handful of others. There is a Kinks cover and a cover of "Gallows Pole," which the band had performed at the closing of the Juno Awards (not the one in St. John's, the one before).
But for anyone who might feel that Great Big Sea are travelling too far afield from their Canadian coastal roots with "Safe Upon the Shore" ...
"I'd tell them to skip to track eight," Doyle said with a laugh, citing the title track. It is a seafarers ballad, opening with just vocals from McCann and adding vocal harmonies.
"As she drew near, she felt a fear that something was astray/his mouth was slack and his blue eyes stared blindly at the day," sings McCann. "And in a day she turned her gaze from the corpse the driftwood bore/ and the cold, cold sea pushed ruthlessly safe upon the shore."
"I'd like everyone to like the record all the time, I think we all would," Doyle said. "But one of the reasons why we were brave enough to do different things on the songs on this record is we knew we had stuff like 'Road to Ruin' and 'Wandering Ways' and 'Have A Cuppa Tea' and those kind of songs. Like they could have been on a Great Big Sea record in 1994. I'd be more worried about doing a whole record of that. That would bore people more than the new stuff would shock people.
"And you know, the more we go along, the more comfortable I am with the notion of some part of the record and some part of the concert, some part of it is for us. Some part of it has to satisfy us," he said.
"Making the same record over and over again, while there possibly is a chunk of the audience that want that, it's too boring, it's too easy. Not only that we'd lose interest in it and if we're not convincingly selling this stuff live it's not going to work anyway," Hallett added.
And the American south influences do not overwhelm the album, as "Safe Upon the Shore" shows. Several songs on the record were written here in Newfoundland and Labrador in a four-day excursion to Humber Valley Resort on the west coast of the island.
One song to come from that session was "Follow Me Back," written by Hallett, Jeremy Fisher and Jean O'Brien. Hallett and O'Brien sing together in the feathery-light tune.
"That's just one track. One microphone, one track with Jeremy Fisher playing guitar in a cabin in Humber (Valley Resort) with Bob and Jean singing in the room," McCann said. "There's no production involved, Steve Berlin certainly wasn't involved, we just kept that demo. ... There was nothing to mix because there was no tracks to mix. There's only one track. That's old school."
Doyle kicks in his own "old school" simultaneous to McCann, smiling.
McCann said 12 other songs were recorded the same way in the Humber Valley, but "Follow Me Back" was the only one that went straight to the record from its first recording.
"I think it makes for a more honest song, because you don't have time to rethink, 'OK, what's more appropriate, let's decorate this, what would people like to hear?' That's not what happened with that song and I think that's why it strikes a nerve," McCann said.
Hallett said songs sometimes need time and work, "but that one got to its end point very quickly. There's a little bit of serendipity there I s'pose.
"A lot of the ballads we've done too, we put a lot of stuff on top of them. We've really sugar-coated them a lot," he said. "And then, by the end of it, I wouldn't say we were unhappy, but everyone was sort of like, 'Maybe we've driven past the house here.' We just removed the temptation for ourselves on that song."
Great Big Sea has toured throughout the United States in the last year. Their goal of their concerts has remained the high-energy, fan-rewarding marathons the band made their name on through special appearances and television specials.
Doyle said the band has been playing around 40 songs a night. In Chicago, they added solo songs between their two sets - a time normally given to an intermission.
"All told the show was four minutes shy of three hours," Doyle said.
"I'd do that every night if I could," McCann said.
"The unfortunate thing is the audience needs to pee," Hallett added with a laugh.
They are still working out how all of "Safe Upon the Shore" will translate to that live show - what might have to go so the new songs can be added.
Meanwhile, they wait to see how fans will respond to the record's release.
Some of the tracks are already available for download. For another taste, there is a video for "Nothing But a Song," the second track for "Safe Upon the Shore" on the Great Big Sea website. The video was shot shortly before Canada Day, the band said, when Great Big Sea were in Grand Cayman on vacation - they extended from three to six days in order to make a music video.
It was the last chance for vacation time, as trips to the promotional run for their newest CD begins.
Great Big Sea and Throwback Thursday…Safe Upon The Shore...Part Two. (The Concerts).
Post Two - The Concerts.
“Their concerts have achieved legendary status due to the energy and enthusiasm they summon with each song”. Jason Clevett in Gay Calgary, October, 2010.
Woodland Park Zoo, July 29, 2010.
“After “Love Me Tonight”, Alan remarked upon the sunlight pouring down upon the stage. “Turn down the sun!” he cried. And I believe it was here that Séan announced that if the sun didn’t get turned down, they were going to have to start taking off some clothes” (Fan webpage).
There is a wonderful fan review of this concert. The long-time Great Big Sea fan wrote affectionately about her day at the zoo with her friends and family. I really enjoyed her descriptions of the onstage banter between the boys. Thank you to the fan for posting her concert experiences and the setlist online.
I also found an amazing collection of photographs by Kirk Stauffer Photography from the Woodland Park Zoo concert in Seattle. They were of happier Great Big Sea times.
As usual it was so hard to pick a favourite photograph from this extensive and very inclusive collection. However, my favourite two from this fabulous collection is one of the whole band and some of the audience and one of Alan Doyle and Bob Hallett sharing a joke on stage. I have posted those two photographs here. The rest have been circulated on my Google + page published by the photographer on an online site. As always no copyright infringement intended.
“Their concerts have achieved legendary status due to the energy and enthusiasm they summon with each song”. Jason Clevett in Gay Calgary, October, 2010.
Woodland Park Zoo, July 29, 2010.
“After “Love Me Tonight”, Alan remarked upon the sunlight pouring down upon the stage. “Turn down the sun!” he cried. And I believe it was here that Séan announced that if the sun didn’t get turned down, they were going to have to start taking off some clothes” (Fan webpage).
There is a wonderful fan review of this concert. The long-time Great Big Sea fan wrote affectionately about her day at the zoo with her friends and family. I really enjoyed her descriptions of the onstage banter between the boys. Thank you to the fan for posting her concert experiences and the setlist online.
I also found an amazing collection of photographs by Kirk Stauffer Photography from the Woodland Park Zoo concert in Seattle. They were of happier Great Big Sea times.
As usual it was so hard to pick a favourite photograph from this extensive and very inclusive collection. However, my favourite two from this fabulous collection is one of the whole band and some of the audience and one of Alan Doyle and Bob Hallett sharing a joke on stage. I have posted those two photographs here. The rest have been circulated on my Google + page published by the photographer on an online site. As always no copyright infringement intended.
Webster Hall, New York. 24 September, 2010.
This post is by long time Great Big Sea fan Matt Kremkau. He has also written reviews for the Indoor Garden Parties in New York City. Attached to this article are some great photographs from the concert. The article has been edited for copyright reasons. No copyright infringement intended.
‘Great Big Sea @ Webster Hall, New York City,’ by Matt Kremkau published in Junk Read online. September, 2010.
“This past Friday night, a hot early Fall evening, Great Big Sea played NYC at Webster Hall to a rambunctious crowd, filled with two full sets. Newfoundland’s own were in town to support their latest release “ Safe Upon The Shore,” out earlier this summer. Canadian folk rock is sure fine way of having a wonderful Friday night out in the city!....
The band played two sets at about 45 mins to an hour each. They featured a wide range of hits and new songs from their album, including “Good People,” “Nothing but a Song,” and a Led Zeppelin cover “Gallows Pole.” During the first set, the band did one of their very fun and entertaining medley’s featuring Hit Me With Your Best Shot/Don’t Stop Believing/500 Miles/Summer of 69 and finished off the medley with their cover of Slade’s Run Runaway.
Overall, Great Big Sea did not disappoint as always. If you want a great evening out with friends and/or family, come out and sing, clap along, and dance, then this band is right up your alley. I was pleased with the set lists and while I didn’t stick around for the end, I caught most of the gig and featured plenty of new songs from their latest record as well as one of my favorite’s “Fortune’s Favour” as well as songs from “Play,” “Up” and “Sea of No Cares”
Pantages Theatre, Minneapolis. 23 October, 2010.
This Great Big Sea concert review by Stacy Schwartz, provides a great review of the concert, her personal favourites, a setlist and a link to a nice collection of 24 photographs in a slide presentation. Of particular interest were her observations on the reactions of the American fans to Great Big Sea. The review has been edited for copyright reasons. No copyright infringement intended.
‘Great Big Sea’ is by Stacy Schwartz in City Pages, published on 25 October, 2010.
“Great Big Sea performed two full sets for an enthusiastic crowd at the Pantages Theatre on Saturday night. The crowd thrust their beers firmly in the air, swaying and singing along to every word that passed the lips of frontman Alan Doyle.
The band was in town to celebrate the release of their tenth album, Safe Upon the Shore. The five-piece showed that not only can they rock, but their accapella chops are worth bragging about. There were multiple times during the show where the hair on my arms stood on end due to the fantastic vocals on stage. I was expecting a bit more generic folk-rock, but found a wonderful mixture of Irish and Newfoundland-influenced music jumbled up with some straight country and ripping rock guitar solos. The band easily slid from one genre into another, so you could barely notice the change. It worked so well for them, and there's no way you couldn't enjoy yourself…
You also can't talk about Great Big Sea without mentioning the fans. The crowd was crazy. They jumped up and down, waved their hands, sang every single verse, screamed for more and weren't satisfied after two sets and two encores. They ate up merch like rabid dogs and came prepared to party. There were point-and-shoot cameras video taping every song (which I overheard someone say the band encourages), and people just totally immersed in the music.
The most fun part for me (as I didn't really know many of the GBS songs) was at the end of the first set. The band pulled out a ridiculous number of 1980s hits ("Faith," "Hit Me With Your Best Shot," "Jack and Diane," etc.) and asked the crowd to sing along. This crowd was the only crowd I can remember where every single person participated. It even prompted Doyle to quip, "It's really starting to sound like Glee in here." It was pretty nerdy, and pretty awesome.
Overall Great Big Sea has their act down pat. They are talented musicians with an extremely faithful following. Their music might not be the best thing in the world to some people like it is to their fans, but you can't help but be entertained at one of their live shows. They work the crowd, they are genuinely excited to be on stage, and their appreciation for what they do seems to shine through every note. Those things make for a successful band and a happy audience -- myself included”.
‘Set One:
Ordinary Day
The Chemical Worker's Song (Process Man)
The Night That Paddy Murphy Died
When I'm Up (I Can't Get Down)
Nothing But A Song
Jack Hinks
Safe Upon the Shore
Concerning Charlie Horse
Good People
Let It Go
Dear Home Town
Yankee Sailor
Run Runaway
*crowd singalong of 80s songs*
Set Two:
Long Life
Love Me Tonight
Penelope
England
When I Am King
General Taylor
Scolding Wife
Sea of No Cares
Helmethead
Consequence Free
Mari-Mac
Encore One:
Follow Me Back
Excursion Around the Bay
Fortune's Favor”
Encore Two:
The Old Black Rum
Old Brown's Daughter
Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, Calgary. 27 October, 2010.
“Great Big Sea Jubilant at Jubilee” is by Jason Clevett published in Gay Calgary online in October 2010.
I found this article by long time Great Big Sea and Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies supporters Gay Calgary. I like really like this article as it has recorded what the band played, some of their on stage banter and the issues that Canadian bands have during their winter in travelling. This article has been edited for copyright reasons. No copyright infringement intended.
“Reviewing concerts gives me the opportunity to see acts that I may not have gone out of my way to see, in a crowded concert marketplace. Sometimes that can be a bore, while other times I get to discover that I have been missing out by not seeing an artist before.
As a virgin in the Great Big Sea concert experience, I had an idea of what to expect. After all, a band doesn't survive nearly 18 years and become one of the most popular Canadian artists without some talent. Their concerts have achieved legendary status due to the energy and enthusiasm they summon with each song.
At the sold out October 27th show, that enthusiasm was on in full-force for opener Ordinary Day, which immediately brought fans to their feet. The Day Pat Murphy Died and When I'm Up, two more of the groups most popular songs, kept the fans on their feet clapping, dancing and singing along.
The band – Alan Doyle, Sean McCann, Bob Hallett, Kris McFarlane and Murray Foster – could be forgiven if the energy level had been a little lax. A Saskatchewan snowstorm left them stranded in Regina and for awhile the show appeared to be in serious jeopardy. Doyle made a point of thanking the crew, who hadn't made it to the venue until almost 5:00, for setting up in time for the show to start.
“I feel very close to you right now Calgary,” Doyle said. “Unlike 10 hours ago when I wasn't sure we would make it.”
A sense of humour appears to be a requirement for Canadian artists, and indeed, the band is actually quite funny. When Doyle would go off on tangents, McCann would dryly state, “He's been like this ever since that movie (Robin Hood.)” The stage banter often had the crowd in stitches with laughter.
A Great Big Sea concert is pretty amazing to watch as an assortment of instruments come into play – accordions, flutes, and banjos to name a few – but the strongest instruments in their repertoire are their voices. This was evident early on, with the title track of their latest album Safe Upon The Shore, which featured McCann singing solo and the rest of the band harmonizing for the chorus. It was a standout song in an evening full of them. Yankee Sailor, Run Runaway and a cover of Gallows Pole also stood out, and watching the band perform the insanely fast Mari-Mac was a sight to behold.
The audience had plenty of chances themselves to sing, as Doyle lead them through a medley of covers including The Black Eyed Peas, John Mellancamp, Journey, and U2, before the rousing Run Runaway wrapped up the first of two sets.
It is clear in watching Great Big Sea that they love performing, and that love is returned. The diverse audience spanned from seniors to children - with parents that may have been close to their age when they first heard Great Big Sea themselves. At fairly low prices for a concert ($72.40 including fees for the top ticket) fans got over two and a half hours of Great Big Sea…”
Thursday 3 March 2016
Great Big Sea and Throwback Thursday...Safe Upon The Shore…Part One (The Album).
Post One-The Album.
I have been thinking about and listening to the music of my favourite fellas Great Big Sea a lot lately. I found some wonderful official videos made in 2010 that were recorded for a radio station with a small intimate audience. These songs included Safe Upon The Shore, Nothing But A Song, Yankee Sailor and Good People. They were circulated on my Google + page. These videos led me on a search to find out what else happened that year.
In 2010 the Safe Upon The Shore album was recorded and released. Great Big Sea completed a tour throughout Canada and the United States to support the album. The songs from the album Long Life, Safe Upon The Shore, Nothing But A Song, Yankee Sailor, Hit The Ground And Run and Good People have become Great Big Sea classics and are still being played today by Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies and Sean McCann on their solo tours. They are songs loved by the fans.
The Safe Upon The Shore album also has it’s own site on Wikipedia and Google which provide a wonderful selection of information, videos and articles. The album debut on the Canadian charts at number 2 and sold a massive 7 000 copies in the first week, peaked on Billboard at number 157 and the Billboard Folk Albums at number 3. An entry for the album was included the annual Billboard Book published later that year.
Attached to the Google search is a list of the songs on the album and an interesting collection of official and fan bootlegged videos from the concerts and outright pirated videos. It was on this site I found a real gem of a bootleg video of the Bob Hallett song Follow Me Back at Wolf Trap in Vienna, VA on the 22 August, 2010. Bob was singing and playing the accordion. Murray Foster was supporting him on guitar.
The bootlegger provides an explanation of the song. “Bob states that there are lots of songs about relationships and that most are about the start of relationships or the end”. This song was about the middle. Bob has a wonderful voice indeed. I have circulated the video on my Google + page for those interested.
The year 2010 was a busy year indeed for Great Big Sea. As well as an extensive tour of Canada and The United States, Great Big Sea went cruising to Grand Caymond and made the Nothing But A Song video. Nothing But A Song was the first single off the album.
Perhaps the most interesting stories and wonderful photographs come from the From The Roads (FTR) on the Great Big Sea webpage. Alan Doyle’s FTR are always a great read and have some amazing personal photographs of that time for those interested.
Alan writes about making the Nothing But A Song video “Being resourceful, as we tend to be, GBS decided to take advantage of the days in the sun to film a new video for the new CD. Nothing But A Song will be the first single off the new GBS recording and the video should feature us frolicking in the sun around Grand Cayman. Some performances and other stuff should make it in there, all things being well…” Alan Doyle FTR Tour Diary –June 7, 2010 –St. John’s NL Home. Monday, June 7, 2010.
There are some wonderful photographs attached to Alan Doyle’s FTR blog. I have also circulated a copy of the Nothing But A Song video on my Google + page.
Alan Doyle and Sean McCann with a copy of Safe Upon The Shore. This photograph is from Alan Doyle’s FTR blog post Tour Diary – July 13, 2010 Washington DC (On The Bus) (No Copyright Infringement Intended)
Warner Brothers, Canada issued a press release about the album, how it was created and the contributors. A copy of this release is posted below. The release has been edited for copyright reasons.
“Great Big Sea Charter New Musical Territory And Return With Their Tenth Release Safe Upon The Shore” June 15 2010. Warner Music Canada (no copyright infringement intended)
Great Big Sea Charter New Musical Territory And Return With Their Tenth Release Safe Upon The Shore Available July 13th Through Warner Music Canada North American Tour Dates Announced St. Johns, NL
Embarking on their 18th year as a band, platinum-selling Canadian folk rockers Great Big Sea voyage a little further from their signature Newfoundland inspired sound to land safe upon the shore with their tenth album due July 13th through Warner Music Canada.
Recorded in Fits and Starts over a six month period, the album was produced by Los Lobos Steve Berlin and Great Big Sea in New Orleans, L.A., St. John’s NL and anywhere that inspiration struck, including tour buses and various dressing rooms along their tour.
A lot of this was recorded straight onto Alan’s laptop, as soon as we had the ideas, explains Sean McCann, singer and bodhran player.
As for the rest, for a long time we wanted to record somewhere with a vibe, somewhere with an atmosphere that might seep into the songs themselves. There is nowhere on the continent, really, that has more of a vibe than New Orleans.
And the vibe is evident with the New Orleans brass on Wanna Go Home, the bayou-inspired hootenanny Hit the Ground and Run, the southern folk/rock harmonies of Good People and delicate creole/folk-infused lullaby Follow me back mix with the more traditional Newfoundland fare on Yankee Sailor and Road to Ruin.
Aside from Great Big Sea co-founders and songwriter Alan Doyle, Bob Hallett and Sean McCann, Safe Upon the Shore also includes co-writes and various acclaimed artists including Russell Crowe and Canadian singer-songwriters Randy Bachman, Jeremy Fisher and Joel Plaskett.
At this stage, we sometimes all kind of know each others ideas too well, explains multi-instrumentalist and singer Bob Hallett. Too easy to do the obvious.
Writing with a big group of people pushed everything into different directions. Of the songs we started there, we ended up using a bunch of them on the album. Some of these songs took a long time to grow up, some of them came to us ready to head out into the world, added McCann.
I have been thinking about and listening to the music of my favourite fellas Great Big Sea a lot lately. I found some wonderful official videos made in 2010 that were recorded for a radio station with a small intimate audience. These songs included Safe Upon The Shore, Nothing But A Song, Yankee Sailor and Good People. They were circulated on my Google + page. These videos led me on a search to find out what else happened that year.
In 2010 the Safe Upon The Shore album was recorded and released. Great Big Sea completed a tour throughout Canada and the United States to support the album. The songs from the album Long Life, Safe Upon The Shore, Nothing But A Song, Yankee Sailor, Hit The Ground And Run and Good People have become Great Big Sea classics and are still being played today by Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies and Sean McCann on their solo tours. They are songs loved by the fans.
The Safe Upon The Shore album also has it’s own site on Wikipedia and Google which provide a wonderful selection of information, videos and articles. The album debut on the Canadian charts at number 2 and sold a massive 7 000 copies in the first week, peaked on Billboard at number 157 and the Billboard Folk Albums at number 3. An entry for the album was included the annual Billboard Book published later that year.
Attached to the Google search is a list of the songs on the album and an interesting collection of official and fan bootlegged videos from the concerts and outright pirated videos. It was on this site I found a real gem of a bootleg video of the Bob Hallett song Follow Me Back at Wolf Trap in Vienna, VA on the 22 August, 2010. Bob was singing and playing the accordion. Murray Foster was supporting him on guitar.
The bootlegger provides an explanation of the song. “Bob states that there are lots of songs about relationships and that most are about the start of relationships or the end”. This song was about the middle. Bob has a wonderful voice indeed. I have circulated the video on my Google + page for those interested.
The year 2010 was a busy year indeed for Great Big Sea. As well as an extensive tour of Canada and The United States, Great Big Sea went cruising to Grand Caymond and made the Nothing But A Song video. Nothing But A Song was the first single off the album.
Perhaps the most interesting stories and wonderful photographs come from the From The Roads (FTR) on the Great Big Sea webpage. Alan Doyle’s FTR are always a great read and have some amazing personal photographs of that time for those interested.
Alan writes about making the Nothing But A Song video “Being resourceful, as we tend to be, GBS decided to take advantage of the days in the sun to film a new video for the new CD. Nothing But A Song will be the first single off the new GBS recording and the video should feature us frolicking in the sun around Grand Cayman. Some performances and other stuff should make it in there, all things being well…” Alan Doyle FTR Tour Diary –June 7, 2010 –St. John’s NL Home. Monday, June 7, 2010.
There are some wonderful photographs attached to Alan Doyle’s FTR blog. I have also circulated a copy of the Nothing But A Song video on my Google + page.
Alan Doyle and Sean McCann with a copy of Safe Upon The Shore. This photograph is from Alan Doyle’s FTR blog post Tour Diary – July 13, 2010 Washington DC (On The Bus) (No Copyright Infringement Intended)
Warner Brothers, Canada issued a press release about the album, how it was created and the contributors. A copy of this release is posted below. The release has been edited for copyright reasons.
“Great Big Sea Charter New Musical Territory And Return With Their Tenth Release Safe Upon The Shore” June 15 2010. Warner Music Canada (no copyright infringement intended)
Great Big Sea Charter New Musical Territory And Return With Their Tenth Release Safe Upon The Shore Available July 13th Through Warner Music Canada North American Tour Dates Announced St. Johns, NL
Embarking on their 18th year as a band, platinum-selling Canadian folk rockers Great Big Sea voyage a little further from their signature Newfoundland inspired sound to land safe upon the shore with their tenth album due July 13th through Warner Music Canada.
Recorded in Fits and Starts over a six month period, the album was produced by Los Lobos Steve Berlin and Great Big Sea in New Orleans, L.A., St. John’s NL and anywhere that inspiration struck, including tour buses and various dressing rooms along their tour.
A lot of this was recorded straight onto Alan’s laptop, as soon as we had the ideas, explains Sean McCann, singer and bodhran player.
As for the rest, for a long time we wanted to record somewhere with a vibe, somewhere with an atmosphere that might seep into the songs themselves. There is nowhere on the continent, really, that has more of a vibe than New Orleans.
And the vibe is evident with the New Orleans brass on Wanna Go Home, the bayou-inspired hootenanny Hit the Ground and Run, the southern folk/rock harmonies of Good People and delicate creole/folk-infused lullaby Follow me back mix with the more traditional Newfoundland fare on Yankee Sailor and Road to Ruin.
Aside from Great Big Sea co-founders and songwriter Alan Doyle, Bob Hallett and Sean McCann, Safe Upon the Shore also includes co-writes and various acclaimed artists including Russell Crowe and Canadian singer-songwriters Randy Bachman, Jeremy Fisher and Joel Plaskett.
At this stage, we sometimes all kind of know each others ideas too well, explains multi-instrumentalist and singer Bob Hallett. Too easy to do the obvious.
Writing with a big group of people pushed everything into different directions. Of the songs we started there, we ended up using a bunch of them on the album. Some of these songs took a long time to grow up, some of them came to us ready to head out into the world, added McCann.
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