Every Halloween, the auditorium at the Royal Canadian Legion's Prince Albert branch fills with people in costume, many of whom have known each other for decades. That familiarity is what struck Kris Klyne the first time he played the branch's Spook-tacular Halloween Party. "It was amazing to me when I was setting up, how many people were wandering in that seemed to know each other but weren't there to meet each other—they just knew each other, all from the community," the Saskatchewan singer-songwriter said.
Klyne returns for a second year to headline the party on Oct. 31 at the Legion. The night promises spooky-season spirit, activities and food, and live entertainment. Information on admission and tickets is available on the Legion's Facebook page.
Klyne describes the room as deliberately atmospheric. "It's a really amazing environment. They keep it very dark and spooky down there, yet with enough lighting that you can dance, that you can enjoy yourself and communicate with everybody else around you," he said. "It's got a little bit of something for everybody."
The costume contest, he said, brings out genuine commitment. "It was great to see everybody so excited. There were some really elaborate costumes. People were really into the spirit of it. A lot of people get really, really excited about Halloween. So there are people that really get into it and really build up amazing costumes."
For Klyne, the night is also a return to his roots. "Back in the day, I used to put on rock shows. We used to put on these massive, elaborate Halloween shows when I used to do rock bands. So it's been nice to start doing Halloween shows again, get dressed up, and revisit those days."
Based in Martensville, near Saskatoon, Klyne is a multi-genre artist whose range spans hard rock, metal and country. He is known as the frontman of the hard rock band Firing At The Sky and formerly of the award-winning metal band Morally Sound; his solo work leans toward a lighter pop, rock and country sound. He performs solo with recorded loops and backing tracks that give him a full-band sound, and he has upgraded his equipment to deliver what he calls "a really high level professional sound wherever I go." "I can be flexible to huge rooms or very small rooms and do it all," he said.
His set lists are built from conversation rather than assumption. "It's something I've done for a lot of years. I try to build a playlist that I know caters to everybody. And to me it's been one of those things that I built up from people because they come up to me and have discussions with me," he said. "I really listened to everybody that comes in and listens to me and try to build up playlists based on what people are really into."
What keeps him on the road, he said, is the role music plays in other people's lives. "It's the greatest job in the world. I get to be part of everybody's 50th birthday. I get to be part of so many anniversaries and weddings at the special moments in people's lives. So that's my favorite thing about doing this is I get to be at everything that is special to everyone."
He is equally direct about why the Legion matters to him. "Definitely support your legion. I mean, to me, that's the most important thing. The Legions have been around for 70 years now at this point, and they really, really appreciate the community support to keep them going and keep them strong," he said. "Legions are extremely important for the community because they remember history." Seeing longtime residents reconnect in the hall, he added, is "touching."
The Prince Albert branch is one of the community halls that has anchored the city's social life for generations. The hall hosts weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, business meetings, funerals, wakes, luncheons, fundraisers and retirement parties—the ordinary milestones of a community—alongside seasonal celebrations like this one.
That mix is exactly what Klyne said makes the Halloween party work. "It's just a nice little event where they kind of bring the community together to celebrate Halloween and kind of bring everybody together to have fun and keep together," he said. "It's a really great community event because there's so many people. They built up so many friendships over the years that they kind of keep."
The Spook-tacular Halloween Party runs Oct. 31 at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 2 in Prince Albert. Admission and ticket details are posted on the branch's Facebook page.