| GBS at Town Hall |
 |
| As they took a breather after a particularly frenetic Rover, (I think it was Alan who quipped, “Time for the washroom!”) an audience member yelled, “We love you Great Big Sea!”
I thought this was funny afer GBS was talking about pee breaks on one of the podcasts. Alan didn't get to go anywhere as the intermission was a few songs away. Sean stepped up to the mic, “Thanks! I love you too….sir…” After a lot of laughter and a long pause, I heard an intro from Alan's guitar that I didn't recognize. I couldn’t imagine what they were going to play next. Alan told a little about the song as he strummed his guitar. He mentioned that they learned it from Fergus O’Byrne from Ryan’s Fancy and it was about a lovable rogue, a weary traveler. Still not knowing ..I couldn’t help but think it was a self-description this evening. I still couldn't figure out the song.Then they began to sing and I was never so surprised to hear JOLLY ROVING TAR! Wow! I haven’t heard that one since 2000 I think. I’m so glad they brought it back into their repertoire. I missed Run Runaway when it was gone for a few years, too, and Billy Peddle. Now they’re all back. Can't keep a good song down! The tour setlist would truly be complete if Bob played Auntie Mary one more time. It’s been sooooo long since I’ve heard him do that one on the fiddle. Sean was very dancey during Jolly Rovin' Tar and Bob held the last note longer than everyone else. No complaints from THIS fan! |
| Sean stepped up to the mic. "This is a love song about love and the guts to go after what you want. It takes three things dear to my heart and assembles them into one creature which doesn't make much sense. You'll see two different versions of this creature on the cover of our Hard and Easy CD. They were created by Grant Boland, a good friend back home. There are advantages and disadvantages to both versions of the creature." * Bob strokes chin as if thinking on those advantages and disadvantages * "This is the Mermaid Dance." Sean explained as he demonstrated his Popeye-like moves and began the song. Bob and Alan turned around with him in the dance between verses as if they had choreographed the song! After forgetting to sing the punchline last night at Northampton, he nailed it tonight and smiled triumphantly at Alan at the end. I really like their doing this song, The Mermaid. |
 |
| "This actually happened to my brother Glenn. He's enjoys mermaids too. We cut up pics of the mermaid and put them back together again in various forms, like that show, The Stepford Wives. But the name of the show would have to be The Stepford Aquarium, I guess". Sean started to get more excited and animated. "don't get me started on fish! I love fish. I have it three times a week. You know it's good for you with all those Omega 3 fatty acids..." He went on. Alan was drinking from his water bottle and stopped to step up to the mic to say, "Don't get him started! Don't anybody say 'sushi!' Please!" Alan continued where Sean let off, to get the show back on the track. Usually, it's Sean trying to get Alan back on track! "Newfoundland has recorded its history in song. If you're a singer, it's a great thing. We've been in such Celtic hotspots as Phoenix and Tucson, singing our history. We try to explain the Newfoundland is North of Maine, but that doens't help them. We tried telling them that it's where the Titanic sank, but that sounds too bleak. S o we've settled on telling them it's Canada's version of Hawaii." "It's just a borderline misrepresentation, really," Sean added. Alan continued, " Well, we could probably do a whole album about mermaids, or one about horses falling through ice, also one of only logging songs. But our album has some of each. Here's a song about the logging industry in Western Newfoundland." And we had a very lovely version of River Driver. The audience really seemed to enjoy it, listening quietly and singing along quietly. |
 |
| Scolding Wife had Alan saying his verse as he's been wont to do lately. Bob picked up the melody on Alan's "Hey Bob!" cue. And Kris began his mischief. I wonder if he stays up nights figuring out how he is going to annoy the singers during this song. WHat they need to do is give him a verse to sing so everyone else can bother him! Come on, b'ys! Think up another verse!. Kris scratched his back with Murray's bass, Murray lay his head on Alan's shoulder, and Sean and Bob got a break tonight from Kris. Very quickly following Scolding Wife was Old Polina and Lukey. These two songs were so full of energy, with all the b'ys on stage dancing up a storm. It was the first time I've seen Murray actually dancing as much as Sean! |
 |
 |
| Sean plays the bongos with glee |
|
 |
 |
| Part 2 of An Evening With Great Big Sea
Have I mentioned the Canadian Rowdies? There was a group of about 8 people, obviously Canadian, carrying a Candian flag through the venue in the balcony and on the floor. They were dressed in Red and White, wearing maple leaf Dr. Seuss-type hats, yelling pro-Canadian things, trying to get he audience to respond. They actually did get the crowd to respond when we were waiting outside the venue before the show. And they also got a rise from the audience a couple times in the beginning of the show. But it got old fast and it bacame more of an annoyance by the time the intermission came along. Really, the audience had enough of their own energy, they didn't need any more! By the time the second half began, the Canadian Rowdies had decided they needed to be down in front, on the floor. They were rapidly escorted back to their balcony seats when they kept yelling and holding up the flag. Security didn't mind people in the aisles, just wanted them to be the people with floor seats there, not balcony people, I guess. The second half began with a bang and a bunch of dancing people in the aisles. Not that people hadn't been up in the first half. Au contraire! Mostly everyone had already been up about halfway through the first half. But there was more of a NEED to be up now. |