Last time we saw Great Big Sea, it was at the Molson Amphitheatre at Ontario Place in Toronto, and it kind of sucked because the venue was so huge and impersonal and there wasn’t much room to get up and bop around. The previous times, we’d seen them in the Water Street Music Hall here in Rochester, a small venue ideally suited for such a high energy band. But I’d emailed Water Street to see if they were planning to have GBS back again, and they said they doubted that GBS would ever play such a small venue again. So we were surprised and pleased to find that they were going to play the German House here in Rochester as the first gig of their fall tour. We’d never been to the German House before, but just like Water Street it had about a standing room only floor below holding about 750 people, and seats in the balcony above for cripples like me.
They came out and told a great story about how they almost didn’t make it to the gig on time, but we’re really glad they did. As always, they did a high energy show and did a great mix of traditional and new stuff. I’m a tiny bit disappointed they didn’t do “Captain Kid”, but they did to Mari Mac and Patty Murphy, of course, and Charley Horse. And “Walk On the Moon” is really starting to grow on me.
Funny thing – because Vicki and I sat up in the balcony in Water Street and again at German House, we were able to do a bit of people watching. Back at Water Street, we were amused by this one woman who spent the entire show trying to come on to the band, especially Allan. She even bought the whole band a shot of scotch, which is probably the worse thing to drink when you’re trying to sing, but they acted appreciative. And this show, there she was again, front and center. She didn’t buy them scotch this time.
One thing I’ve noticed in the last couple of times I’ve gone to see them – they don’t take a real break in the middle of the show any more, except for this one bit where they get the audience singing random rock songs. But they’re all on stage and playing their instruments and stuff during it, so it doesn’t seem like much of a break.
Anyway, I’ll stop babbling now. It was a great concert, and it’s great to see them back at a perfect sized venue again.