Four aerialists from Skagway will swing from the rafters of Payson’s Pavilion this weekend, anchoring a fair entertainment roster that ranges from rock to gospel acts and includes Zumba dancers, lovable dogs and live bald eagle presentations. Shows are on the Main Stage, Park Stage and Klondike Stage.
Renee Koher, a former aerialist for Disney, launched Skagway Aerial Company in 2011. She recruited local artists, musicians and shop workers whose three-hour workouts amount to hundreds of sit-ups at a time.
“(Aerialism) is more than doing tricks. There’s an art to it, as well as knowing what your body needs to be capable of. It’s a total body workout, from head to toe,” Koher said. Their fair acts (Main Stage, 7 p.m. Friday and 6 p.m. Saturday) will be the group’s first out-of-town performance, and will include contemporary dance. “They’ve all worked extremely hard. They’re going to be incredible.”
Fair entertainment coordinator Beth Bolander said the five-member band Elephant Revival (Main Stage, 7:30 p.m. Friday) will likely be a “big contender” for hearts of fair music-lovers. “They’re super-cool, mellow folkie bluegrass. They’re selling out shows all over the West Coast,” including for the singing of percussionist Bonnie Paine, who plays saw, stompbox and djembe. “This spot is my family act. They’re very family-friendly,” Bolander said.
The act will be followed Friday by Hymn For Her, a duo described by one reviewer as a “unique mash-up of blues-infused country punk.” Bolander said audiences shouldn’t be deceived by the act’s size. “They’re a duo, but they’re loud. They’ll be in the Hillstomp style.”
They’ll be followed on the stage by The Whiskeydicks (Main Stage, 10:30 Friday and 2:45 p.m. Saturday) fiery Gypsy-punk rockers from Vancouver, B.C. who played the fair previously and are favorites with the late-night dance crowd.
Louisiana-based Vagabond Swing opens the prime-time slot Saturday night (Main Stage, 8:30 p.m.), using soaring horns and guitars to produce a futuristic, souped-up Cajun sound that Bolander describes as “gypsy punk psychedelic circus.” The group has played at the New Orleans Jazz Festival and Wakerusa. “They’re high energy and entertaining. People are going to love them,” Bolander said.
The Kansas-based trio Split Lip Rayfield (10:30 p.m. Saturday) close down the Main Stage Saturday with “break-neck songs” about “love, loss, change and dark powers.” The “thrash-grass” group uses acoustic instruments to play rock, punk and heavy metal songs. Bassist Jeff Eaton’s instrument is fashioned from the gas tank of a 1978 Mercury, strung with a single string off a weed whacker. Audiences will appreciate the mastery of mandolin-player Wayne Gottstine, Bolander said.
Balladeer Harrison B (Main Stage, 7:30 p.m. Saturday) launches the party with ranging vocals and a soulful lyrics. He’s a Tennessee-based musician whose music is described as blending traditional and progressive American song forms to create a dynamic, personal sound.
The dancing, however, is likely to start early with the Skagway-based Hot Toddies (Main Stage, 4 p.m. Saturday), featuring an all-women brass section, blues and pop classics and “a smorgasbord of air guitar classics.” The band played a mid-winter show in downtown Haines that was hard to stay seated for, Bolander said. “I think they’ll surprise people.”
The Wool Pullers of Juneau are another regional act of note, Bolander said. The acoustic folk rock duo that played in May at the Haines brewfest blends unique vocals into melodic harmonies (Main Stage, 6 p.m. Friday).
Blues singer and guitarist Sarah Moon of Portland (Main Stage, 2:45 p.m. Friday and 2:15 p.m. Saturday) “will blow your socks off,” said Bolander. Moon’s singing is “soulful, soaring, booming and sexy,” she said.
Sunday’s performances include a Gospel session with local favorite Julia Scott and friends Eric Holle, Andrew Cardella, Jim Hebert and Bolander (Main Stage, 12:30 p.m.) and a fair send-off by career musicians familiar to residents, Nicole Edwards, Jeff Alvine and Kid Burfl (Main Stage, 3 p.m.) Guitarists Fred Shields and Greg Horner, with drummer Michael Smith, as Ed’s Plumbing, perform 1 p.m. Sunday at the Klondike Stage. Other Sunday acts at the Klondike include The Quaintrelles, a female duo from Juneau (2 p.m.) and Big Mama Lele of Skagway (3 p.m.)
At press time Wednesday, there were still performance spots open on the Park Stage and Klondike Stage. For more information, contact 503-807-9357.
Offstage performances at this year’s fair include a show by the Haines-based puppet theater, Geppetto’s Junkyard. This year the troupe is trying a different approach to their presentation, focusing on a more linear storyline, said Hannah Bochart, puppeteer and author. The original show, “The Not Quite Child,” is “a classic adventure story that details our growth to adulthood.” In a girl’s search for her origins, she comes across strange dancers, miners, and other odd characters. Puppet theater shows are in the big-top tent at Raven Arena Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Tickets are sold at the tent door.
For more information on acts, see the fairgrounds information booth, the fair entertainment booklet or the fair’s website, http://www.seakfair.org.