Sean McCann Sings… A fan review of a concert.

It has been a while since I wrote anything about former Great Big Sea member Sean McCann. The reason for this is, well to be honest I am not really interested in what he has been saying to anyone who listens via the traditional type media including newspapers and television or on social media. Occasionally these interviews have been shared via the Online Kitchen Party, A Great Big Sea Community Forum on Facebook and the fans have responded sharing their thoughts, words and experiences.

After Sean McCann hijacked GreatBigSea.com diverting the results of anyone who searched this address to his own webpage (without the permission of the other members of the band) I decided not to give him any more attention. As those who have followed the hiatus of this band know it was Sean McCann who asked for the Great Big Sea webpage to be brought down because for him to move forward and to be healthy and happy they couldn’t exist in any form past and present without him.

For a man who has responded so negatively about his former employer, his work mates and experiences, I found his current actions (including bringing down the webpage and then hijacking) extremely questionable and not one of a person I consider to be in a happy and healthy place both personally and professionally. I am not sure why a person who is so happy in his current life and profession would spend so much time and energy engaging with something so negative three years after it all happened.

However, last week one long term Great Big Sea fan published a post about her experiences at a Sean McCann concert on the Online Kitchen Party, Great Big Sea Community Forum page on Facebook which evoked a range of responses from other fans both positive and negative. I was really impressed with what this fan shared about her experience. I thought she was quite brave to share them considering the discussion a Sean McCann interview brings. I also thought it was really sad a fan came away with such negative feelings from something that really should have brought much happiness.

As I do not participate on the site or any fan sites I do read posts and occasionally respond here. As I thought this post was a significant response as were many of the responses I have responded to these. I have removed her name and those who provided comments on the posts for copyright and privacy reasons.

The fan wrote…

“It is no secret that I am a Great Big Sea fan, especially Alan Doyle.

Last night I saw Séan McCann solo, something I had been dreading because of what I believe to be his role in the demise of GBS & some past behaviour I witnessed, which will remain in the past, so let's just say I am not his biggest fan.

Séan is a gifted musician, singer and songwriter and that was more than evident last night. He is also a recovering alcoholic which played a huge role in the vibe of his show.

Mostly he spoke of love & forgiveness and the strength to overcome all obstacles and then his anger & resentment would show up and he would say things like "when they get their act together", meaning that his former band mates were currently a mess of some sort. He gives the impression that he blames them for his alcoholism and is quite flippant & arrogant about his role in the end of GBS.

I went to this show not wanting to be there and he pleasantly surprised me for awhile but then he would bash the guys so instead of leaving the show with the sense of joy, contentment, entertainment etc., I left disappointed and upset.

It breaks my heart and I don't even know them, I can only imagine what it does to his former band mates and friends for 25+ years.

I wish Séan nothing but success and genuinely hope he finds his inner peace but I will certainly not be going to see him play again’.

Many of the comments posted had been made before. Many of those fans continued to wish Sean McCann all the best and offered empathy and understanding on his issues, while other fans were losing or had lost patience with the constant bashing of his former employer, management, workmates and friends and his need to sabotage their careers. I agree that after three years Sean needs to move on or find professional help rather than venting his frustrations through the traditional media and paying fans at concerts.

I also don’t agree with him billing himself as a member of Great Big Sea or former member then bashing the whole experience. One person who posted put it perfectly. “But this GBS can’t exist without me was horrible… I was under the impression that being in recovery meant owning your shit, and if that you’re still harming other people with your actions, you’re not recovered…” As those fans who have followed the debate know Sean has refused to allow the band members to move on as Great Big Sea without him.

There were some new insightful comments. One of those raised the issue of Sean McCann using the people who pay for concerts as a ‘personal therapist’, and I will add a non-responsive personal therapist that supports his actions and words with rounds of applause and approval.

One person posted Sean McCann won’t play bars only small theatres as part of his recovery. In other posts people stated Sean had said he didn’t like the number of songs that Great Big Sea performed around alcohol. Personally I have never notice. One day when I was researching I found a current setlist of the songs he was performing and many of the songs he selected were the traditional songs about drinking and alcohol. I wondered what effect this selection of songs would have on his recovery and what type of concert he would deliver.

I also found it really interesting Sean allegedly won’t play in bars or hotels. To me that seems a bit judgemental. Not every person who attends a concert at a bar or hotel drinks or has a problem with alcohol. As a person who rarely drinks alcohol, it really doesn’t matter to me whether people have a couple of drinks while enjoying the concert, as long as that drinking doesn’t infringe on my and other’s enjoyment. And as long as they have a designated driver so they won’t kill and injure others on the way home. As a former ‘alcoholic’ Sean McCann would be in a perfect place in bars and hotels to preach drinking in moderation and the consequences of what excessive drinking can do in an appropriate way.

I do think Sean McCann misses the point of Great Big Sea music in that alcohol really isn’t essential to enjoying the music or having a good time in my opinion. Their songs to me do not focus on drinking or alcohol either. While perhaps his new music and outlook may be attracting new fans who are perhaps ignorant of the whole story, he needs to be aware many old fans have lost or are losing their patience and going elsewhere for a more positive musical experiences. If people are leaving him then that is no one’s fault but his own.