It's a multimedia presentation that will speak for itself, says Matthew Lien.

On Tuesday, those fortunate enough to have bought ickets to his and photographer Peter Mather's sold-out show at the Yukon Arts Centre will experience the Wind River in the Peel watershed in a way few ever do.

Lien's music and 3D sound recordings are being set to Mather's photos to bring the Peel to the public.

The presentation harkens back to the 1990s, when Lien and Ken Madsen put together the Wildland Concert series. Those multimedia shows incorporated Lien's music and sound recordings with Madsen's photographs from the annual trips they would take on the Yukon's numerous rivers.

A number of others, including Mather, were involved in the trip.

Their efforts were eventually directed to pushing for the protection of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which became the Caribou Commons project.

When that was done, Lien said in an interview Thursday, those involved all amicably went their separate ways.

For Lien, that meant continuing to pursue his musical career which took him to Asia, where he lives full-time.

Last year, Lien said, Mather took up the reins of the Wildland Concerts again, sensing perhaps Lien was spending too much time in highly populated areas.

Having gone on many of the river trips Lien and Madsen had taken, Mather appreciated the art form .

He wondered if Lien would be interested in going a trip on the Wind River for 2 1/2 weeks, informing him of the debate over the protection of the Peel watershed.

Mather, Lien said, thought it was important to inform the public about what is at stake.

They set to work planning for the trip. Just before he left Asia, Lien was in Beijing working on music for a television show. Within 24 hours, he found himself on a float plane out of Mayo.

You'd think the two places couldn't be more different. What was most striking for Lien as he flew out of Mayo, however, were the "scars” on the land so far from any populated areas.

Not necessarily related to mining, Lien pointed out, there were cut lines and other marks left on the landscape by humans.

By the time they reached the upper ranges of the Wind River, the scars on the land could no longer be seen.

"It's really rare,” Lien said of regions of the Wind River where there are no identifiable marks left by people.

Three canoes were packed full of gear, food and the range of equipment that a musician, photographer, videographer and artist will bring.

Along with Lien and Mather was artist Stephanie Ryan, videographer Brendan Preston and "den mother” Terri Kearns.

Over the course of the 2 1/2 weeks, the team recorded the sights and sounds of the Wind River. That began with a moose encounter on their first day.

After the plane took off, they saw a cow moose and her two calves feeding.

The canoeists were able to get so close, Lien was able to use his 3D sound recording equipment, which essentially records sound the same way it's heard, to get the moose feeding her young and grunting.

Likewise, "the photographers were having a heyday,” Lien said.

The next day, the group awoke to find the moose and her calves had gone through their camp.

The situation instilled in him the value of the area as "a nursery for life,” he said, adding that there were a number of similar encounters with wildlife during his time on the river.

He also came to view the Peel watershed as a "factory of water for the planet” when he saw spring water coming down rocks.

It's difficult to fathom why anyone would want to risk what the area offers with development and easy to understand why the majority of Yukoners want to see it protected.

What's not easy to understand, Lien argued, is the information the Yukon government has put online.

Colour schemes, concepts and even referring to the "Final Recommended Plan” all add to the confusion for those seeking information on what the Yukon government is proposing to allow in the region.

"There's nothing permanent about it,” Lien said of the proposals, noting a provision that would allow the government to change the protection status.

He also pointed out that even the most extreme protection proposed would allow for the reissuing of existing permits.

If the government is not going to have protection, he asked, why not just say so?

While Lien has no problem letting people know how he feels about the region and the importance of protection, he and Mather made a conscious decision not to "preach,” but rather simply allow the audience to experience the Wind River.

"We think that speaks for itself,” he said.

While the multimedia concert is not out to make a political statement, it's timing is no coincidence.

Originally, they had looked at doing two shows a couple of months from now, but when the government extended the consultation period to Feb. 25, they scrambled for a February show, taking the only date available at the arts centre.

With that date coming just after this weekend's Frostbite Music Festival, Lien said, they weren't sure how many would purchase tickets to their show.

With little promotion, they were happily surprised when the show sold out.

Thanks to the digital age, Lien and Mather were able to do much of the work they needed to using the drop box program, with Lien flying in earlier this week so they could finish up the details.

Comparing the different components of the performance to a stew that's been left on the stove to simmer all day, he said he's excited to see what kind of "herbs and spices” the full band will add to the mix.

The names of those musicians will not be unfamiliar to many Yukoners.

Bassist Paul Stephens has worked with Lien on a number of his projects; local drummer Lonnie Powell is returning from Europe in time to perform at the show on drums; violinist/violist Richard Moody is a veteran on the Canadian music scene; and Ed Henderson of Chilliwack fame will perform on guitar.

Finally, Paul Gaitien, who once owned the local Unitech shop, will be in town to work on sound.

Lien said he's excited about the almost-finished piece, which will bring the wilderness to many who may not otherwise get to experience it.

"We're really happy we can share that,” he said.

Along with Lien's and Mather's take on the region, the presentation incorporates comments from local First Nations who have lived around the Peel watershed for generations. Some of Ryan's work is also part of the show.

Those without tickets to the show could find themselves waiting for Lien's next CD, which is set to be based around this trip and include new music inspired by the trip.

Ivory Lichen is one of those songs coming from his experience on the Wind River when he visited the grave of a young girl who died about a century ago.

As Lien recalled, they had directions from a First Nations man to find the tiny wooden cross sunken into the lichen.

"It was really touching,” he said of finding the grave during a hike on the trip.

He noted it pressed upon him how sacred the region is for First Nations who have lived there for so long.

"This is somebody's history,” he said.

Ivory Lichen will be among the songs Lien will perform Tuesday night.

While there are no set plans for the show to be performed elsewhere yet, Lien is not ruling out the possibility.

The digital media could lend itself well to taking the show out to the communities in the future, he added.

See commentaries, letters on the Peel in today's opinion section.