Pegasus Wing beckons listeners to recall the profound messages and blissful sounds made by artists whom (unbeknown to them at the time) stood at the 80s doorstep of strange musical wonder, having just come off a 70s classic rock high.

André Gagné, Fiona Solon, Ken Hermanson, Micah Smith, and Mike Millar (with an “a”) collectively make up the group known only as Pegasus Wing.

A local legend in its own right, the band was birthed in December of 2005 and the members went their separate ways in 2006. You may have spotted one of the ultra-rare T-shirts sported by the lucky few to have the only merchandise available from that time.

Despite disbanding almost as swiftly as they formed, they nonetheless garnered an almost fanatical following from fans and fellow musicians alike.

“Seeing Pegasus Wing perform is like being touched by an angel,” said Vancouver-based singer/songwriter/whiskey rabbi Geoff Berner, who shared the stage with P-Wing (as they are affectionately known) at Frostbite 2006.

And yet, in spite of the praise and the following, there is an aspect of Pegasus Wing that strikes fear in the hearts of music purists everywhere: Pegasus Wing is a cover band.

But don’t let the old stigma fool you, P-Wing is not your daddy’s cover band. Not content to just simply play the staples of classic rock stations nationwide, P-Wing instead chooses to play by its own rules … a little.

“For me, P-Wing is a kind of response to the frustration I have with most cover bands where it’s pretty much ‘same songs, different band,'” says Millar.

“There were so many gems of that era that nobody was playing and I think the main guidelines for our band is that we perform the whole song as opposed to just the easy parts and we perform the best song on the original album as opposed to the No. 1 hit or the song the audience knows best.”

So what can one expect from a Pegasus Wing show?

“Heartfelt versions of sometimes ridiculous songs, great costumes, Ken Hermanson in varying amounts of clothing/unitard, high vocal harmonies usually coming from near the drum kit, and saxophone solos,” says Smith.

“Costumed freaks blowing your mind,” agrees Solon.

If that isn’t enough to entice you, the various players involved are all stalwarts of the local music scene. Smith has played/recorded with Crash the Car, as has Solon and Hermanson.

Solon also performed with Hammerhead, and Hermanson most notably performs with the Gordie Tentrees Band.

Gagné has played as one half of the Upstanding Knaves and Millar with more cover bands than you could shake a stick at, including Vintage Tongue and Captain Nemo and the Toads.

Not just your average cover band, Pegasus Wing appeals to the music fan in all of us. “One might say to oneself, why cover this? Silly! Pat Benatar?!” says Gagné, “but then one might be disturbed at how well the song is actually known.’

You can catch Pegasus Wing on the following dates:

June 26 – Sunstroke Music Festival at Shipyards Park

June 27 – Canada Day Celebration at The Tagish Community Hall

July 1 – Canada Day Celebration at Shipyards Park

July 2 – Coasters

July 3-4 – The Midnight Sun Tavern in Dawson City

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