Sarah Harmer remains a pillar of Canadian song-writing, despite having released only a handful of tracks in the last decade. Now, with the second single from her upcoming album, the two-time JUNO Award-winner is pitting the final days of a failing romance against the eastern Prince Edward Island village of “St. Peter’s Bay” with the album’s opening track.
On February 9, 2012, Prince Edward Island was hosting Hockey Day in Canada. It was a celebration of Canadian heroes that included NHL alumni, then-CBC hosts Ron McLean and Don Cherry, and a fantastic line-up of songwriters sharing in a hockey-themed concert. The line-up included Sarah Harmer, Chris Murphy (Sloan), Lennie Gallant, Stephen Stanley (Lowest of the Low), Carmen Townsend, Liam Corcoran (Two Hours Traffic), and Dave Bidiniband.
As far as we can tell, it may have been that particular day that closed a chapter in Harmer’s life and made way for this song.
“I wrote St. Peter’s Bay on the plane to Prince Edward Island for a Hockey Day In Canada theatre show, but the hockey part is only a prompt,” says Harmer. “The song is about the end of a relationship, set against the frozen shoreline of Lake Ontario. I thought what better way to start the record than with black and white pioneer era sound, and a tale of love burning down to its final ember.”
Sarah Harmer’s sixth album, Are You Gone, is expected to be released February 21, 2020 via Arts & Crafts. She’ll also be launching into her first tour in a decade, after taking time to champion some environmental causes.
Tour Dates:
02.26.20 – Alexandria, VA @ Birchmere Music Hall
02.27.20 – Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live
02.29.20 – New York, NY @ Joe’s Pub
03.01.20 – Boston, MA @ City Winery
03.24.20 – Peterborough, ON @ Market Hall
03.25.20 – Peterborough, ON @ Market Hall
03.27.20 – Huntsville, ON @ Algonquin Theatre
03.28.20 – Belleville, ON @ The Empire Theatre
04.01.20 – Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
04.03.20 – London, ON @ London Musical Hall
04.04.20 – Guelph, ON @ War Memorial Hall
04.14.20 – Meaford, ON @ Meaford Hall
04.15.20 – Orillia, ON @ Orillia Opera House
04.17.20 – Parry Sound, ON @ Stockey Centre
04.18.20 – Sudbury, ON @ College Boreal
04.19.20 – Sault Ste Marie, ON @ Machine Shop
04.21.20 – Winnipeg, MB @ The Garrick
04.22.20 – Saskatoon, SK @ Broadway Theatre
04.24.20 – Edmonton, AB @ Starlite Room
04.25.20 – Calgary, AB @ Bella Concert Hall
04.26.20 – Nelson, BC @ Hume Hotel
04.28.20 – Courteney, BC @ Sid Williams Theatre
04.29.20 – Campbell River, BC @ Tidemark Theatre
04.30.20 – Victoria, BC @ The Capitol Ballroom
05.02.20 – Vancouver, BC @ The Vogue Theatre
05.04.20 – Seattle, WA @ The Triple Door
05.05.20 – Portland, OR @ The Old Church
05.16.20 – Ann Arbor, MI @ The Ark
10.21.20 – Kitchener, ON @ Centre In The Square
10.23.20 – Milton, ON @ FirstOntario Arts Centre Milton
11.14.20 – Kingston, ON @ The Grand Theatre
11.15.20 – Montréal, QC @ Théâtre Corona
11.17.20 – Fredericton, NB @ Fredericton Playhouse
11.18.20 – Charlottetown, PEI @ PEI Brewing Company
11.19.20 – Moncton, NB @ Capitol Theatre
11.20.20 – Halifax, NS @ Rebecca Cohn Auditorium
11.21.20 – Pictou, NS @ deCoste Performing Arts Centre
11.23.20 – Corner Brook, NL @ Arts and Culture Centre
11.24.20. – Gander, NL @ Joseph R. Smallwood Arts and Culture Centre
11.25.20 – St. John’s, NL @ Arts and Culture Centre – St. John’s