Alan Doyle looks forward to headlining this year’s CP Rail Holiday Train, which ends its cross-Canada journey in Port Moody and Port Coquitlam on Sunday night.
As a child growing up in Newfoundland, the frontman for the now-defunct band Great Big Sea was fascinated with trains but never got a chance to ride them.
It wasn’t until he travelled around Europe — or hopped on a commuter train from Ottawa to Montreal — that he got to experience what the ride felt like, as an adult.
Last Saturday in Calgary, Doyle and his ensemble, The Beautiful Band, climbed aboard the annual train — a fundraiser for food banks across the country — to take over from travelling musician Colin James for the last leg of the adventure. In total, they’ll make 32 stops, wrapping it up in Port Coquitlam at 6:15 p.m.
And he’s is already savouring his final lick.
“The last strum of my guitar in British Columbia is really the end of my work year,” Doyle told The Tri-City News from his hometown of St. John’s. “It’s been quite a busy one so I’m looking forward to coming home as much as I’m looking forward to doing it.”
Doyle’s 2017 was indeed hectic. In October, the 48-year-old dropped his third solo album, titled A Week at The Warehouse (recorded in Gastown); his second book, A Newfoundlander in Canada: Always Going Somewhere, Always Coming Home, came out five days later.
As well, he guest starred in a Murdoch Mysteries episode (A Murdog Mystery), released a music video and two singles and was named a Member of the Order of Canada.
Last month, he also appeared with Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo, Ed Robertson of Barenaked Ladies, Sarah McLachlan, Colin James and Barney Bentall, among other Canadian musicians, at The Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver for Spirit of Canada: A Benefit for John Mann of Spirit of the West.
In the new year, Doyle vows he’ll be back on the West Coast to promote his album at a March 10 concert, at The Centre in Vancouver, as well as play some summer gigs.
But, until Sunday night, the holiday train will be his main focus.
He and his band — “a wonderful gang,” he said — promise a mix of Christmas carols and a couple of songs from the Great Big Sea catalogue, for their 30-minute set per stop.
“Whatever the day looks the most, that’s what we’ll play then,” he quipped.
• Port Moody: The city has an afternoon rolled out in and around the PoMo recreation complex from 1 to 5 p.m. on Dec. 17. Enjoy a skate from 1 to 2:30 p.m.; stop by the Wellness Room for family fun from 2 to 4:30 p.m.; or warm up by the bonfire behind the facility. The train arrives at 4:20 p.m. with entertainment scheduled from 4:45 to 5:15 p.m. Be sure to bring a non-perishable food donation for the Share food bank, which last year saw more than 960 pounds and $1,732 hauled in for the cause.
• Port Coquitlam: Like in PoMo, the city has its CP Rail Holiday Train festivities starting early in the day. Skate with Santa is at the PoCo recreation complex from 1:15 to 3:45 p.m. The train enters the West Coast Express station (across Kingsway Avenue) at 6 p.m., with entertainment from 6:15 to 6:45 p.m. As well, donations for the Share food bank will be accepted at the event.
ALSO ON BOARD
Port Moody teen singer Ty Waters — aka Tyson Venegas, the 2013 winner of the PNE Star Showdown — will entertain on the CP Rail Holiday Train in Port Moody and PoCo to perform his holiday single, Everything I Want For Christmas, with proceeds to the charity Music Heals (buy it on iTunes, Spotify or tywaters.com).
