Great Lake Swimmers

About this event

Featuring a blend of acoustic instruments, rural soundscapes, and wistful vocals, Great Lake Swimmers are a critically acclaimed indie-folk group led by songwriter/vocalist Tony Dekker. Based in Toronto, Ontario, the group emerged with a succession of heavily atmospheric albums recorded in old silos and rural country churches. The music has developed that pastoral warmth over subsequent albums through a continued vision to record and perform in acoustically unique and historical locales. They are renowned for their homespun folk and lush, intimate Americana in their live shows.

They have been shortlisted for the prestigious Polaris Music Prize and nominated twice for Canada’s Juno Awards, with the CBC calling them “a national treasure.”

Their latest offering is the 2025 LP “Caught Light,” an album that has been described as "a retro sound that doesn’t necessarily sound vintage. It’s actually refreshing" (Americana Highways).

“It floats from country to folk to indie rock and back again, painting a sharp-toothed but achingly beautiful portrait of both the natural world and the human condition” - New Noise Magazine

“Dekker’s preoccupation with the Canadian state of mind flourishes in his lyrics. Few songwriters are able to convey the country’s harsh beauty as well. …Canadian folk tradition personified in the 21st century” – Exclaim!

“A minimalist, atmospheric compendium of songs with a sonic environment the listener can easily get lost in.” – The Vue

"A stunning variety of tones and textures… nothing less than both cerebral and sublime” - American Songwriter, 4/5

“Ambient Zen Americana” – Mojo

https://linktr.ee/greatlakeswimmers