He’s played in Vegas and has been lauded as one of the top Rod Stewart tribute artists in the business, and he’s excited for his upcoming show in Moose Jaw — Vic Vaga will take over the Moose Jaw Royal Canadian Legion with his energetic performance on Nov. 15.
Vaga has been performing his tribute show for years, which he calls a “retro Rod show,” because he really digs back into the past to include all the famous hits that his audience will love.
“You're going to get the look of course, you're going to get the mimicry, because Rod is very animated, especially in his younger days,” said Vaga.
His show in Moose Jaw will be a one-man show, leaving just Vaga on the stage crooning to a backing track and sometimes playing an acoustic guitar — but he promises that doesn’t mean his show won’t pull out all the stops.
Vaga believes in keeping the audience engaged, which means he cracks jokes, tells stories, and works with the crowd for a truly memorable night out.
“I believe a lot in audience engagement and banter and comedy. It's all about entertainment for this, not just the songs,” said Vaga.
Some of his favourite Rod songs include “The Killing of Georgie” and “I Was Only Joking,” and he takes great care in choreographing his moves just like a younger Rod. The show is actually a re-creation of Rod’s 1988 Out of Order tour, from the setlist to the choreography.
Vaga has been making it a point to do his show in smaller cities, and Moose Jaw was one on his list — which is why he approached Moose Jaw’s Legion branch for a collaboration.
Tickets for Vaga’s show are $25, with a portion of those door proceeds going right back to support the Moose Jaw Royal Canadian Legion.
The keystone of Vaga’s show is his uncanny resemblance to Rod the Mod, and his dedication to a true Rod Stewart experience. He has the hair, the nose, and of course the clothes, to go along with the familiar voice that Rod fans with recognize.
“I like to say the hair, the flare, the microphone, the acrobatics, football kicking and the tight trousers, all that stuff, it's all going be there,” said Vaga.
His career as a Rod Stewart look-alike began as a joke Halloween costume but quickly evolved into something much bigger. For Vaga, he truly enjoys how his performance can take his audience right back to some great memories, and what the music means to them.
“I grew up with this [music too], and for me, it's the same thing, it's all memories,” said Vaga. “I remember when I first heard ‘Forever Young’ or the first time I saw Rod live on MTV, and for me, those were good times and I think people feel the same way.”
To purchase tickets for Vic Vaga’s VagabLonde Rod Stewart Tribute Show in Moose Jaw on Nov. 15, call the Moose Jaw Royal Canadian Legion at 1 (306) 692-5453. Tickets are $25 each. The doors for the show will open at 7:30 and the show starts at 8 p.m.
Vaga also has a handful of tickets available to win, which he will give to the first two people to message him about the Moose Jaw show through his website — so best of luck!
