In May when Brett Kissel announced the first country music drive-in concert in Edmonton, two Ottawa area fans knew they had to be there, no matter the cost.

Brett Kissel performs at Canada’s first ever country music drive-in show at River Cree Casino in Edmonton photo Mike Scott

When COVID restrictions were enacted nationwide in March, no one anticipated the impact this would have on many industries. Sporting events, movie theatres, bars and restaurants and concerts all came to a sudden stop. While health authorities were still trying to figure this, many performers were ‘postponing’ current tours until later in the summer or early fall. The entire music community was shocked and left scrambling.

Of all industries impacted by Covid-19, the music business was perhaps the hardest hit. There are so many moving parts and people behind the scenes, the stoppage was felt everywhere. Concession workers, ticket takers, promoters, venues, production and stage teams, security personnel and many others were out of work immediately with no end in sight. And lets not forget about the reason why people are gathered at shows to begin with; the artists. In today’s streaming world, many artists can’t rely on music sales anymore, so they take to the road. Missing the live moment of connecting with fans was hard for many artists. Streaming concerts became the norm at first as artists still wanted to connect with their fans. Then an independent artist in BC, 720, held Canada’s first Drive In concert in Prince George BC. We have seen a variety of concert styles this past year from front porch sing alongs balcony shows in hotel parking lots, curbside shows and lawn shows. But there is one seems quite popular: the drive in show. Patrons stay safe by remaining inside their car. You show appreciation by honking your horns and stay dry in case of inclement weather.

Something magical happened when Brett Kissel decided to do a few drive in shows at River Cree Resort just on the edge of Edmonton in Enoch. This was to be Canada’s first country music drive in show. When tickets went on sale, they sold out immediately. Then he added a few more shows that sold out just as quickly. Fans from all over Alberta and few from Saskatchewan and BC gobbled up nearly 1500 ducats in a matter of minute. People did not want to miss out on this historical moment Included amongst those fortunate to have tickets were two huge country music fans who scooped up VIP passes to all 8 shows. Jennifer and Jessica are well known in Ontario as super fans. They’ve gone to great lengths to see some of their favourite artists over the years. This time they drove for 39 hours covering over 3700 KMs across the country to be a part of history. Justine Albrechtas and Jennifer Zilio are indeed super fans. They’ve been to many shows and have great memories. Below is a conversation I had with them just after the shows. Since then Brett has preformed dozens of these drive in shows across Canada. I’m sure Justine and Jennifer have been to a few of them.

Justine (L) and Jennifer at the Kissel drive in show

What is your earliest concert memory?

My earliest concert memory is of a show my grandparents took me to when I was 5. It was a rock band called Treble Charger and my grandpa had me on his shoulders in the pit in front of the stage! So I guess you could say they’re the ones to blame for the way I am today. Haha! 

Before the trip to Edmonton, what was the furthest you traveled for a show?

Technically, the farthest I’ve travelled for a show is Australia (which was in March of this year), but the show got cancelled a few days before it was supposed to happen, and I had to fly home early due to the pandemic. The next farthest I’ve gone is Vancouver, BC to see Tim Hicks in 2017.

Is there another artist that you’d go through great lengths to see?

I have a pretty solid core group of artists that I’ve travelled pretty far for: Tim Hicks, James Barker Band, Dallas Smith & Brett Kissel. I’ve pretty much driven to every corner of Ontario to see each of them. I’m over the 50 show count for all four artists! 

Are there other genres that get your music blood pumping? Or is it mainly country music?

For the most part, it’s mainly country music and pretty much always has been. I do like some rock music, and Gordon Lightfoot is another one of my favourites, so I guess you could add Folk in there, too! 

What’s the most you’ve spent on a show? Did it include VIP meet and greets?

The most I’ve spent on a single show is $500 for a Keith Urban show a couple years ago! It was a VIP pass that included a front row spot in the pit, and a one-on-one M&G with Keith before the show. Worth EVERY penny haha! 

What’s the longest you’ve waited in line to ensure a great seat?

The longest I’ve waited in line is probably somewhere between the 12-14 hour mark. Both times were outdoor Keith Urban shows. One was in Niagara Falls on New Years Eve and it was FREEZING. Still don’t know how I did that one. 

What’s the coolest concert/venue you’ve been to? You can treat this like a two part question.

These are VERY loaded questions haha! I’ve experienced so many different shows and venues over the years, it’s impossible to pick a favourite. Two venues that I do love though, are Budweiser Gardens in London, ON (because it’s basically my hometown arena), and the Kee To Bala in Bala, ON (because it’s such an iconic venue, the shows are always extra rowdy, and the setting it’s in up in Muskoka is absolutely beautiful.)

In terms of a coolest concert…. one that comes to mind is Tim Hicks’ album release party for his album “New Tattoo”. It was at a tiny club in Toronto, and he played a bunch of the new songs acoustically. However, in the middle of the show he completely caught me off guard and called me up onstage to present me with a plaque for my 50th time seeing him play. I hung that plaque up before I even hung my university degree. It meant that much to me! Another one that comes to mind is the Dallas Smith/Dean Brody show in Kitchener last year. We had tickets to 7 shows on the tour & that was our first night. About 3/4 of the way through the show, Dallas & Dean rolled out a bar onto the stage that they called the “Friends Bar” to set the scene for an acoustic portion of the show. Before they sat down to play, Dallas walked up to us in he front row and said “You guys are friends, and you’ve been to SO many shows, want to come up here for a few songs?” So we got to sit behind the bar beside Dallas & Dean while they each did a song. That was another “Did that really just happen?” moment that I’ll never forget!

How many festivals do you attend in the summer?

In an average summer, I usually try to get to between 5-7! 

What have you done during the shutdown to fill your need for live music?

I’ve been spending quite a bit more time looking back through my photos and footage from all the shows I’ve been to in the last few years! It’s fun to look back through some of the crazy memories that have come from the amount of shows I’ve made it to! I’ve also been watching live-streams from some artists online! James Barker Band in particular played a huge part in keeping me sane during the drought of live music! They did 75 straight days of nightly live-streams! It became a serious part of my daily routine haha! Jennifer and I also actually planned a meet up in a Kitchener parking lot (half way between where we each live) and had our own type of “parking lot concert” where we sat in separate cars and listened to music together! I even made “tickets” for it, haha! We were really missing the concert scene! 

Is there one artist you’d love to see or meet?

I’ve been lucky enough to at least see a show from most of the artists that I love! One that I still haven’t seen that I would like to would be George Strait! In terms of who I want to meet that I haven’t yet, Eric Church is at the top of my list. 

Why Brett Kissel?

Over the 6 years since I first saw & met Brett, he has become more of a friend rather than an artist that I go see perform. When you have been going to see the shows for that long and at that level of frequency (the current count after Edmonton is 63), you start to build a type of bond/friendship. The shows have become sort of like a reunion of friends when I go see him, instead of just another concert. You get to know the band, the crew, and it just adds a certain degree of extra fun or meaning to the shows. You learn some of the inside jokes of the show, or the certain quirks that are sprinkled into certain songs or parts of the show, and that’s honestly one of the coolest parts. 

Why drive to Edmonton?

At the point of when he announced the shows, that was the closest option we had haha! And it was history in the making. Add in the fact that we were in serious live music withdrawals, there was no way I was missing it.

What was the biggest surprise for you on your road trip (roadside attraction/city or town/landscape)

it definitely would have to be the landscape of northern Ontario. I’ve never been farther north than Huntsville or Parry Sound, so seeing the landscape around Sault Ste Marie & Thunder Bay completely blew my mind. It’s stunning. 

What was your overall impression of the first show compared to the last show? Was there much a difference between the 8 shows?

First off, I loved ALL 8 shows. I think it was a unique experience seeing all 8 because I got to see Brett’s journey through the 2 days, too. Seeing him start that first show and react to the sea of horns honking was such a cool moment, and you could tell he was loving every minute of every show. The energy seemed to grow with every show, too. Even when we could see the rain clouds coming on the Sunday afternoon for the 7PM & 11PM shows, Brett was determined to give people the best show he could. When it started raining during the 7PM show, he spontaneously added in a cover of “I Love A Rainy Night” by Eddie Rabbitt, which he hadn’t done at any of the previous shows. When lightning made them pause the performance during that same show, we waited for awhile in our cars. When it was discovered that it probably wasn’t going to pass in time to finish up the show normally, Brett got set up quickly in his production trailer and had a camera man broadcast a video feed out to the big screens in the parking lot and proceeded to sing a few more songs for everyone that way to finish off the show. It was pretty cool! 

What was your favourite moment of the 8 shows?

This is also a tough question. The start of the first show was surreal, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t shed some tears when the car honks started. Hearing the deafening sound of the all the horns honking was so surreal. The Sunday 4PM show as a whole was a blast because it was super sunny and we were sitting out the windows of the car singing and clapping along. It was just a super fun atmosphere! I also loved the Sunday 11PM show: the one where it poured rain. Brett came out and did the entire show in torrential rain, and handled it like a compete champ. Most artists would have cancelled the show. Not Brett. He knew people paid and showed up to see a show, and he gave them one. It was super cool to see. 

Did you have the same spot for all 8 shows? (I heard that you did)

For the most part, we did! For one of the shows on the first day, we were in the second row of cars because there was a film crew, and they wanted a bit of variety in the front row with vehicles haha! But for most of them, we were at the stage! 

Did you guys just sleep in the car or did you have accommodations?

We got hotels along the way! On the way out, we stayed in Thunder Bay & Brandon before getting to Edmonton. On the way back, we did the same, but are adding another stop in Sudbury to break up the long haul back to southern Ontario! 

Was it worth the trip?

It was one million percent worth the trip. I’m always looking for my next adventure, and it was the perfect way to end my live music drought! 

How long was the drive? How many KMs? How much gas? 

To get out there, it was about 39 hrs on the road. And 3707 km one way! In terms of gas, I don’t know EXACT info, but we’ve probably gone through about 6 or 7 tanks approximately! 

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

For everyone who’s missing live music and wondering how drive-in shows compare to normal shows we’re used to: they’re obviously not the same, BUT that doesn’t mean they can’t be just as fun! Get creative! Decorate your vehicle! Bring noise-makers to show your support whether you’re in the front row or the back row! My personal favourite one I brought was my megaphone haha! It honestly was one of the most memorable and fun concert experiences I’ve ever had. If you have the chance to go to one, take it! 

 

JENNIFER:

What is your earliest concert memory?

My earliest memory was going to see New Kids on the Block at Canada’s Wonderland when I was young. They were on the bill to be the opener for Tiffany. The crowd chanted so much for New Kids before the show even started that they ended up switching it up and Tiffany opened for them that night.

Before the trip to Edmonton, what was the furthest you traveled for a show?

Vegas or Calgary

This past September I flew from Toronto to Calgary for Canadian Country music week. I attended the Canadian country music awards show, fan fest shows and also bought tickets for different songwriters rounds.

Is there another artist that you’d go through great lengths to see?

Keith Urban! I went to see him in Vegas for two nights this January. I’ve also driven to Ohio and Pennsylvania to see him.

Are there other genres that get your music blood pumping? Or is it mainly country music?

I love bands from the 80’s and also Rock. In the past couple of years I’ve been to see Depeche Mode, U2, Def Leppard, The Spoons, Bryan Adams, Queen, Jim Cuddy, Hootie and the Blowfish, Shinedown, Stone Temple Pilots, Default

What’s the most you’ve spent on a show? Did it include VIP meet and greets?

That depends if you want to include hotel costs. Just ticket-wise it would be Keith Urban. $550

It was a vip package. It did include a backstage experience (tables chairs a stage, food and non alcoholic drinks) Keith comes out on the stage to sing a song and answer questions. We were given special merchandise, a one on one meet and greet and a VIP roped off section in the Pit saved for us. It was right front and centre.

What’s the longest you’ve waited in line to ensure a great seat?

7 hours. I had a general admission pit ticket. I went to check out the venue and when I walked by, there were 6 people already lined up so I stayed.

What’s the coolest concert/venue you’ve been to?

Coolest concert was Queen! It was magical. The crowd singing along to Love of My Life gave me goosebumps. The way they used holograms of Freddie…Amazing.

Venue-wise, The Sanderson Centre in Brantford, ON is a beautiful venue. It’s hard not to constantly stare at the beautiful ceiling. Also the staff are always friendly and talkative before the show.

How many festivals do you attend in the summer?

I’m more loyal to artists, than festivals. Sometimes I will only do one day of a festival if it’s an act I really want to see but can’t do the whole weekend.

However, last Summer I did go to Havelock for the whole weekend. There were many artists on the bill I wanted to see

What have you done during the shutdown to fill your need for live music?

I’ve watched artists perform on Facebook or Instagram live. It’s been really nice. To me, it’s more personal and interactive as they can read the comments and answer questions. You can see more of their personality shine through than you would at a show.

I will also rewatch videos I’ve taken at previous shows.

And now I’ve also been to a drive-in concert!

Is there one artist you’d love to see or meet

An artist I haven’t met and I would love to meet is Bryan Adams.
Why Brett Kissel?
From the first Brett show I ever went to, Brett stayed for over 2 hours after the show to meet and take pictures with anyone who wanted to meet him. His set was only 90 mins. Not many artists do that. That night I was driving home and I thought if that man is that good to his fans, he deserves the loyalty back. Brett has still been really amazing to his fans ever since.

Why drive to Edmonton?

Most of my concert plans for the year have been cancelled, I missed live music, I had vacation time to use and I’ve always wanted to drive across Canada. This was the perfect excuse.

What was the biggest surprise for you on your road trip (roadside attraction/city or town/landscape)

My biggest surprise was just how beautiful Northern Ontario is. The area around the top of Lake Superior was more beautiful than I could’ve imagined. Mountainous views, the beautiful Canadian Shield, the sparkling water. Every Canadian should make the drive across our country. It’s more amazing than you can imagine.

What was your overall impression of the first show compared to the last show? Was there much a difference between the 8 shows?

The first show felt so exciting as I hadn’t been to a show since February and it was emotional. I could tell Brett had missed performing. When he spoke about the concerts coming together and how the year had changed to what he thought it was going to be, it was obvious that he was choking up. I was emotional because life felt almost normal for an hour.
The last show… in the pouring rain, Brett could’ve cancelled. The rain was not set to let up until morning. But Brett didn’t cancel. He came out and gave even more of himself to the crowd. Choking up again as he talked. Brett is quick to adapt to any issue. When the rain started in the 7th show, Brett went back to the band quickly and made changes the set list. He Added songs about rain.
Then Brett was forced to leave the stage after half the set due to lightning in the area. His crew gets him set up backstage with a camera, a mic and performs a few acoustic songs on the big screen. Each show is different and special in its own way. Brett continues to impress me.

What was your favourite moment of the 8 shows?

During the 7th show when Brett changed the set list on the fly because of the rain, to include more songs about rain.

Did you have the same spot for all 8 shows?

No, we were moved around

Was it worth the trip?

100% yes. My heart is full. The first ever drive in concert in Canada won’t happen again. Plus it was Brett, an artist I love. I got to drive across this BEAUTIFUL country of mine with my great friend Justine. I can say for the rest of my life, ‘I was there when…” The memories I have made will last the rest of my life.
No regrets.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

People ask why I go to so many shows/events. I try to live my life in the moment and to the fullest. I dont want to look back when I’m older and regret not having done something. So I’m doing it now. Driving across the country, attending multiple shows of the same artist. Who know’s what could change in my life at any moment to not be able to go to these events anymore.