Brett Kissel took some time out of his horrendously busy (but according to him, FUN) schedule to chat with us about life on the road this year with his family, and what comes next.
nightMair Creative: Hi Brett thanks for chatting with us. You’ve had an incredibly busy year this year!
Brett Kissel: Yes! Super busy. This year its over 150 concerts, but this tour alone its been 118. Its been remarkable to kind of reach that level and have that response from everybody and demand for tickets from all these communities is so incredible. As an entertainer and artist you ant to go out and want to perform and play for everybody and know that you can go out from the artic coast to the Atlantic and the Pacific and reach this amount of people and do it in such a big way has been nothing short of magical to be honest. Its been the best thing I’ve ever done in my career thus far, this tour.
nMC: And most of the shows on this tour are sold out too.
BK: Yes I think that maybe all but 12 have been sold out and that’s another really cool thing. Some of these venues are giant and some of them are small. And it didn’t matter to us; we’re going to put on a great show no matter where we play. But its been great to look back at all of the dates we played and to know that we can call so many of them sell-outs. It gives us the confidence to know we can come back in a big way on the next tour in a couple of years, or next album cycle. I know that we’ll never do anything this big, this extensive again. We just can’t. It was perfect because my wife and I are so aligned, my kids are little – if my kids were in school there would be no way we could do this. So its great we did this now. I don’t think we’ll ever do anything like this again just based on timing, the recipe was perfect for this tour, this year.
nMC: Sounds like its been great having having your family with you on this tour
BK: Oh yeah. I wouldn’t say ‘great’, I’d say its been amazing. I mean we’ve done the ultimate Canadian road trip with my wife and my two little girls. As you know Cecilia is pregnant again, we have another baby on the way. I get to be there for all of baby’s kicks, doctors appointments etc, and I get to be there for my 2 girls Mila and Aria. Aria learned to walk on the bus on this tour. She learned to talk on part two of this current tour. Its incredible that we’ve been able to do all these things together as a family. Even people with a regular 9 to 5 I really don’t think would have been able to spend as much time with their kids as I’ve been able to. I haven’t missed a story time, I haven’t missed a bath time in 365 days. Its been fantastic.
nMC: So what does the future hold after this tour, besides a good rest ☺
BK: (laughing) Well, we’re just going to await the arrival of our new baby and recharge our batteries. We’ll also spend time with both our extended families who both live in northeastern Alberta. But when that wraps up I’m going to get back into the studio and work on the next album. I’ve got songs I’ve written in the summer when I was on holiday, and songs I’ve written on the road, and even a few with Cecilia when I had a day off. I’m really excited to make new music and also to perform in other territories, and the States, and Europe – and the other shows that are coming down the pipe for 2019.
nMC: Can’t wait for new music in 2019. For this tour, how would you describe it in one word?
BK: One word? Life-Changing. I think the best part about it is I’ve really changed as an entertainer; learning how to give my all 118 times this tour and 150+ times this year. I’ve really had to dig deep down into what I have, for everyone that’s expecting the best of me at my shows. I’ve been able to be the best dad I can this year with my girls and Cecilia. So its been life-changing and I’m very lucky I’ve been able to spend it out on the road.
And not to mention life-changing because I’ve seen all of Canada. I’ve now seen the Arctic, the Maritimes, Northern BC, the Island, the Interior, Vancouver – north, east, south, west in every part of the province. There are very few communities that can reach out with disappointment and say that I wasn’t there or wasn’t near there. So its been life-changing in that regard. I’ve been very proud as a Canadian to get to see this great country, and can’t wait to revisit some places, and maybe see some new places next year.
nMC: Thanks so much for your time Brett. See you down the road.
BK: my pleasure!
See Brett Kissel on the final ‘We Were That Song’ tour dates, and look for more info on his Website
Monday Nov. 26 – Oliver, BC
Tues Nov 27 – Kelowna BC
Thurs Nov 28 – Lethbridge, AB
Fri Nov 29 – Stave Lake, AB
Sat Dec 1 – Lac La Biche, AB
Thurs Dec 6 – Drumheller, BC
Fri Dec 7 – Bonnyville, AB
Monday Dec 31 – Halifax, NS
©nightMair Creative.com
all rights reserved