Great Lake Swimmers, Portland – YES, Manchester – 9th May 2026

YES Bar is one of those venues where you know you will always have a good night before you even step into the venue. It has this way of making everything feel close and intimate that pulls you into the performance. For 20 years, Great Lake Swimmers’ music has carved out a quiet but unmissable place in folk. For more than two decades, Tony Dekker has been writing songs that feel like they have been shaped by the landscape, carrying a sense of calm and ease to their music. Seeing them performmusic from their new album in a small venue like YES bar felt like you were able to listen to the music differently.

PORTLAND

Portland opened the stage with an easy charm. The way he talked and carried himself on stage, you could not help but ease into his music easily. It was nice seeing him standing alone on the stage with his guitar and harmonica on the side. It did not take him long to settle on stage and start cracking up jokes with the audience.

He began singing his own songs, easing into them and pulling the audience’s undivided attention to him. Even though he joked about his music being ‘sad’, they did not land with any heaviness. Instead, they had a warm pull to them delivered by a raw and honest voice. You could feel the audience settling into his world, following the stories in his lyrics, noticing the shifts in the tones. There was something about his music, maybe becauseof the solo set up, but it made the room feel connected to him and the music.

Halfway through his set, Portland took a moment to pause and asked us a very important question. “Do you guys think I look like Bob Dylan?” The whole room erupted in laughter because you could honestly see the similarities between the two. I love seeing an opener feel comfortable with the crowd and interact with them. He did a cover of Girl From The North Country, and it was done beautifully; he was able to slip into the song with ease, with his harmonica and his guitar. It was one of those moments where everything just clicked; it all felt so natural, you almost forgot it wasn’t his own song.

Portland had this stage presence that really compels you and draws you in. He left the room wanting more and built the anticipation and excitement for what was going to come next.

GREAT LAKE SWIMMERS

Great Lake Swimmers took to the stage, and the atmosphere of the room shifted subtly, in a way that band carries itself with a certain calm confidence. Their music filled the room slowly, settling into the room gently, and you could not help but feel drawn into it, not just by listening but also by watching each member in their own little world.

The band’s lineup was simple but effective: Tony Dekker on lead vocals, Marshall Bureau on drums, and Colleen Brown moving between keyboard, guitar and harmonies. Every person on that stage was able to capture the room’s attention in their own way. It was one of those sets where you could not help but find yourself looking from musician to musician, noticing the small things, the glances, the smiles, the energy shift, it was all captivating to watch.

What really stood out the most when watching this band perform live was how they were able to make this small room feel bigger. Not louder, not fuller, but bigger. There is something very powerful about their music.

Hearing Tony speak between songs added a whole other layer to the night. He talked about the writing process for a few of their songs with this gentle honesty, letting us know where some of these songs we all know and love came from and what shaped them. It was really nice and refreshing to hear an artist talk about their work, and especially talk about their work in a way that feels like

AFTERSHOW

After the show, I was lucky to be able to speak to both Tony and Portland which ended up being one of my highlights from the night. Tony was warm in that calm, steady way that makes you feel instantly at ease around him. We were able to talk about the tour and how they are already halfway through, and talk about the rhythm of travelling and performing, and it was such a pleasant, unhurried conversation.

I was also able to speak to Portland, and he was just as much of a joy to talk to as well. There’s something refreshing about speaking to someone who is genuinely passionate about what they do and openly admires the people they are working alongside. It was also nice hearing his perspective on the tour, the shows, and the artists around him; it added a whole other layer to the night. He is the kind of person who also makes you feel welcome straight away, kind, funny, excited to share his work, but excited to learn about the person you are. It was a shame that our conversation was cut a little shorter, as I would have happily talked for longer if security hadn’t started ushering everyone out.

CREATING AN OPEN SPACE

Nights like this stay with you for so many reasons that go beyond the music. The music, of course, but also the conversations, the small moments and the feeling of being welcomed. Great Lake Swimmers with Portland didn’t just play, they created a space that allowed the audience members to open up and forget what was going on in the outside world, a space you didn’t want to leave.  And honestly, that is what makes folk so special, it reminds you how good it feels to be held in something simple, honest and human.

Great Lake Swimmers: Website

Portland: Website

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