Mustang Sally returns to live performances; upcoming event will include concert, art show (9 photos)

It’s been a long time since Korah Collegiate’s Mustang Sally has been able to entertain the community through live concerts due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

The Sault high school’s music and art department teachers, however, plan on roaring back with Korah Borealis - our Inaugural Arts Night Gala beginning at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 10 at Korah for a night of musical performances and a student art display.

Tuesday’s event will mark the return to live performances for Korah’s Mustang Sally, a group formed in 2003 by Greg Ryckman, Korah Collegiate music teacher.

Mustang Sally’s lineup changes partially each year as Korah’s students graduate from high school and since its creation the group has given many performances both locally and elsewhere in Ontario.

“We’ve been doing rehearsals all week to get ready for this one,” Ryckman said, speaking to SooToday during a Mustang Sally rehearsal at Korah on Friday.

“This is our big season finale that we always do every year, but we weren’t allowed to do it for the last two years. It’s awesome. You don’t realize what you’re missing until it’s gone and then when you’re doing it again and you see the magic that comes from it, you think it’s a shame we lost out on those last two years.”

“COVID was a total bummer and the real sad part was we were ready to do a gigantic show in May 2020. All the media advertising was done, all the promo was done and all that was left was to pull the curtains and we couldn’t do it. Those kids missed out on that and that cuts me deep,” Ryckman said.

Approximately 40 Korah students are involved with the upcoming Mustang Sally show, including singers and musicians as well as sound and lighting technicians.

The Korah show will also feature five students from the music department’s Rising Stars program.

“The Rising Stars program is where we breed future rock stars for the main stage,” Ryckman said.

“We’re doing 1980s ‘hair metal," said Ryckman of Tuesday’s Mustang Sally set list.

“The way these kids play, you would think they were born in the 80s themselves.”

Songs on the Mustang Sally Hair Nation set list for Tuesday’s concert include:

• The Final Countdown
• Here I Go Again
• Fallen Angel
• Hysteria
• No More Tears
• Cannon Rock (Instrumental)
• My Hero
• Livin’ On A Prayer
• Cum On Feel The Noize
• House of Broken Love
• Kickstart My Heart
• Sweet Child O’ Mine

Along with the Mustang Sally concert, Korah Collegiate will also hold an art show on Tuesday featuring the work of its art department students.

“Because of the pandemic we were shut down for almost three years and kids weren’t able to do a lot of things. We usually do Mustang Sally’s Great Big Gig in the spring of every year. It’s usually the second Tuesday in May. We wanted to showcase a little bit of everything, so from the concert we expanded and blossomed into Korah Borealis to let the light shine down on everybody and showcase all the talent we have at Korah,” said Jennifer Barbeau, Korah Collegiate vice principal.

“It’s nice to see kids back doing what they love to do. It's nice to see all the smiles back. The buzz for the show has been positive. People have been talking about it,” Barbeau said.

Tuesday’s Korah Borealis - our Inaugural Arts Night Gala program includes:

• Doors open 6:30 p.m.
• Art Gallery 6:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.
• Concert band 6:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.
• Korahsters and vocal class 7 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
• Rising Stars 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
• Intermission 8 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.
• Mustang Sally 8:15 p.m. - 9:15 p.m.

There will be items for sale, including vintage Korah Collegiate yearbooks.

Tickets will be available at the door and all funds raised from ticket sales will go back into Korah’s art department programming.