Photography & Text Nayan Sthankiya
At 2:30 in the morning, when most festival crowds have begun to disappear into the Toronto night, Saskatoon indie band Greenwing was just getting started. The band’s final performance of the inaugural Second Summer Festival was held at Drom Taverna, where they delivered an electric, high-energy set that brought an extraordinary weekend of music to a fitting close.
Greenwing had already made its mark on the festival, performing multiple shows at venues across Toronto. By the time the band arrived at Drom Taverna, the musicians had already played earlier sets at Sneaky Dee’s, the Horseshoe Tavern and Collective Arts. Yet rather than showing signs of fatigue, Greenwing appeared ready to make its final performance count. The late hour seemed to add another dimension to the performance, transforming the set into something more intimate, spontaneous and exhilarating.
Drom Taverna provided an ideal setting for the band’s final appearance. Known for its energetic atmosphere and intimate performance space, the venue allowed Greenwing to connect directly with the remaining festival crowd. At 2:30 a.m., the distinction between performer and audience seemed to disappear as the room filled with the sound of guitars, drums and vocals.
The band’s Saskatoon roots were an important part of its identity throughout the festival. Bringing Greenwing to Toronto represented more than simply another series of performances. It was an opportunity to introduce the band’s sound to new audiences while demonstrating the vitality of Saskatoon’s independent music scene. Across the festival, Greenwing showed that a band from the Prairies could step into some of Toronto’s most recognizable music spaces and hold its own.
At Drom Taverna, that confidence was particularly evident. The musicians fed off the energy of the crowd, delivering a performance that felt less like the final obligation of a busy festival weekend and more like a celebration. The late-night setting encouraged an anything-goes atmosphere, with the audience embracing the music and the band pushing through its final songs with intensity.
There was also something symbolic about ending the festival at such an unconventional hour. Festivals often conclude with a final headline performance, but Greenwing’s 2:30 a.m. set offered a different kind of finale. It was for the people who were still there—the musicians, dedicated fans, festivalgoers and night owls who were unwilling to let the weekend end just yet.
As the final notes rang through Drom Taverna, Greenwing had completed an impressive Toronto journey. Four performances in different venues had given the Saskatoon band the chance to showcase its music, energy and personality to a diverse audience. The final set at 2:30 a.m. was perhaps the most fitting conclusion of all: loud, electric, unpredictable and full of life.
For Greenwing, the Second Summer Festival was more than a collection of shows. It was an opportunity to take Saskatoon’s indie sound to Toronto and leave an impression. By closing the festival at Drom Taverna in the early hours of the morning, Greenwing ensured that Second Summer ended not quietly, but with one last burst of electric energy.
