As I left my house to head down to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on the Exhibition Grounds, a storm rolled into town like Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry, tumbleweeds and all. Dads with strollers were running down the sidewalks, seeking shelter, women clutched their children to their chests, “Sally, close your eyes, storm’s coming.” … But I just smiled to myself. Great Lake Swimmers could not have planned a better backdrop to the soundtrack they provided that night, even if they paid the entire cast of Stagecoach to ride by on covered wagons. Fresh off the release of their new album Lost Channels, and in between the American and European legs of their tour, Tony Dekker and GLS rolled into their hometown of Toronto for one night only.

“It’s great to be home,” Dekker said as he opened the show. The audience was more than happy to have them, and showed it with enthusiastic cheers as GLS launched into a set list that blended songs from their new album with those from the previous three. It’s a solid catalogue they have to pull from, and their distinctive folk-rock alt-country style remains constant through all their songs, which they perform impeccably.

The thing about GLS that makes them such a great band is that they are true musicians. Even when they record they are performing. Lost Channels was recorded in abandoned grain silos and churches, not studios with Ashlee Simpson music magic machines. You can hear the earnest love and passion behind the music that the Great Lake Swimmers play, and you feel lucky to be in on the secret.

I have to say, if there was one thing I could have changed about the show it would have been the venue. The Queen Elizabeth Theatre, opened only recently and packing in audiences with a great line-up, is a soft-seated theatre. Personally, I hate that, the whole point of going to rock shows is to move, to interact with the music, and you just can’t do that when you are sharing an armrest with a stranger. But GLS was worth sitting still… they are truly mesmerizing performers. Tony Dekker commands the stage with his quiet confidence andquirky banter, Julie Fader is the perfect compliment with her sweet backup vocals and quirky stage presence (she curtsied and ran off the stage early, only to have to return, red-faced and shy!), and a strong core of friends and guests that kept the show moving, varied and interesting.

If you missed the show you are outta luck, as the band is in Europe for the next couple of months… like they don’t have enough already! But downloading the new album from iTunes or getting the CD should keep you tied over… I suggest getting it on vinyl. The woodsy robust sound of the record is perfect to experience the soft harmonies and natural beauty of the bands music. But I am sorry you missed the show. It was great!

Leaving the theatre, the rain had broken and everything felt fresh. Or maybe it was just the show.

Review by Sam Banack

Photography by Justin Cutler