Daniel Wesley is pretty excited about what the new year holds. The 30-year-old Vancouver singer who grew up in Langley will be back home to ring in the New Year at the soon-to-be-demolished China Beach.

It's one of the nightclubs where the alternative-music man got his start.

In fact, he even lived in an apartment across the street for a year, and between 1999 and 2006 performed in that venue at least 15 times with a few "I' different bands.

"I kind of cut my teeth there," he recalled. "I had fond members of growing up and playing there."

The nightclub has seen a number in incarnations over the years, more recently returning to the name China Beach.

In recent years, Wesley has returned to perform a special show each New Year's Eve. In fact, this will be his third Dec. 31 show in the facility at the intersection of 203rd Street and Industrial Avenue.

With indications that the building will be torn down to make room for new retail and residential development, Wesley said he's anxious to return one last time to rock out and ring in the new year with his hometown fans.

"This is kind of fun to play a hometown crowd. And it will be the last show I ever play there [at China Beach]," Wesley added.

And knowing there won't be another New Year's Eve show there, ever, he's feeling a bit nostalgic.

At the same time, Wesley said, he's over-the-top with excitement. This show marks the closing of one chapter in his life and the beginning of a new one.

He's about to give birth to his first child - or at least his wife Melisa is - in March, and he's about to also give birth to a new album, Ocean Wide.

"I'll be birthing two things in the new year: an album and a baby," he said with a chuckle.

He spent October and November recording this, his sixth album, and just days before Christmas was selecting one of the songs on his new 10-title CD to release in the new year.

The album, however, is not expected to arrived until spring - maybe April or May - followed almost immediately by a Western Canada tour, then off to Eastern Canada in the summer to perform primarily at festivals and other all-age venues.

Meanwhile, leading up to the holidays, Wesley was also hustling to convert the office/ music room in their two-bedroom Mount Pleasant apartment into a nursery.

They've already purchased a car seat and stroller, but still need to buy a few things for the baby.

He knows he's off to Alberta to perform a few shows in January, and fears he's going to be slammed if he doesn't get the majority of work on the nursery finished during the holidays.

Taking down his guitars, packing up his music, and moving his keyboard has been hard - emotionally. But the motivation for the change, he said, is well worth it.

In fact, his wife and their yet unborn babe will be at his Dec. 31 show.

The New Year's Eve show at China Beach starts at 10: 30 p.m. and carries on through midnight. Following his Jan. 1 encore, Wesley's will turn the music over to a DJ who will keep things rocking until 4 a.m.

He said the show will feature many of the new songs from his upcoming album, as well as many of his old fan favourites.

Born in White Rock and raised in Langley (lived her from age five to 26) as Daniel Wesley Rossnagel, he dropped his last name in 2006 and became known simply as Daniel Wesley.

He performs what he calls an eclectic mix of alternative music, blending reggae, folk, and rock.

"Like an iPod, you get a mix of flavours," he said, noting he'll be offering a similar blend on New Year's Eve.

Tickets for the New Year's show are $35 in advance at the club or at www.ticketbreak. com.

rhooper@langleyadvance.com