Hegg Brothers to bring twist to classic tunes in ‘Holiday Jam’

Mitchell residents can find something new this holiday season.

The Mitchell Area Community Theatre presents “Holiday Jam” with the Hegg Brothers at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Pepsi-Cola Theatre in Mitchell.

“Holiday Jam” is about remembering Christmases past through traditional music with a new twist, John Beranek of Off the Cuff Stuff in Sioux Falls and the Hegg Brothers’ promoter said. The twohour concert includes narration, classic Christmas carols, instrumentals and three original tunes written for the show.

“Jeremy Hegg is good at taking familiar songs and arranging them in different ways,” Beranek said.

He might take the classic Christmas carol “O Holy Night” and pair it with a gospel or blues melody, for example.

“My brother he likes to bend things,” John Hegg said. “It keeps things fresh.”

An upbeat show, John Hegg describes it as a “merry-go-round” of sorts, lacking yawns from the audience.

This is the first year “Holiday Jam” has toured. The Heggs, of Sioux Falls, along with a 10-piece band, organized after “Acoustic Christmas” ended their 19-year holiday run. The Hegg Brothers performed with “Acoustic Christmas” for the past three years, and wanted to keep something similar to it going.

The 10-piece band includes a variety of instruments including the electric keyboard, a horn section, bongo drums and the harmonica.

“It not quite your typical Christmas concert,” Hegg said. “It’s amazing the amount of flavors that can be added to a song.”

“Holiday Jam” performs in Sheldon, Iowa, as well as the South Dakota towns of Pierre, Mitchell, Watertown, Madison and Sioux Falls this year. Beranek said the group kept the year’s schedule a bit smaller, with the hopes to expand tour dates in the future.

“‘Acoustic Christmas’ blew up into something huge after 19 years,” John Hegg said. “Now we’re the test and seeking out impressive people and hope we can find something that keeps going for a while.”

Tickets for the “Holiday Jam” can be purchased at the Antique Mall on 412 N. Main Street, Mitchell or by calling 1-605-996-1948. The cost is $25 in advance or $27 at the door.

Tags: holiday jam, hegg brothers, mitchell area community theatre, lifestyles