February 1st had been a night that I’d been anticipating since Christmas time, when my father in a tone drowned in fatigue and apathy for the holiday season drolled on about Great Big Sea tickets for their Stratford concert. Nevertheless, the news hit home. I ensured that I wouldn’t be called to work, and cleared my schedule (it was covered in lint).

Any reader possessing a calendar, or a keen sense of logic that first read the date of this entry, will quickly realize that February 1st was two nights ago. Yes. Great Big Sea has already come and gone. And you weren’t there. What is your malfunction?

The band was awesome. I’ve been listening to them - through the divine influence of my parents - since early in their career. Their blend of Maritime folk songs with modern rock is very refreshing, and the rhythm that their tunes convey makes you want to dance (and sing, if you have the pipes for it).

Despite the passion for their music, my family had never had the luxury of seeing them in concert during their original formation. This left me a little crestfallen because I thought Darrell Power was an essential item to the band. And indeed, his playing of the bass guitar will be missed. Yet, when listening to the new group, you can hardly distinguish the Torontonian replacement - Murray Foster - from the East Coast boys. And then, of course, Kris MacFarlane - percussions - is an extremely silent and creepy addition to the band. I say this because he does not speak, and for the entirety of the concert he had a hat pulled down over his eyes.

Perhaps he has stage fright.

Nevertheless, the concert Wednesday night was seriously kick ass. I was worried that it would discourage GBS from ever returning to Stratford in future tours as I expected our audience to be full of uptight fans of the group, who would rather sit and absorb the music than tear the place apart with jumping, clapping, cheering and singing. My fears were almost a reality three minutes into the first set, when I saw a woman walk two rows up to tell a younger fan to sit down. It made me sad. However, by the time they busted out Lukey’s Boat, people were jumping and dancing and you couldn’t stop them. There was even a heavily pregnant woman right up by the stage shaking her swelling belly to the sound of the music. My prayers go out to the baby, who may have serious brain damage considering the volume of the music (due to inept sound guys, there was crackling and cutting out of instruments and microphones during the first four or five songs).

Overall, the first set was mellow songs, and a lot of their slower stuff. The second set was classic GBS. All their fast songs like Mari-Mac and A Boat Like Gideon Brown, as well as Ordinary Day, Consequence Free and Helmethead turned up in the second set, to the delight of everyone (especially myself, because Mari-Mac is my favourite song). Through all these songs, everyone in the audience was up on their feet. For Mari-Mac and Gideon Brown, I was belting out the lyrics. Kevin Branson - who I discovered that night was a big fan - belted out the lyrics to Rant and Roar. My father applauded enthusiastically at the end of The Scolding Wife because he claims it reminds him of my mother. Tut tut tut. Needless to say, the second set was enjoyed by all. There wasn’t a seat used during that set.

They graced the crowd with a double encore, which featured their new songs The Twelve Apostles from their “The Hard and The East” album. They also sang another favourite, Excursion Around The Bay. However, I can honestly say that song sounded better with Darrell’s voice behind it. All the ladies in the crowd screeched a their a cappella singing of Old Brown’s Daughter. Frankly, I think it was because the boys moved closer to the front of the stage.

All in all, this concert rocked hardcore and I’ve got the T-Shirt to prove it. It has the cover of “The Hard and the Easy” on the front, and the tour dates on the back. I will treasure it always. Another thing I can treasure is the numbness in my hands and my scratched leg - both wounds from clapping too hard and stomping my feet too much.

We’re going to see them again, when they hit K-W area in May. Rock on!