WINGER Electrifies The Strand Theater…NOT your average “Hairband” by Michael Bruce

Ahhhh yes.  The glory days of the 80s!  Rock n’ Roll ruled the airwaves and MTV.  A now labeled as “Hairband Music” genre was deep into its decade of decadence when a new band with big hair hit the scene.  It’s 1988 and in walks WINGER.  Winger had the hard rock 80s big guitar sound.  They had the big hair, and they had the front man with the perfect teeth all of the girls would soon swoon over. Winger dressed the part and played the part.  They also had something we heard on that self-titled debut album that many others in that genre of music DID NOT have…Top notch musicianship and composition skills!  Yes, it was 80s hard rock, but you could definitely hear that this band was a cut above the rest.  They had flair in their performances that just really caught your ear.  The songs were catchy 80s hard rock, but the musicianship and composition were more complex, sophisticated, and unique.  Needless to say, the band reached platinum album success level, and the legacy of Winger began.    

The Strand Theater in Hudson Falls, NY hosted Winger on Wednesday, July 26th 2024.  I GUARANTEE you that so many music snobs said, “Winger won’t last 5 years”.  In some ways, it’s rewarding when you understand something others do not.  I loved them the day I heard them.  I understood what was happening.  I didn’t buy into the nonsense of Winger getting picked on by the jealous types, or the hit they took from shows like Beavis and Butt-Head trying to display them as not cool.  So many rock heads missed out on the genius of Winger, because they paid more attention to the media nonsense.  All of these years later, Winger has the last laugh.  The original members of Winger consist of lead vocalist, bass player, piano player, song writer, symphony composer, 12 string guitar wizard Kip Winger! This guy is a major talent, and every one of those things I listed is totally true.  On guitar is an axe wizard named Reb Beach.  Reb is in the upper tier of the guitar playing world, and has been since the day he came on the scene.  Paul Taylor is the everything guy in the band.  Keys player, guitar player, songwriter, you name it, he can do it.  Then on drums we have world famous drummer Rod Morgenstein.  A monster player, clinician, Berklee professor, studio recording guru, and happens to be one of my biggest drumming influences.  My group, “The Velmas”, (shameless plug) opened up for Winger back in 2004.  It was a dream come true.  I also drove Rod and his entire drum set stuffed in my minivan from Poughkeepsie, NY to his home in Long Island.  That’s a whole other story!  

Winger to me is almost like Toto.  It is a group of super talented musicians who found each other, and collaborated to write great “mainstream music”.  Maybe that’s why in 2024 they are still performing all over the world to excited audiences.  Maybe Winger wasn’t just about Kip’s perfect teeth.  You’re not around this long with all original members unless you’ve done something special.  With the help of a Buffalo, NY native Howie Simon, who adds an additional guitarist and vocalist for the band, Winger crushed our little Strand Theater with a super powerful performance.  Winger doesn’t use tracks for extra sound.  They simply add a member to make their live sound fantastic.  Howie filled in for the usual fifth member John Roth, who also performs with “Starship”.  It was guns a blazing as they say, from the opening note when they opened with a song from their latest album Seven, “Stick the Knife and Twist”.  The crowd was on their feet for the rest of the show.  The band ran through their big hits and classic album cuts.  Can’t Get Enough, Down in Incognito, Miles Away, Proud Desperado, Junkyard Dog, Hungry, Rainbow in the Rose, Pull Me Under, Time to Surrender, Heading for Heartbreak, Easy Come Easy Go, and Madeline were all loud and proud.  A Reb Beach guitar solo and a Rod Morgenstein drum solo were also on the menu.  Both solo spotlights were fantastic to say the least.  The band was super tight, and full of rock energy.  Their chops were top notch and Kip’s voice is as strong as I’ve ever heard it.  Backing vocals by all really filled out the sound.  

Winger has style, total pro musicianship, personality, attitude, and simply slamming unique rock songs.  I circle back to, NOT your average “Hairband”.  I’d like to thank John Myers from E1 Entertainment for getting them to Hudson Falls, NY.  Paul Taylor and Kip Winger met when they performed in Alice Cooper’s band together way back in 1985.  I wonder if they had a clue back then that they’d create a nationally known band that would be alive and kicking almost 35 years later?  Winger is great, so…makes perfect sense to me!