KATIE: The weather has been so lovely, Ben. I will never get over it. I'm just going to keep bringing it up every single time we talk. It's going to annoy the sh** out of you, but I don't really care.
Anyway, back to the weather: It's super warm and sunny so you should get out of your hobbit hole and enjoy it this weekend, yeah? Luckily for you, there are a lot of events to choose from.
To start, the 8th Annual Home Skillet Fest kicks off in Sitka on Friday. This year's two-day festival sounds pretty interesting with artists like indie folk act Breath Owl Breath, local hero Silver Jackson, Folk singer Dustin Love Thomas and electro-pop rapper Katie Kate gracing the stage at the ANB Hall. Tickets are reasonable too, $25 per day or $45 for a two day pass. If I could get to Sitka easier, I'd be there in a flash.
Let's see, what else, oh yeah, also beginning Friday and continuing on until Sunday, is the Copper River Wild! Salmon Festival and Jam in Cordova. This festival will feature delicious foods, a BBQ cook-off, a marathon and a great line up of local and traveling bands. Headlining this year are The Super Saturated Sugar Strings from Anchorage. They'll play the Friday Jam with opener Anna (to Victor).
That should get us started. Anything special you're looking forward to, Ben?
BEN: Well Katie, in the weird town of Talkeetna there's a weird -- though possibly awesome -- event taking place on Thursday night: the Back to the Future Prom hosted by the Fairview Inn. If you think about it, Talkeetna, sometimes called "the end of the road," is a perfect location for a "Back to the Future"-themed event, since "where we're going, we don't need roads."Things are sure to get "heavy," with a DeLorean photo booth and what promises to be an eclectic mix of '80s and '50s attire mixed together thanks to the time-hopping plot of the Michael J. Fox classic. So sit back, pop your favorite Huey Lewis and the News tape in the cassette deck -- or maybe drop the needle on "Earth Angel" on vinyl -- and fulfill your "density."
Wow, I never really put it together, but I kind of know wayyy too much about "Back to the Future."
Speaking of Huey Lewis and the News, the pop act is playing in Anchorage in November at the Center for the Performing Arts, so there's an early reminder if you're into aging '80s pop acts.
There's lots more, but I've spent enough time geeking out about Back to the Future, so I'll give you a chance to get a word in edgewise. Just don't talk about the weather.
KATIE: It's official, Ben. You're a nerd: A HUMONGOUS NERD. It's okay. I'm pretty nerdy myself, not that nerdy, but I do alright. In honor of nerds everywhere, this next one's for you, you know who you are.
The Z. J. Loussac Public Library on Saturday will host Anchorage's first ever Mini Maker Faire on the lawn and the building's first floor. A mini maker faire-- of which I'm sure you're aware, Ben-- is a fair dedicated to inventors, tinkerers, engineers and a other "makers." It's sometimes referred to "the greatest show (and tell) on earth." The Anchorage version will feature super interesting creations, like inflatable snowshoes, creative crafts, strange feats in engineering and much more. The faire runs noon to 6 p.m. General admission in $5, but kids under 15 are free. If you're in town, check it out cause it's gonna be delightfully nerdy.
Less nerdy, but also on Saturday, is the CD release party for Anchorage's favorite "doom-wop" band, Historian, at S Lounge on Gambell. Sophia Street and Trajectory, from Talkeetna, will open the show which starts at 10 p.m. Historian takes the stage at 11:30 p.m. There will be merchandise, including (obviously) the band's new album "Romance," t-shirts and limited edition art work. To wet your appetite, I've embedded the exclusive* track below:
In other music highlights, Portland's Ezza Rose Band will be at the Marlin in Fairbanks on Saturday. If you haven't heard about Rose and crew yet, read more about her inimitable soul-melting voice and light indie-folk vibe here. Or just go see the show.
Also on Saturday, in Girdwood, funk rock band Big Fat Buddah will be onstage at the Sitzmark Bar and Grill. Show starts at 9 p.m. and it's free, so ... what's your excuse, Ben?
BEN: My excuse? I'll tell you my excuse. BEARS!
*Exclusive because it's only available online, and because it's Katie's favorite thereby making it eclusive, just in general.
Contact Ben Anderson at ben(at)alaskadispatch.com and Katie Medred at katie(at)alaskadispatch.com