Great big sound from Newfoundland

Newfoundland-based Celtic-rock band Great Big Sea filled the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center with a blend of rock and folk sound at their concert on Thursday evening.
   
This performance is part of their latest U.S. tour, hot on the heels of the band’s ninth studio album, “Fortune’s Favour.” The Canadian trio is known for their unique marriage of Newfoundland folk and energetic rock sounds, citing such varied influences as Bob Marley, the Clash, Fergus O’Byrne, Ron Hynes, Johnny Cash and Donal Lunny.
   
“Our music is of Newfoundland,” said band member Sean McCann in their official biography. “It would be impossible to do what we do if we were from anywhere else. Our songs come from the sea and the cliffs and the rocks and all the other natural beauties our country provides. Without her we simply couldn’t exist.”
   
GBS made its start in St. John’s, Newfoundland with their self-titled debut album in 1993.
   
“We weren’t the best musicians in town,” founding member Bob Hallett said. “We just wanted it more. We were driven by a bloody-minded need to succeed and we were rewarded for our bleeding.”
   
Sixteen years later, that “bleeding” has resulted in nine studio albums, each of which has been certified either gold or platinum in Canada.  Additionally, the band has been nominated for several Juno awards—which are essentially Canadian Grammys—including this year’s nomination for Group of the Year.
   
The band is well-known for their explosive live performances at such venues as the House of Blues and National Public Radio’s World Café. They’ve shared the stage with many renowned figures, including a collaboration with Academy Award-winning actor and GBS fan Russell Crowe.
   
GBS was joined for Thursday’s performance by opening act Scythian, a classically-trained Celtic-rock quartet from Washington D.C. Both bands are characterized by their versatility, with each member playing a number of instruments including acoustic and electric guitar, fiddle, button accordion and tenor banjo.
   
GBS’s latest album, Fortune’s Favour, embodies the unique sound of the band while pushing the boundaries of the group’s art and music.
   
“We embraced the law of the road when we started this, and we apply the same rules to our music,” explained lead singer Alan Doyle. “If you are not going forwards, you are going backwards. And we hate retracing our steps.”
   
Great Big Sea will continue their US tour throughout the rest of the month. More information about the Newfoundland trio can be found at their official website, www.greatbigsea.com.

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