Day two of last weekend’s road trip took me to beautiful Bala, Ontario. Home of The Kee to Bala. Saturday’s entertainment was Brett Kissel. It was his first time performing there and he was pumped!
Brett was Alberta’s best kept secret till the launch of his “Started With A Song” Album and the release of the title track as a single in 2013. At the Canadian Country Music Association Awards that year, there was a buzz about him. I remember seeing him several times but, could never get close enough to say hello. Since, last summer, that hasn’t seemed to be a problem for me. I have had the opportunity to see him in concert and face-to-face numerous times. He is a genuinely nice young man with a rising star that is continuing to soar. He has a great team supporting him and his band and crew are a family on the road.
Brett Kissel
Whether playing to a small audience or an mass of thousands, Brett and his band give their all. He reaches out to each and every person like they are the only one in the room. That’s a special quality!
Brett Kissel and the band – Tyler Vollrath, Justin Kudding, Ben Bradley and Matty McKay
One of the highlights for his fans is when he came down into the crowd and sang a song. They went crazy with selfies and photos of Brett. He joked that he likes to try and give his Tour Manager, Kevin Bushey, heart failure.
Brett Kissel in the crowd.
All his hits were performed, along with a few sneak peeks from his up-coming album “Airwaves”, due out September 11th, and several of his favourite cover tunes. No matter what song he was performing, the crowd loved it! Singing along, swaying to the music and arms waving.
Brett Kissel with Matty McKay
On this tour, Brett has been giving away a Gibson guitar at every show. Saturday was no different. He picked out a young lady that had made a poster, “We Love Brett Kissel“. The poster was placed on stage and stayed there for the rest of the night. When he invited her up on stage and gave her the guitar, her face was glowing with excitement and surprise. What a great experience to witness!
Brett Kissel surprises a fan with his Gibson guitar
The night was hot and humid but, no one seemed to mind. The music was hotter! If you have not yet had the chance to see Brett Kissel live, in concert, I strongly suggest you do. His “Airwaves” Tour will be crossing the country this fall. It will be a must see show.
Brett Kissel at the end of the night.
