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St. John, Newfoundland, Canada (1993 – present)
Great Big Sea (often shortened to GBS) is a Canadian folk-rock band from Newfoundland and Labrador, best known for performing energetic rock interpretations of traditional Newfoundland folk songs. The band also performs original material.
On March 11, 2010, Great Big Sea celebrated their seventeenth birthday as a band. And like almost every one of their many anniversaries spent together, they celebrated it by playing a concert, this one in Omaha, Nebraska. For the players it was an important landmark, but for the fans, some of whom had travelled hundreds of miles, it was a chance to spend a night with a band that has come to define the energetic spirit of Newfoundland. Somewhere along the way, Great Big Sea ceased to be just a band – for the three core members and their assorted collaborators, it’s a way of life.
“No one is more surprised than us that we have lasted almost 18 years,” points out lead singer Alan Doyle. “Like most bands, when we started we were just looking forward to the next tour, the next show or the next song. Then, after a few years we realized that we liked doing this more than anything else. So we kept going.”
The band has its roots in rowdy pubs in St. John, Newfoundland, Canada where co-founders Sean McCann and Bob Hallett met while playing Newfoundland folk songs for boisterous crowds made up of hard-partying university students and off-duty fishermen.
On March 11, 2010, Great Big Sea celebrated their seventeenth birthday as a band. And like almost every one of their many anniversaries spent together, they celebrated it by playing a concert, this one in Omaha, Nebraska. For the players it was an important landmark, but for the fans, some of whom had travelled hundreds of miles, it was a chance to spend a night with a band that has come to define the energetic spirit of Newfoundland. Somewhere along the way, Great Big Sea ceased to be just a band – for the three core members and their assorted collaborators, it’s a way of life.
“No one is more surprised than us that we have lasted almost 18 years,” points out lead singer Alan Doyle. “Like most bands, when we started we were just looking forward to the next tour, the next show or the next song. Then, after a few years we realized that we liked doing this more than anything else. So we kept going.”
The band has its roots in rowdy pubs in St. John, Newfoundland, Canada where co-founders Sean McCann and Bob Hallett met while playing Newfoundland folk songs for boisterous crowds made up of hard-partying university students and off-duty fishermen.
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Great Big Sea
Great Big Sea Buy- Download Album
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The Hard and the Easy
Great Big Sea Buy- Download Album
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Something Beautiful
Great Big Sea Buy- Download Album
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Shoutbox
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angel_clipped wrote:
What the hell happened? These blokes used to be good.
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enid_coleslaw_ wrote:
Fantastic band. Too bad the long haired guy looks like such a tool.
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InfamousJCGZ wrote:
Saw them live at g-fest a few days ago. Rocked.
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davion_groovy wrote:
Really good guys! I was very excited by their music and vocal.
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OllyOy wrote:
I call them "home music" It's the music I listen to when I go back home. Good memories to these songs :D. I'm not from Newfoundland, but Maritimes ftw :D
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mistfinity wrote:
Play, Turn or Fortune`s Favour
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grahamr93 wrote:
what's a good album to start with
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soullessmate wrote:
Good shit, Good shit...
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Unknownrooster wrote:
one of the only decent artists from my province, newfoundland
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mistfinity wrote:
Come to Russia!!! Please!!!
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Furie1024 wrote:
cool band) like it^)
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fofessy wrote:
Seriously rad show at Nellie's the other day! Awesome and random. Loved it!
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marikohurst wrote:
Thanks for an AMAZING show on Friday night!! Best time ever!!
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Emi_lia wrote:
they are so good live :D
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Emi_lia wrote:
I'm seeing them today :)
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jimctu wrote:
nice band! liked a lot! \o
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krustywazoo wrote:
@ramalll: Russell Crowe and Alan are friends, so that's how Alan got the gig. Also, Russell is credited on the new album. Pretty cool.
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UPRC wrote:
Definitely want to catch these guys next time they're in Halifax.
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tayatagi wrote:
Did GBS ever do Sonny's Dream? I have a version of the song that is labeled as Great Big Sea but it doesn't really sound like them. I can't figure out who is singing this song....
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hanjo2252 wrote:
Love this music......
Videos
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Events
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Apr
5
Byron Bay Bluesfest 2012
Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia
21 going
5 shouts
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Apr
5
Great Big Sea
The Basement, Sydney, Australia
1 going
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Recent Activity
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werequeen, elby1971, GingerHaycox and 1 other person added Great Big Sea to their libraries. yesterday evening
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Venso-Howlie added Great Big Sea to the lineup of Great Big Sea at The Basement. Thursday morning
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CinderfellaMen, Bshields48, AssassinSquid and 23 other people added Great Big Sea to their libraries. Thursday morning
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amaerth tagged Great Big Sea with ‘folk’. last week
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tygchapman, GAR069, luciernagad50 and 41 other people added Great Big Sea to their libraries. last week
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ravagingmasses tagged Great Big Sea with folk, celtic and canadian. last month
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stonedbutcute, carole_0325, dbpower and 12 other people added Great Big Sea to their libraries. last month
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Heleenton tagged Great Big Sea with folk rock, celtic and folk. last month
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fru-n-quiz, VR_Sniper and Blutraben added Great Big Sea to their libraries. last month
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OrazioGnerre wrote about Great Big Sea – Road Rage in Charts. June 2011
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