The Clark Center for the Performing Arts in Arroyo Grande will present the critically-acclaimed Canadian folk-rock band Great Big Sea on Friday at 8 p.m.  

Canadian folk-rock band Great Big Sea fuses traditional Newfoundland music with modern pop in a crowd-pleasing formula that is both heartfelt and vital. A pure force of nature - much like the ocean surge they take their name from - Great Big Sea's blend of instruments like mandolin, bodhran, fiddle and concertina, along with their vocal harmonies, revels in the melodies they create and the classic folk tunes they love.

Great Big Sea is best known for performing energetic rock interpretations of traditional Newfoundland folk songs including sea shanties, which draw from the island's 500-year-old Irish, English, and French heritage. All of Great Big Sea's albums are certified gold or platinum and have cumulatively sold over one million copies. Their most recent album, "The Hard and the Easy," was nominated for a 2006 Juno award (Canada's equivalent to a Grammy). Great Big Sea also just recently received a 2011 Juno nomination for Group of the Year.

For many, Great Big Sea has ceased to be just a band - for the three core members and their assorted collaborators, it's a way of life. While music fashions come and go, Great Big Sea has continued to build audiences across the continent. A hard working approach to touring and performance, along with a genuine love for the music they perform, has kept the band growing, despite being pretty much immune to musical fashions.

Don't miss what is sure to be an energetic evening of Celtic-Rock infusion with the award-winning band Great Big Sea at the Clark Center on March 18.

Tickets for Great Big Sea are $29-$43 and are on sale now. Call (805) 489-9444 for tickets or visit the
Clark Center Box Office at 487 Fair Oaks Avenue in Arroyo Grande.

For more information on the show, or to purchase tickets online, visit www.clarkcenter.org.