The Halifax concert by Paul McCartney, touted as one of the biggest concerts in Canada this year, will begin with a taste of Winnipeg.

Winnipeg singer-songwriter Sierra Noble, 19, is one of the opening acts for the former Beatle. She learned about it a few days ago, not long after telling a friend who was going to be attending the Saturday show that she was jealous.

'There's not very many people in the world, especially 19-year-old singer-songwriters from Winnipeg, who get this kind of opportunity. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and something that I will absolutely never forget.'—Sierra Noble, singer

Noble was not aware that McCartney was seeking a third opening act for the show. His management team, however, had heard about the Winnipeg musician — a former junior fiddle champion in the province.

They gave McCartney a couple samples of her music and he decided to offer her the job, according to Noble, who said the whole experience has been surreal.

"I was in complete shock and I think I still am. I don't think it's sunk in yet," she said. "I've been watching the stage be built up at the Halifax Commons and I keep trying to convince myself that I'm going to be playing on that stage on Saturday."

Noble said she has been influenced by McCartney's music since she began playing the fiddle at age seven.

"There's not very many people in the world, especially 19-year-old singer-songwriters from Winnipeg, who get this kind of opportunity. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and something that I will absolutely never forget."

The concert, McCartney's only one in Canada this year, is expected to attract 60,000 fans — 10,000 more than the crowd at the Rolling Stones show in September 2006.

Local promoter Harold MacKay, president of Power Promotional Event, is calling it the "largest and most exciting" concert in Halifax's 260-year history.