In February of 2022, I did a blog post about a band that I had never listened to up to that point in time. So much music, so little time. That band was Star Collector, and I have listened to them a fair bit since then. I closed the blog with this statement: “When they tour through my neck of the woods… I’ll have to say hello to them.”

That happened last Saturday, they toured through my neck of the woods. I was fortunate to say a brief hello to the band’s frontman, Vic, and then I saw Star Collector live at The Station on Jasper. They are an excellent live band. Not to say they are bad streaming them; it’s just different live. It feels like they have more energy. I can see them and feel what they are playing. Before I got to see Star Collector, for the first time in my life, I was treated by the music of the opener, Wilde Oscar, and another first. I saw four Gibson guitars on stage at the same time thanks to Wilde Oscar.

Last Saturday. I was fortunate to say a brief hello to the band’s frontman, Vic, and then I saw Star Collector live at The Station on Jasper. They are an excellent live band. Not to say they are bad streaming them; it’s just different live. It feels like they have more energy. I can see them and feel what they are playing.

Visually they are right there in front of me. I see Vic’s rad jacket, and it’s a brilliant red. I see the instruments that they are playing. Being a guitar player, I tend to focus on them. Vic plays an iconic guitar, a Rickenbacker. Many of the greatest guitar players have played Ric’s, including George Harrison, Roger McGuinn, Pete Townshend, Tom Petty, Vic Wayne, Carl Wilson, John Kay and groups like Oasis, Pearl Jam, Radiohead, U2 and Star Collector.

The lead guitarist was on a Starfire guitar. I don’t see them around much. I think this is the first time I’ve seen one live. Very cool and rocking the house. The bass was right into the music and I was impressed with his virtuosity.

On Saturday, September 24, Star Collector played in Edmonton, the city where Vic Wayne started life and his musical adventures. The crowd was into the Saturday night music. Vic was full of energy, as seen in this photo, keep it coming Vic, I love your music.

I hate putting bands in genre boxes, but I will go out on a limb and say that Star Collector sounds a bit power pop with a dash of post-punk rock and a tip of the hat to the mod revival of the early 80s. All of that channeled into one heck of a good show from one heck of a good band. I don’t know what box to put them in, but I recommend taking them out of the box and listening to them, seeing them live and supporting them by buying their music and listening to them more.