Brett Kissel performs a drive-in concert in Edmonton. The country music star will be in Medicine Hat on Sept. 5 to perform a special concert dedicated to two local families dealing with especially difficult times.--PHOTO COURTESY BEN DARTNELL
rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com@MHNMcCrackenTough times don’t last, tough people do.
The titular line from Brett Kissel’s hit song ‘Tough People Do’ has become somewhat of a mantra for fans through trying times – not to mention a focal point of his Sept. 5 Live at the Drive-In concerts in support of Alexis and Ryan at the Canalta Centre parking lot.
“With every year, there’s a different added layer that speaks to that song and the importance of that song,” Kissel said in a phone interview with the News. “When I wrote it a few years ago, it was very personal. I had lost my grandparents and I wrote that song as kind of an ode to my family and for support for my family … Playing it live has been a real joy, but it’s also tugged on my heart strings, so without question that’s a song that I’m really looking forward to playing in Medicine Hat here in a couple of days.”
Kissel will be playing in support of two local families when he steps onto the stage for his back-to-back shows at 7 and 10 p.m. Redcliff teen Alexis Streifel suffered a devastating cliff-jumping injury last month and is still on the road to recovery, while Ryan Pancoast’s family is working through the grieving process after the husband and father of two took his own life.
“When you do an event like this, it’s important to do it for a much bigger and better cause than just doing a show,” said Kissel. “We’re really proud that the organization in Medicine Hat and the Canalta Centre and our sponsors and everybody involved said, ‘Hey, we need to do something for our community, we need to do something for these two families because it’s affected the city in a big way.’ So, with all that being said I’m just really blessed that they asked me to be a part of it. It took me one second to decide. It was an instant yes.”
When tickets for the concerts went on sale, the 7 p.m. show sold out in six minutes flat.
“Wild,” he said. “As an entertainer you always want to go out and play to as many people as possible, but to have that kind of feeling was so cool.”
Much like Gord Bamford’s show in the parking lot at the Stampede grounds earlier this month, Kissel will be playing his hits to headlights. But after selling out a slew of drive-in shows in Edmonton, taking his talents to Saskatchewan and even playing a boat concert in B.C., Kissel says he’s perfected the drive-in formula.
“We’ve kind of figured out the model. What I mean by that is, it’s important to have a conversation right off the top with everybody in the crowd – to let everyone know that this is not meant to be awkward, this is meant to be unique,” he said. “We’re going to enjoy this drive-in concert and this incredible experience because we really hope by 2021, everything goes back to the way that it used to be. That’s why, for me, I just hit the stage with two-three-four-five times more energy because I need to reach people in the back of the parking lot and also through this barrier called a windshield.”
Kissel is known for interacting one-on-one with fans at his shows – something that has been taken away by the COVID-19 pandemic. He says making a conversational connection with the crowd at his drive-in shows is an effort to bridge that gap for his band and fans alike.
“Bridging the gap is important for me and important for everybody on stage in our band,” he said, adding storytelling becomes more important when fans are restricted to their vehicles. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for me to engage, share some really impactful stories, important stories, and then just really sing my heart out.”
Ever an optimist, Kissel has been choosing to keep his focus on the bright side of the pandemic. Sure, COVID-19 threw a handful of wrenches into the gears of the music industry, but it’s given the 30-year-old musician with a young family something he would have never otherwise received with his career on such an upward trajectory.
“My industry was destroyed. We had layoffs. It was hard and it still is … The silver lining has been the time that I’ve spent with my family, the time that I’ve had with my grandparents, the time that I’ve had to just slow down and settle down has actually been amazing.
“In a lot of ways it’s been a gift and I choose to look at it in that way.”
Kissel spent Friday at his family farm celebrating his grandparents’ 60th anniversary. “It actually could very well be one of the best years that I’ve ever had, not necessarily musically, not because of awards or stats or income, but the best year that I’ve ever had spending this much time with my wife and my kids.”
