The Newfoundland group, which blends traditional Celtic sounds with – you guessed it – rock, is taking on clubs and theatres across the southern part of the border from March 10 on through April 4.

They’re continuing to tour behind their latest album, Sea Of No Cares. The disc debuted at No. 1 on the Canadian charts and no doubt helped the group earn seven East Coast Music Award nominations for 2003.

But not all was good in 2003 for Great Big Sea. After 10 years with the band, bassist Darrell Power decided to cast his anchor elsewhere.

“I have chosen to pursue interests, musical and otherwise, off the road and closer to home for the foreseeable future,” Power said. “It was an amicable decision and the right one for me at this time.”

Power’s departure leaves Alan Doyle, Bob Hallett and Sean McCann to soldier on by themselves. Since the announcement of Power leaving the group, there hasn’t been any official announcement on a permanent replacement for the bassist. They do have someone filling in for the live shows, though.

“Darrell has been a great driving force in the band and will be missed,” Doyle said. “But being in Great Big Sea is an all-consuming job and we respect his decision to devote more time to his family,” McCann added.

Hailing from small fishing villages in Northeast Canada, Great Big Sea’s music is a reflection of the traditional tunes handed down through generations.

As Hallett (fiddle, accordion, mandolin, concertina and bouzuki) explains, their music is “a really aggressive folk band that marries traditional Celtic music with modern rhythms.” And thus, Celtic rock lives on in Great Big Sea.