The Wilds are running loose in Prince George.
The B.C. band is led by singer/songwriters Holly Arntzen (vocals, dulcimer, piano) and Kevin Wright (vocals, percussion, sax) plus regular guest musicians who sit in on their music and their message.
The music has been described as a combination of Joni Mitchell and early AC/DC vocalist Bon Scott. The message is focused on environmental stewardship and appreciation for ecosystems. Their latest album is called Up Your Watershed and they are touring now to showcase its thematic songs.
"The sound of The Wilds is folk-pop to rock your world - the folk/blues of Holly's slide dulcimer mixed with Kevin's hard hitting cajon and congas, anchored by a guitar/bass combo and lit up by rich vocal harmonies," said the band. "The Wilds' songs take you on a cultural, ecological journey, from the soaring mountain tops of Roses In October and the pounding downpour of Pennies From Heaven to the spawning rivers of Up Your Watershed and the old-growth forests of Mr. Douglas."
They are spending the next few days in Prince George performing for school groups (they are based at Highglen-Gladstone Montessori School this week) and are then holding a public performance at Vanier Hall on Thursday at 7 p.m. The performance includes some special guests.
"The Wilds - with children from local schools - are performing at Vanier as part of a celebration of salmon, habitat restoration and recycling," said Clive Keen of the Prince George Naturalist Club. "The Wilds are great supporters of the Hudson's Bay Wetland Project, and we'll have a table at that event." (The P.G. Naturalist Club will also have an information table at the Recycling Roundup event on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the London Drugs parking lot.)
The Wilds will then move on to other towns in the region to perform their Up Your Watershed concert.
They will be in Quesnel to work with Baker and Kersley schools from April 27-30, then the following week in Williams Lake to work with singers from Cataline, Nesika, Big Lake and Columneetza schools. Both those weeks will finish with a Thursday night concert in those respective towns.
