by Mark Allard-Will
with notes from Aaron Brown
photos by Aaron Brown Photography
Saskatoon band, GreenWing, brought their trademark high octane Rock energy as they hit the stage in support of Amber Wild on November 13th, a show for which they should be applauded for bringing together - last minute and during the hectic process of tracking album #2 - on the same night as KISS' final show in the city. The show, hosted by Coors Event Centre, was part of the official KISS concert after party presented by CRUZ FM.
With a well-rounded set list that represented fan favourites alongside new tracks and previews of what's to come on the aforementioned second album, GreenWing showed a deft hand at making use of every inch of the Vizzy Stage at Coors Event Centre; truly demonstrating their talents in the field of showmanship.
And, better yet, the receptive audience lapped up every ounce of the Hard Rock theatrics they were fed by the seasoned locals.
Then, headliners Amber Wild took to the stage to end out the night.
Remember how we mentioned KISS earlier in this article? Well, a delicious tidbit of trivia is that Amber Wild is fronted by Evan Stanley, the son of Paul Stanley. Yet, despite this obviously impressive piece of intel, the band made no mention of this factoid; leaning on their showmanship and musical prowess instead of celebrity nepotism, something they must be given credit for.
Said musical prowess was apparent, as Amber Wild provided the tight, polished sound you would wish to expect from a headline act; something that's incredibly impressive, given that they've only been a band since January of this year (2023).
*Amber Wild drummer Thomas Lowrey (photos by Aaron Brown)
The stage presence followed in equal parts to the musical talent, giving the same energy in the small Vizzy Stage as they would have at a packed out show on the Sunset Strip; a touch that certainly wasn't lost on an engaged Saskatonian audience.
It's fair to say that Amber Wild, a new name to Saskatoon Rock fans, left the city with a healthy dose of new fans. This was evident by the amount of Saskatonians eager to meet the band after the show; and, to give a well-earned nod of respect to the members of Amber Wild, they happily stayed around to chat with their new followers.
*Evan Stanley in action! (photo by Aaron Brown)
But, you must surely be screaming at your device screen, "what did GreenWing think about sharing the stage with Amber Wild, the out of town up-and-comers?"
Greenwing Guitarist, Anthony Allegretto, had this to say, "Well, being in the midst of tracking album #2, after a great year for us, getting to open for Amber Wild last minute was a very welcomed surprise - they were great." He added, "We're really grateful for the opportunities we've gotten to close out 2023 with, and we can't wait for you to hear this new record!"
"This was a fun last minute show!", stated drummer, Kolt Kimbley, "It was definitely a nice break from recording our second album. Amber Wild absolutely killed their set! It was a pleasure sharing the stage with such talent."