For the second straight year Halifax's Citadel Hill will be rocking with a multitude of
 Canadian sounds thanks to the boys from Great Big Sea.

 The Great Big Picnic has quickly become one of the most anticipated events of the
 summer. Since its inception in 1996, debuting in St. John's, the musical feast has
 showcased Canadian talent at its best.

 Darrell Power told the Gig, the band has always looked at the picnic as their chance to
 show the East Coast to the rest of Canada and vise versa.

 "We've always been involved (in choosing the bands)," he said on the phone from St.
 John's. "We like to show where music is going in Canada, and the bands we have reflect
 that."

 This years's line-up includes, Philosopher Kings, Bran Van 3000, Colin James and the Little
 Big Band, The Watchmen, (newly added) The Ennis Sisters from St. John's and a special
 appearance by the Cheiftans. The boys have mixed everything from the alternative sounds
 of the Watchmen to Colin James Bluesy big band sound to the dance grooves of Bran Van
 3000.

 "All this comes together for one day of top notch music," said Power. "It brings together
 people of different backgrounds and age."

 The addition of the Cheiftans represents a large coup for the band. With their joint effort on
 Lukey's Boat on the BMG release, Fire in the Kitchen, GBS is attracting a little international
 attention. Including a recent signing with SIRE Records to release their Cds in the lucracitve
 United States market.

 "That is the beauty of this picnic, to have a band of that stature is great," he said. "We met
 earlier in the year for Fire in the Kitchen, and ended up doing eight or nine shows in June.
 It's nice to have them back in Halifax."

 The Halifax show comes on the heels of the phenomenally successful Picnic in Grand Falls,
 Newfoundland. Power says the band purposely moved the event outside of St. John's to
 help people from across the island to make the trip. It worked, drawing more than 20,000 for
 the one day dinner party.

 "We were so pleased with the show in Grand Falls, to take a town of a few thousand people
 and turn it into 20,000 is an amazing thing."

 Halifax's picnic was placed late in the summer to coincide with the return of university and
 school crowds. Power says the band is hopeful they can draw from as far away as Cape
 Breton for the big event.

 Great Big Sea is just finishing a long deserved break. Taking a couple weeks in early
 August to rest after montsh of globe trotting from gig to gig.

 A weary Power says the band has been plane hopping quite heavily this summer, including
 a couple of jaunts across the pond. Power remembers a particularly greulling trip that
 involved flying from Lisbon to San Francisco.

 With the picnic happening September 12 they'll have to very quickly depart for a US tour
 including 12 stops across that country. "This is what we wanted to do from the very
 beginning and the band still enjoys it."

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