In Newfoundland, making the neighbourhood rounds is a Christmas tradition that’s a bit like a progressive dinner, bar hopping and caroling put together.
It inspired an Okanagan band to create a Celtic-style Christmas album and take it on tour through towns throughout the region.
Cod Gone Wild front-man Andrew Mercer is the man who moved to B.C. but his musically style is proof you can’t take the Newfoundland out of the boy.
“I am the cod gone wild, I guess, being from Newfoundland,” Mercer told Global News. “They call me the ‘Cod Father.'”
“The exciting thing about Neighbourhood Rounds is Andrew came up with the concept based on a Newfoundland idea which is called neighbourhood rounds,” Cod Gone Wild fiddler Sue Aylard said. “He introduces it at every show at the beginning.”
“Newfoundland music and Celtic music, in general, does tell a story,” Mercer said. “It’s passionate music and nostalgic of days gone by, of simpler times.”
The tour took to the Kelowna stage on Sunday and Monday and continues on until Dec. 16, when it will reach Clearwater.
“The thing that you see through all of it is there’s always the toe tapping, and the heads bobbing, and the people singing along,” Aylard said. “There’s always at least one person that when we say, Is there anyone from Newfoundland? There’s always one hand that raises and then there’s the million hands that go, I want to go to Newfoundland. It’s awesome”
Neighbourhood Rounds is the band’s fifth CD release and can be downloaded on their website.
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