Palmer’s Finest Play at Portland Party
Contributed by Larry Lee Hansen
My connection to local music in Alaska goes all the way back to my adolescent years: all-ages shows at community spaces, churches, DIY venues, and a couple dicey occasions of sneaking into bars just to hear a great set of music. I was a committed weekend warrior of the scene back then; truancy and band practice often worked in tandem during those formative years. There were so many externals to escape from as an impressionable, shy teenager, but there was always a consistent, safe outlet while many of my peers got into trouble.
This is how I came to love so many great local artists and bands. One of the very first Alaskan bands I ever fell in love with was Strept. Back in the 2000s, these guys were everywhere in Alaska and impossible to ignore. In fact, the first-ever edition of Make A Scene Magazine featured Strept on the cover, performing at the 2nd Annual Make A Scene Festival on Wasilla Lake. Whoa, time flies!
Fast forward 20 years. I now live in Washington state, and I’m married with fur babies. But after all these years, my love for those songs never died. Occasionally, I’ll see fellow Alaskan music peers make their way to the Pacific Northwest while giving locals a generous dose of what Alaska’s music scene has to offer.
This is what led me to Portland last month. Former Strept members Brian Daniels and Anthony Hastings are in a new band called The Robotz, and they flew down for a three-night PNW mini-tour spanning Washington and Oregon. While it might have made more sense to attend their Seattle show at Central Saloon, I was not looking forward to downtown Seattle parking. Concerned about missing their set altogether, I decided the better option would be to see them in Portland at a house show. So, on Saturday night of Memorial Day weekend, my wife Jess and I drove down three hours to catch The Robotz in action. I bought their album on Bandcamp, you should too, so we could listen on the drive, and we played the entire thing on a loop about four times. The songs quickly sank in, and I was ready to hear how they would translate live.
Featuring Brian on guitar, Anthony on bass, and Kayti Heller on lead vocals, The Robotz totally blew me away from the first song. They even brought props to the backyard concert: robot masks scattered across the lawn, a Vizio 43" TV displaying quirky visuals, and the obligatory tip jar and merch table. Needless to say, Jess and I stocked up on Robotz swag, honorable mention to the cute, crocheted robot plushie we bought.
One of the standout features of The Robotz performance was the amazing three-part vocal harmonies between the members, Brian singing through a modified telephone microphone while Kayti and Anthony sang more traditional harmonies. It’s also important to mention that Kayti Heller performs solo under the name Aspenyarrow. Her vocal range was utterly mind-blowing as she belted every high note with complete accuracy and infectious spirit. Anthony began dancing around the crowd while grooving on his bass guitar, adding to the excitement and crowd participation. Their set ended with a loud encore chant I’ve become all too familiar with over many years of showgoing: One more song!
After their set, we stuck around to check out the next act, an Alaskan electronic duo called Dreamcat. These guys were very fun to watch as the crowd danced. A father with his little girl on his shoulders hopped around as she waved a bubble maker, filling the space with an extra layer of silliness that made the night wholesome and fun. After taking in the vibe and appreciating our new Robotz and Dreamcat merch, it was time to hit the road. Midnight was fast approaching, and Jess had to get up early the next morning, so we jetted back home to Ocean Shores, Washington. After an obligatory midnight Taco Bell stop, we made it home at exactly 2 a.m. with fun memories that will stay with me until the next time I get to see The Robotz play. Great times!