Amy Viking
Central Saloon, Seattle, WA
11.20.15
The Central Saloon, located in Seattle’s Pioneer Square, has been a participant of the city’s history for more than a hundred years. With its aged brick walls and vintage décor, the building has played various roles over the last century. From being a tavern for miners during the gold rush, to a brothel during the reign of seaport commerce, the Central Saloon has welcomed the masses stepping foot onto Seattle shores. With such a storied history, the Saloon inevitably accumulated a lot of the culture and art in Seattle. And, of course, live music has never failed to portray the city’s various creative standing.
On the heels of winter, the Central Saloon greeted guests with warmth. Playing this evening were bands Thank You, Biddidat, and headliner Amy Viking. On a mission to promote their debut album opener, Amy Viking had their merchandise and sociable attitude ready. Chatting with them, I was surprised to learn that only three of the eleven songs on the album were produced in a professional studio. Nikolai Wallace, the lead guitarist, shared some of his recording tricks, and the band members also discussed future plans to expand their musical style.
Thank You opened up the night, introducing a unique set with songs that were rather experimental and certainly attention-worthy. Biddidat, coming on next, played mostly cover songs. Their bassist was without a doubt the highlight of the band, with a pair of flying hands smothering a six-string. They covered songs such as Gorillaz’ “Feel Good Inc.” and The Weeknd’s “Can’t Feel My Face,” handily demonstrating their abilities to creatively cover popular songs.
As Amy Viking began, the crowd became much larger, with people up at the front jamming out to their signature beach-rock style. Amy Viking humorously placed viking helmets on their guitar amplifiers amid an illuminated stage. As the dreamy blue lights transformed from one color to the next, the band merged their vocals with precision harmony. With each song progressing, the Central Saloon’s atmosphere gradually morphed into a musical vision. The guitars were slush and the vocals well-padded. Their performance took over the room. They played tracks such as “Guanajuato” and “Molina”, and all of which stayed true to the album recordings. One of the highlights of the night was a surprise cover of Drake’s “Hotline Bling,” sung by the bassist and tinged with a certain Amy Viking flavor.
If by chance you missed out on this show, Amy Viking will be performing at the Tractor Tavern on December 29th, which will be a great opportunity to enjoy the band in a fun, intimate setting.
Review by Kai-Yao Lan
Photos by Curt Emerson
Amy Viking
