It is not often that people in the Westlock area have the opportunity to see big name acts, which makes organizers especially excited about Brett Kissel’s New Year’s Eve show at the Half Moon Lake Hall.
Chris Gibson, a board member and one of the show’s organizers, said she’s especially excited about the show since Kissel may soon be too popular for small hall shows.
“We’re getting somebody at the hall who is going to become quite famous,” she said. “We’re very excited that we have him in the hall and we’ll be able to say in the future that we had Brett Kissel.”
Kissel is a native of northern Alberta, having grown up on a cattle ranch northeast of St. Paul. He has recorded four albums, been nominated for two Canadian Country Music Awards and has played shows all over western Canada and even internationally.
The 21-year-old singer has had successes well beyond his years; he is now represented by a big-name agent in Nashville, where he will soon record another album.
Kissel could not be reached for an interview.
Gibson said one of the main reasons the board chose to bring in Kissel for the annual New Year’s Eve dinner and dance has a lot to do with his young age and his appeal to a younger crowd.
“We’re really trying hard to involve the younger members of the community, trying to find things that interest them,” she said. “We thought this would be a good way to do that, to bring a young entertainer into the area who’s fairly well known and fairly well liked.”
In the past, she added, the dances have featured local DJs and have been geared more toward an older crowd because they make up the bulk of the population in the Halfmoon Lake area.
Gibson said she hopes this show will not only engage a younger crowd, but be a feather in the cap of the community.
“I have the sense this might be one of the last opportunities for people in this area to see Brett Kissel in a smaller venue in this area,” she said.
The show will also feature a dinner provided by an area caterer, which will include roast beef and creamed chicken. Dinner is at 7:30 and the show starts at 9 p.m.
Tickets are $70 each and can be purchased from any board member. For more information, contact Gibson at 780-974-4459.
