A group of organizers and musicians are hard at work to give locals a new way to bring in the new year. On December 31, the Heritage Centre’s main ballroom will play host to an all-out rock and roll-style social headlined by three award-winning talents and their bands: JR Charron, Catie St. Germain, and the Department of Human Resources, frontlined by Trevor Lux.
Lux, who previously played for local band Plain as Ghosts, is one of the event’s main coordinators. He says that the artists have come together in a true spirit of community. They’re all really excited about the event.
“The concert was a brainchild of mine. I’d been hearing rumblings around town of wanting a New Year’s Eve event,” says Lux. “I figured I’d made some really good friends in music around here and we’ve all become quite interconnected this year. So I thought, why not ask them?”
According to Lux, a lot of people were looking for an option to stay closer to home this year, drive less far and still enjoy top-of-the-line performances.
In 2022, Lux teamed up with fellow Niverville singers JR Charron, Catie St. Germain, and collaborator Réal Comeault to produce a Remembrance Day tribute song. The artists hit it off, making more music together afterward and working on a number of joint projects.
Originally from Binscarth, Charron moved to Niverville in 2018 and has continued to develop his country style, which is combined with gritty rock vocals. His debut EP Impression made waves in 2020 with “Song for You,” which landed in the top ten on the Canadian Indie Country Charts, followed by his second single, “Broke,” which charted in the top 50.
Recently, Charron celebrated four Manitoba Country Music Award nominations. And in 2022, he won the Fan’s Choice award.
Catie St. Germain has lived in Niverville for many years. A regular performer throughout Manitoba, fans may know her from the Whiskey Saints, where she performs as a duo with Comeault.
St. Germain recently released her first-ever single, “The Taxman,” which was co-written by Comeault and features Lux as musician and co-producer. Her sweet voice travels from hearty folk to pure country and edgy rock and back again.
This fall, St. Germain was nominated for six MCMAs, taking home the win for Emerging Artist of the Year.
“It was amazing!” St. German says. “Mitchell Makoons and I were backstage after just performing and I almost walked away when he told me I was in the category of nominees and should stick around in case I won. And thank God he did.”
At the November 6 awards ceremony, she had the honour of playing her single.
“I was feeling so happy and relieved of nerves that I made it through performing on that huge stage that so many actual stars have stood—and even myself, but always with other projects,” she says. “So to get to be there singing my own song was a literal dream come true. I was just happy to be there.”
On the heels of that career highlight, St. Germain also recently signed a record deal. She has a new single and full-length album in the works.
“The label I’ve been working with, Atomic Ranch Records, is new and under Warner Music Canada,” says St. Germain. “To have them believing in my songwriting and vocals is insane. We’ve had a lot of fun recording these past few months and it’s been hard not to share.”
She says that the new year’s concert will give her ability to get her music out to a more local audience, coinciding with her album’s imminent release.
“I’ll be debuting six new original songs, including the new single I’ll be releasing in January,” she adds. “The people coming [to the social] get to hear them live first. It’ll be amazing to test out the crowd response.”
Lux’s own band, called the Department of Human Resources (DOHR), will also hit the stage. Comprised entirely of local musicians, DOHR features Lux on guitar and vocals, Darcy Wall on vocals and bass guitar, Doug Duerksen on drums, and Daniel Friesen on guitar.
Although they specialize in 90s and 2000s cover songs, they play a wide variety of music, including modern hits. Their target audience is Gen X and millennials, giving them a dose of nostalgia while encouraging them to fight the good fight, pushing back against corporate culture with high energy rock and country aimed straight for the heart.
Lux says that with a line-up like this, concertgoers can expect a great show.
“It’ll be a worthwhile event,” he says. “We have a big stage… We’re going to get this right and give the community something to remember.”
With two cash bars, a midnight snack, a New Year’s Eve countdown, and a ball drop at midnight, Lux says that the evening will feel very much like a social. And everyone’s invited.
“You’ll notice our posters say age 18+ encouraged, but people of any age can absolutely come,” says Lux. “We want people to know it is a full-blown rock and country show. It is geared as a social, but families are welcome. We are taking into account everyone’s safety and comfort and ensuring there will be security on the premises. There will also be Operation Red Nose to help people get home safe.”
The New Year’s Eve event will start at 8:00 p.m. and continue until 2:00 a.m. Tickets are available online (www.eventbrite.ca) or in-person through Lux or any of the bands.
