CALGARY - In the 13 years since their breakthrough album, Up, Newfoundland's Great Big Sea has gone from a madcap Celtic party band to a more sophisticated adult-oriented pop group.

Their most recent album, Fortune's Favour, was produced by the ever-creative Hawksley Workman and saw the band stretch its sound even further into rock and pop territory, with varying degrees of success.

In an attempt to move away from their reputation as that band you got drunk to in college, Great Big Sea's current tour has them playing more respectable soft-seat venues, such as the Jubilee Auditorium.

This may disappoint fans who have enjoyed an inebriated jig at previous GBS shows, but it didn't seem to bother most of the 2,400 fans who took in last night's two-hour concert.

The slightly more refined atmosphere of the Jubilee meant the crowd was kept mostly under control -- no wanton beer spillage that I could see -- but it also meant the band could better showcase newer material which focuses more intricate lyricism than brash, foot-stomping anthems.

Still, the audience buzzed with excitement and greeted the band with the loudest cheers I've ever heard in the Jube.

Founding members Alan Doyle, Sean McCann and Bob Hallett -- along with bassist Murray Foster and multi-instrumentalist Kris MacFarlane -- literally ran onto the stage.

"Calgareeeee," hollered Doyle, as they launched into their first song, Love Me Tonight, the lead track from their new album.

The song is as radio-friendly as they come and demonstrated Doyle and McCann's near-perfect vocal harmonies, finely tuned over the past 15 years.

Although Doyle pushed for the crowd to sing along, it seems most of them were not familiar with the song yet. That certainly wasn't the case with the next tune, Donkey Riding.

The a cappella song has long been a live favourite and it was the same deal last night.

Surprisingly, the audience stayed seated for the first few songs. But the first line of The Night That Paddy Murphy Died was too much for one female fan in the front row who jumped to her feet.

Within seconds, most of the auditorium -- at least the people on the floor -- were up and dancing.

The band played around with some of their hit songs, changing up the rhythm of the Oysterband cover, When I'm Up I Can't Get Down, featured on the 1997 album, Play.

Doyle and McCann hardly said a word during the first 15 or so minutes of the concert and it was noticeable. Half the fun of a Great Big Sea concert is listening to the bandmates hilarious banter between themselves and the audience. Thankfully, Doyle's motormouth revved up and he was off making wisecracks with McCann.

At one point, Doyle joked that the show was being lipsynched because, as he explained: "There's no way we could bust out these moves and sing at the same time."

He also made light of the band's drinking prowess, telling the audience that the last time they were in town (playing an intimate show at the James Joyce Pub to promote Fortune's Favour) they ended up owing the pub $126.

Although the band has been trying its hand at more straight-ahead rock and pop, Celtic is what they do best.

And that doesn't mean just the big singalong numbers.

The hauntingly beautiful England is a newer song in the Great Big Sea roster, written by McCann for the new album. It is more traditional English folk than Irish or Scottish-flavoured and is probably one of Great Big Sea's best tunes. McCann's rendition of it last night was a showstopper.

Great Big Sea may not be the coolest kid on the block, but there is a reason they sold out the Jubilee last night.

They're a crack live band who can turn even the poshest venue into a downhome Newfoundland kitchen party.