Despite its outwardly moribund appearance, this blog is not yet completely dead. However, I have to confess that after many attempts, reinvigorating this space has proved a little painful. During its incarnation as an exploration of music and memory...

With the start of a new year, Alan reminisces about the highlights of 2011 and looks forward to all the great things coming up in 2012; while Bob explains his difficulty with blogging. Check out the latest FTR here. Check out the latest Bob's...

Well then, another calendar year all but behind us. A moment's reflection on 2011. As many of you know, my memory is hazy at best, but I recall the following, in no particular order. I remember hundreds, if not thousands of you singing along...

On behalf of all the Hairy Angels at  www.heavenlycreatures.ca  I would like to thank everyone who dug deep into their pockets to support McCann's  "Best Friend" song contest. We managed to raise $194.85 and McCann has agreed...

On January 14, at the Geo Centre in St. John's, NL, Great Big Sea will perform at Rock OP for Haiti, an intimate concert in support of Broken Earth, a team of physicians, nurses and physiotherapists from Newfoundland and Labrador, who have joined together...

Tonight on CBC, This Hour Has 22 Minutes is airing their Christmas special at 8 pm EST. Among the slew of special guests, you can catch a performance by our own Great Big Sea! Until then, you can visit the 22 Minutes Facebook page for preview clips from...

With the holidays upon us, please keep in mind our Store holiday cut-off dates for delivery before Christmas! To all you North Americans, have your order placed before December 14. International customers must have their orders placed by December 1....

We are pleased to announce that Great Big Sea, alongside Chantal Kreviazuk, Barenaked Ladies, and others, will perform in an upcoming CMT special called Gift of Giving. The program aims to raise awareness about the issue of hunger in Canada. Gift of...

Great Big Sea are confirmed to play the 23rd annual Byron Bay Bluesfest in Australia. This premiere blues and roots festival will take place April 5-9, 2012. Early bird tickets are nearly sold out, but there are currently some still available from the...

7:15 am. Currently sitting at the head of the table at our family cabin.  The Prince is constructing a gravity defying Hot Wheels track while his Mom enjoys a well-deserved sleep in. He eats his Oh’s while I type and gaze over the laptop at...

An exciting show is coming up for fans in the Toronto area! Following their successful tour of the Eastern US last month, Séan McCann & The Committed will be playing an intimate show at The Dakota Tavern on November 3. With the boys off on...

In his latest tour diary entry, Alan reflects on the excitement and challenges of studio recording and shares updates about the rest of the Boys and their ongoing projects. Check it out here. ...

Up long before dawn this morning to catch a powerful early 5am flight to Toronto and make a decent connection to Nashville. If all goes well, I’ll be there before 11am local time. I should get time to check into a hotel and have a workout before starting...

There has been much speculation of late as to my level of involvement in McCann's new project "The Committed". This is likely due to my unauthorized appearance in the following U Tube video filmed without my knowledge and posted against...

Tune into CBC this Thursday (September 15) at 8 pm EST to see the first installment of Life Is A Highway, a new two-part documentary about Canadian pop music during the 90s. In addition to interviews with Alan and Sean, a vintage performance of "Consequence...

Inspired by fans who have been saying that they're bringing friends and family along to some of his upcoming US shows with the Committed, Sean would like to honour that commitment. He's offering any advance ticket buyers the opportunity...

Alan's latest blog entry is jam-packed with news about the band's plans for their upcoming twentieth anniversary, as well as updates on how he, Sean and Bob will spend the next few months. Check it out here. ...

Quite an amazing finish to the Safe Upon the Shore Tour in Buffalo last night, with almost 6000 lending voices. I’m not sure how many shows we’ve done since the CD came out in July of 2010, but I’m grateful for every one of them. Incredible...

Right now in the GBS.com Store, we've got tickets on sale for Séan's gig at the Town Ballroom in Buffalo, NY, on September 30....

Yesterday saw the release of Russell Crowe & Alan Doyle's new album The Crowe/Doyle Songbook, Vol. III, and it's already sitting at #7 on iTunes Canada! The record contains 18 tracks and features Russell's wife, Danielle Spencer, on...

"because you cannot know yourself or what you'd really do with all your power....."                   The Flaming Lips (The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song)Sitting here in my herb infused hot tub...

Bob has just posted a new blog, in which he gives us the scoop on his Canada Day meetings with the Royals and Prime Minister Harper. Head to Bob's Journeys now to to read all about it....

Many people have asked me what I said to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. I liken the moment to the sort of thing you might experience when going to a wedding as a date, one where you do not actually know any of the principals, but are nonetheless...

On Sunday, August 28, Alan will take the stage to perform as part of Rootstock 2011, the third annual charity event at the Jackson Triggs Amphithetre in Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON. Sponsored by Jackson Triggs Niagara Estate Winery, Rootstock 2011 will support...

We are happy to report that Alan has recovered from his surgery and is excited to get back to writing music and playing shows this summer! Read all about his action-packed schedule in his latest Tour Diary, an installment from Nashville, TN....

I am officially back to work.  I have been slowly easing my way back to normal duties over the past 8-10 weeks since my wee episode of nip and tuck but this week marks my return to travel and concentrated songwriting, recording, and performing.Currently...

First and foremost I would like to thank McCann for getting off his arse and writing a song that doesn't totally suck. "Best Friend" (now available for download at www.greatbigsean.com) has got a beat to rock your bones and well worth the...

Great Big Sea will take part in this year's Canada Day In The Capital celebrations on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on July 1. The guys will hit the stage twice, during both the noon and evening shows. If you can't make it Ottawa, both shows will...

Good news Vermont! GreatBigSea.com has added tickets to the presale to the boys' July 22 performance at the Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center in Stowe, VT. Our presale for this show in on NOW in the GreatBigSea.com Store. As always, this is a members-only...

Good news Vermont! Great Big Sea will be performing at the Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center in Stowe, VT, on July 22. Our presale for this show will kick off tomorrow, Saturday, May 21, at 10 am EDT, in the GreatBigSea.com Store. As always, this is...

Well that "In and Out" was quicker than the night McCann was deflowered.Barely laid eyes on the tramp. It's like he dropped in to do his laundry and then took right off again as if he were still in college and I was his mom. Not sure if...

Bob was recently the guest on a special episode of St. John's radio station K-Rock 97.5's Under The Influence, discussing the history of Great Big Sea, and the bands they've crossed paths with along the way. For fans living outside of St. John's,...

We've got a new blog from Bob for you today. This one's a bit different, with Bob commenting on the response to some past writings, and answering some of the questions that have posed to him. Read all about it here....

Two years or so into this new blog, it occurs to me that I have never commented at all on the responses to the entries. No time like the present, I say. Also, the only place I have been lately is Florida, and really, what am I going to say about that?...

Check out Alan's newest FTR entry, where he shares with us the pace that he prefers his life to move at....

‘Pace’ and how different folks measure it has always fascinated me. How one person measures the busy-ness of his day compared to the next dude varies so much, I’ve come to notice. I suppose my recent imposed state of comparative...

We have a winner.IF McCann is actually up to the task (which i still very much doubt), a good dog will finally have his day. "Tubbs" shall soon have his heroic tale of sacrifice and perseverance immortalized in song. His deed so daring that...

Get psyched, Colorado! Great Big Sea has confirmed that this July they'll be playing shows in Vail, Crested Butte, Denver, Breckenridge, and Steamboat Springs. Head to the Tour page for exact dates and locations! Presale tickets for Breckenridge...

A recording of Great Big Sea's January 22 show in Edmonton will be featured on an upcoming episode of CBC Radio's Canada Live. The episode will air first on CBC Radio 2, on Thursday, April 28 at 6 pm EST and again on CBC Radio One, on Friday,...

Alan has just submitted a new blog, one that takes readers somewhere they've never been before: His bed. Read it here!...

OK, it’s day 5 of lying in bed and the novelty has worn off. Who knew that lying down for this long could be so exhausting? Might as well make the best of it. This repose affords me an opportunity to comment on things that I normally go unnoticed...

Alan has just posted a new blog this morning, in which he announces a surprising change in careers. Read all about it here....

I am quitting music to pursue a career in Politics. April Fools. Everything else in this blog should be somewhat accurate. Thanks for the great Sold Out closing show in Colorado Springs. Such an awesome way to wind up the whole Safe Upon the...

We've got a new post from Bob this afternoon, in which he offers thoughts on the various cities the band visited on their just completed tour. Read it here....

Profound thoughts have been thin on the ground these days. With a very lengthy tour behind us, and an indefinite break in front of us, it often felt like the last days of a very long summer. In extended tours the challenge is to make every night different...

First of all thank you for submitting your wonderfully heartfelt stories to my contest.  If sincerity is the fuel of song, then McCann has been provided with more than enough gas to set himself alight.....and i will be sitting right there with the...

Following last week's announcement of a show in Halifax, today comes word that Séan will be hitting the road in support of his new album, Son of a Sailor. He'll be playing 17 solo shows, from Nova Scotia to BC, in April and May, and will...

A new FTR find Alan writing from Arizona, where he muses on the last few shows, weighs the band's chances at the Juno's this weekend, and drops some exciting hints about plans for later this Spring. Head to the blog to read this entry now....

Thank you California. Like wise to Kelowna, Seattle, and Bend. Grand few shows so far on this run. I feel like I am just recently beginning to understand the population and economy of California. In my mind, California is a country. There may be...

UPDATE: This presale is now over. With his second solo album, Son Of A Sailor just released, Séan will play a special solo show at Halifax's The Carelton on April 6. As an added bonus, Séan will be sharing the bill with folk-pop...

Winter getting you down? Well, we've got some news to help cheer you up! Great Big Sea will return to Lowell, MA, this summer to take part in the Lowell Summer Music Series. The band will take the stage at Boarding House Park on August 26, and tickets...

Alan has just posted a new FTR, discussing a week of recording sessions in St. John's and looking ahead to Great Big Sea's 18th birthday next week! Read all about it here....

What a fun time I had last week. As many of you who keep an eye on me on Twitter are aware, I spent the week with the Sean Panting Band in Don Ellis’ home studio in St John’s. The boys are fantastic. It was quite a thrill. Sean is...

Séan's latest album, Son Of A Sailor, has been available for a few weeks now. Fed up with his lack of songwriting credit, Tosh has issued his master a challenge. He's looking for story submissions from fans to be used as the inspiration...

A few weeks have come and gone since the nautical release of "Son of a Sailor". By all accounts it was an incredible success with many hundreds of people being turned away at the door of The Pearly King Pub (for this we apologize.......but who...

A post-cruise, post-Valentine's message from Alan has just been posted. Head to the FTR to read it now....

The day after Valentine’s Day. Should this day have a name for itself? You know like Christmas Day and Boxing Day, where you give Christmas gifts then box them up. Should it be Valentine’s Day and Indifference Day, where you give a day...

Start the week with the latest post from Bob, gathering thoughts and musings about the Ships & Dips cruise. Read it here....

A few thoughts from the past round of concerts. We have done a weird variety of gigs over the past week. Speaking for myself, I prefer it that way. While a steady run of theatres or rinks is easier for the cast and crew, it tends to get a bit workmanlike...

Sean's new album, Son Of A Sailor, is out NOW! Grab the digital download from iTunes, or order the physical/digital copies directly from GreatBigSean.com....

On the eve of Ships & Dips 4, Alan has just posted a new blog entry. Check it out now, and start following him on Twitter if you haven't already....

We are about to embark on another journey that spans most of the East Coast of the Continent and beyond in a little less than two weeks. Without the aid of air travel. Sound outrageous, doesn’t it?  But it is so.  Some time next week,...

Owning a human can be very hard work. Unable to fend for themselves, they require constant care and supervision. Danger lurks everywhere for the infantile hairless bipeds as they amble blindly through their frail and meaningless existence. One wonders...

Good news today: GBS have received a 2011 Juno nomination for Group of the Year. Cross your fingers for the guys, and don't forget to tune in when the awards are handed out in Toronto on March 27. For a look at the complete list of nominees, head...

Do you have tickets for this year's Ships & Dip? Well, we've got some details on when and where on the cruise ship the boys will be appearing. There are six GBS events during the five day cruise, so you'll have plenty of opportunities to see the boys...

Séan McCann's second solo album, Son of a Sailor, will be released on February 8! Starting today, you can preview four of the album's new tracks and download the first single, "Simple Song" at GreatBigSean.com! Pre-orders for...

Republic of Doyle CBC's hit television show about a Newfoundland-based private eye, returned for a second season last week. If you haven't been watching, perhaps tonight's episode will give you reason to start, as Alan Doyle appears...

My surgery was an unprecedented success. I now have two assholes (McCann not included); one for the the necessary disposal of naturally occurring beagle waste and one for the not so necessary distribution of complete bullshit that i occasionally...

Following quickly from his last message, Alan has posted a new entry today, reminiscing on the jam-packed year that was 2010. Read it here....

Once again, Happy New Year everyone. I hope everyone had an enjoyable Holiday Season. I sure did. With the exception of very brief 26-hour jaunt to Niagra Falls for New Years Eve, I have been home steady since GBS played the last chord of the Smilingland...

Alan's first post of the new year has just gone up, reminding everyone to tune into Season 2 of Republic of Doyle and pondering a new twitter account. Read it now!...

Happy New Year All!!! I am travelling tomorrow and I’ll get a chance to tell you all about some exciting stuff to come. So apologies for this quick and dirty blog. Maybe I should get a Twitter account? Just wanted to remind everyone to tune...

Today sees the first new post of 2011 from Bob, in which he reflects on the past year of life on the move. ...

For many reasons, some professional, some personal, I travelled more this year than I have any other year of my life. I was on a plane on January 3rd, 2010, and my last flight of the year was on Dec. 30, twelve months later. There was not one chunk of...

The boys will be taking their Safe Upon The Shore tour to the Western US in March, with stops in Bend, OR, Tucson, AZ and Colorado Springs, CO. GreatBigSea.com is happy to once again offer our members first crack at the best seats in the house for all...

My ass hurts.Not sure why. It's not like I've been out having any bum fun of late and surgery has seriously limited the advances of the arsebandit formerly known as Marley. I keep myself reasonably clean (except when I don't) and try to eat...

Hey, hey, hey! The boys have several new dates confirmed for their Safe Upon The Shore tour. Right now, GreatBigSea.com is holding ticket presales for six newly announced shows. Feb 11/11 - Amaturo Theater, Fort Lauderdale, FL Feb 12/11 - Capitol...

We've got an exciting new Canadian tour date to tell you about. Great Big Sea has just announced they will be playing in Kelowna, BC, on March 11, 2011. As usual, GreatBigSea.com has got you covered with a ticket presale for this new show. ...

We're pleased to announce a new date on the Safe Upon The Shore tour, March 16 at the Cascade Theatre in Redding, CA. The GreatBigSea.com presale for this show begins tomorrow, December 10, at 10 am PST. Log into your account just before the sales...

Writing from Montreal, Alan keeps us up-to-date with the boys' hectic performance and appearance schedule as their Eastern Canada tour leg continues. Check it out here....

Sitting with Brother Bern awaiting a Porter Airlines flight from Montreal into Toronto Island Airport. I usually fly on Air Canada, but am curious about Porter and really curious about flying into downtown Toronto. I’ve never landed downtown before...

Séan, in the seasonal spirit of giving, is offering a free download on GreatBigSean.com. The song, "Merry Christmas Everyone" is a thank you to the fans for all your support over the years. ...

Global Television and Entertainment Tonight Canada have announced an exciting New Year's Eve event which will feature live performances from some of Canada's top acts, including Great Big Sea. New Year's Eve at Niagara Falls, hosted by ET Canada's...

Tune in today at 1:15 pm EST to hear Alan and Séan on Ottawa's BOB FM. The boys will be chatting with host Milky and performing live in-studio....

A new post on Bob's Journey explores a favourite topic of Canadians - the differences between the US and Canada. Some of the conclusions he has drawn from extensively touring these countries may not be what you'd expect! Read about it here....

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...

As Christmas draws ever nearer, so do our store cut-off dates for guaranteed delivery before December 25! Now's the time to start thinking about that special GBS fan in your life - how much would they love to have a new Wings Tee under the tree? Or imagine...

People are talking......wondering where the Tosh has been. Speculating on my prolonged abscences and fantasizing about the questionable nature of my whereabouts. Is he off in some foreign land working covertly for the band?.....Or strung out on kitty...

The Ottawa Public Library (OPL) welcomes Bob Hallett to the Main Library on Thursday, December 2 at 1 pm. Bob will be reading from his recent book, Writing Out the Notes. This book began as a series of essays Bob wrote to explain his love of music,...

In his latest entry, Alan discusses the tricky breakfast situation that faces touring musicians, his reaction to Bob's new book and the SOCAN awards. Check it out here!...

Over Easy is a breakfast place on Yonge Street here in downtown Toronto. The GBS gents discovered it a while back when we were here playing for the Grey Cup Celebrations a few years back. It is really a hotel diner. You know, one where breakfast makes...

We're pleased to announce two more new shows on the Great Big Sea Safe Upon The Shore tour. Starting tomorrow, November 24, GreatBigSea.com is having ticket presales for both of them....

Two exciting new Canadian tour dates have just been announced. Great Big Sea has added St. John's, NL, and Swift Current, SK, to their Safe Upon The Shore tour, and GBS.com is having ticket presales for both shows. Also, in the spirit of the holidays,...

We've uploaded a new video for "Good People" on our YouTube channel. The video features a live performance by GBS, taken from the upcoming CMT Canada special, Great Big Sea: Live at Sugar Beach....

Can you believe it's already time to start talking about the holiday season? If there's a GBS fan on your gift list, please note the following deadlines to get your orders in by: International Orders- December 2 North American Orders- December 12...

In a new blog entry, Alan gives us a first hand view (with video!) of his guerilla-style tactics of recording Sean and scoring new projects from the road. Check it out here!...

I know I’ve written about the bizarre passage of time and distance while touring in other blogs in this Forum.  But there are times when the perceptions of all that is in the distant and recent past become so overwhelmingly confused, that I...

Next time you're in the GBS.com Store, you might want to check out some new items we've added to the Merchandise section. In addition to the Safe Upon The Shore Wings t-shirt, we've now got a keychain and a pin in the same theme....

It's growing ever more difficult for an "Idea Dog" like me to survive in this "Too Bad" world. Words like "Sorry", "Can't", "Maybe Later", and "Not Today" should be stricken from the...

I have often wondered how our peaceably polite upper canadian ancestors managed to repel the wave of newly minted American imperialism in the short war of 1812. Today, as we slide slowly towards Calgary in the first storm of winter, I think I know why...