LUTHERAN QUILTERS – Members of the Quilts for Comfort Group stand between pews draped with some of the 205 quilts they made, in the Sitka Lutheran Church Tuesday. The group made the quilts for five local non-profits and one in Anchorage. The remaining quilts are sent to Lutheran World Relief which distributes them to places around the world in need, such as Ukraine, as part of Personal Care Kits. Pictured are, from left, Helen Cunningham, Kathleen Brandt,Vicki Swanson, Paulla Hardy, Kim Hunter, Linda Swanson and Sue Fleming. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
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Daily Sitka Sentinel
Last HomeSkillet Fest Going On Stage
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
HomeSkillet Fest will go out on a high note this weekend, with more than three dozen acts in the 10th and final year of the local music festival.
Festival founder and director Nicholas Galanin says it should be a memorable weekend, with a combination of old friends and new acts. And in that way, he said, it will be just like the other HomeSkillet events.
The group Breathe Owl Breathe plays at the Performing Arts Center in 2010. The group is back in Sitka to perform at this year’s HomeSkillet Fest. (Sentinel file Photo)
“It’s such a great time, there are so many wonderful people around,” he said. “Sharing this beautiful town we live in with talented artists and guests.”
The festival opens tonight at Rio’s, above Ludvig’s, on Katlian Street, and continues through the late hours Saturday night. After-hours parties will feature music acts as well, from local and out of-town artists.
That program is sold out in the modest-size venue, but blues musicians will play a free HomeSkillet concert 8 p.m. at the Loft. And later tonight is an after party that starts at 10 p.m. at Larkspur Cafe.
Other festival events start 5:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday (doors open at 5) at Sea Mountain Golf Course, followed by after-parties at the Dock Shack.
Galanin said he’s enjoyed playing and welcoming guests to the festival every year since the first. He’s proud of what HomeSkillet has achieved by bringing artists to Sitka and giving local musicians a platform.
Seattle musician Kirt Debique is making his first trip to Sitka, but said he knows of HomeSkillet Fest’s reputation through the Seattle music crowd, particularly the Brick Lane Records musicians.
“It’s my first time to Sitka, my first time to Alaska,” said Debique, who is originally from Trinidad. “What am I looking forward to? A big part of it is getting to hang out with all the great artists, and participating in something that has a lot of love and history ... getting to be part of something important.”
He said the festival will also be a chance to connect with great artists from the region over a busy weekend.
“And getting to be a part of it on the occasion of the 10th anniversary – and possibly the last – it’s great to be a part of that,” Debique said.
Debique will play in Friday night’s lineup at the golf course. He describes his music as “alternative industrial synth pop,” along the lines of Nine Inch Nails and Depeche Mode.
He said he will play tunes that are included in his first solo album, which will be released in October. He described “Things Left Unsaid” as a concept album where the tracks are “letters” to different people in his life.
“The idea was to talk about things we deal with, in the context of family and relationships,” he said. There are a couple of “open letters” on the album that he hopes the audience can also relate to.
Greg Smith is making his fourth or fifth trip to Sitka for HomeSkillet. In the past he has played here with other groups, but this year will serve as DJ at festival events.
“I may play some of my own, but mostly other people’s music,” Smith said. Also known as Radjaw, Smith spontaneously dubbed himself “Greg and the Greg Gregs” for this event.
He said HomeSkillet stands apart from other festivals for the opportunities that musicians have to spend time together.
“It’s a really great chance for artists to get to know each other,” Smith said. “At other festivals you don’t necessarily mingle as much. ... At HomeSkillet you come as strangers and you leave as family. It’s got a good family vibe as well.”
He’s enjoyed meeting Sitkans, who stand apart from most festival goers in his experience.
“The people who are there – putting on the event, the people of the town – create an energy so welcoming,” Smith said. “You can’t walk in with an ego because no one cares how popular you are or how cool you are. They care about you as a person. They’re just as interested in getting to know you as a person as a musician. It’s a totally different vibe.”
Smith congratulated Galanin on his 10-year anniversary for HomeSkillet.
“It’s one of those things – I’m kind of (disappointed) but also happy,” he said. “It’s going out on a high horse for everything. But next year it will be a void for people, not just in Sitka, but for the artists who play there. It’s a little sad.”
Smith thinks it’s a good idea to end the festival while it’s still popular and full of energy, instead of the alternative.
“Going out and saying goodbye on your own is great – being able to end it yourself is awesome.” he said. “(Galanin) chose it himself.”
As for Galanin, he said he’s pleased he has achieved his goal of hosting the event for 10 years.
“It’s just a lot of work,” Galanin said. He performs as Silver Jackson, and is a visual artist as well. “Ten years was the goal, and I’m happy to have done it for 10 years. It’s been really amazing.”
While he enjoys the music, he said, the best parts of the festival have been the lasting friendships he’s made over the years with musicians and volunteers.
Galanin said this is a good year to end the festival because his schedule has become increasingly busy. He just finished a tour with fellow Sitkan Zak Wass, and the two will head off to Zurich, Switzerland, and Berlin next. He has other projects he would like to pursue as well, but he said he will definitely miss it.
“It’s the best time of the year, for me anyways,” he said.
The Home Skillet schedule:
Tonight
Rio’s (sold out)
6:30 p.m. – Jed Delong
7 p.m. – Teri Tibbett
7:25 p.m. – Mitch Gonzales
8 p.m. – Liz Snyder (Wool Pullers)
8:20 p.m. – Valley Maker
8:40 p.m. – Gyasi Ross
9:05 p.m. – Benjamin Verdoes
9:40 p.m. – Breathe Owl Breathe
The Loft, 408 Oja Way (free concert)
8 p.m. – Local and out of town blues musicians: Strummin’ Dog, Eric Freeman, Lee Asnin, Gary Gouker, Mudd Puddle, Jeff Aker and more.
Official After-Party at Larkspur Cafe, 2 Lincoln St.
10 p.m. – Meathead
11 p.m. – OCnotes
midnight – Astronomar
Friday
Sea Mountain Golf Course
5:30 p.m. – Gemini Waltz
5:45 p.m. – Jeff Aker
6 p.m. – Kristi Lane Sinclaire
6:25 p.m. – The Frontiers
6:50 p.m. Strummin’ Dog / Mudd Puddle
7:15 p.m. – Blue Ridge Boy Eric Freeman
7:40 p.m. – Kirt Debique
8:10 p.m. – Grey Waves
8:40 p.m. – Astro King Phoenix
9:15 p.m. – Silver Jackson
9:50 p.m. – Ephriam Nagler
10:30 p.m. – Erik Blood
11:15 p.m. Iska Dhaaf
Official After-Party at Dock Shack, 201 Katlian St.
11 p.m. – Gemini Waltz
midnight – Strummin’ Dog, Jeff Aker, Blue Ridge Boy Eric Freeman
1 a.m. (Saturday) – Grey Waves
Official After-Party at Fly In Fish Inn, 485 Katlian St.
midnight – Greg & The Greg Gregs
Saturday
Sea Mountain Golf Course
5:30 p.m. – Stephan Blanchett (Pumyua)
5:45 p.m. – Meathead
6:10 p.m. – Chocolate Chuck
6:35 p.m. – Audio Visual
7:05 p.m. – Tay Sean
7:30 p.m. – Sassy Black
8 p.m. – Budo
8:30 p.m. – Ra Scion
9:10 p.m. – Jarv Dee
9:50 p.m. – OCnotes
10:30 p.m. – VoxMod
11:15 p.m. – Playboy Spaceman
Official After Party at Dockshack
midnight – Strummin’ Dog, Jeff Aker, Blue Ridge Boy Eric Freeman
1 a.m. (Sunday) – Iska Dhaaf
Official After-Party at Fly In Fish Inn
Midnight – DJ INDICA JONES, Ra Scion
1 a.m. – Phonetic
Tickets for Friday’s and Saturday’s shows at the golf course are $10 per day, and can be purchased on the website www.homeskilletfest.com for pickup at the door. Kids 10 and under are free. Tickets are also available at Old Harbor Books and Devilfish Gallery.
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20 YEARS AGO
March 2004
Advertisement: Tea-Licious Tea House & Bakery 315 Lincoln Street Grand Opening! Freshly Baked Scones, Cakes & Pastries Innovative Salads, Soups & Sandwiches Harney & Sons Tea. Lunch * Afternoon Tea * Supper.
50 YEARS AGO
March 1974
Photo caption: National Republican Chairman George Bush takes a drink of water offered by Jan Craddick, Sitka delegate, during the Republican convention held here. Mrs. Craddick explained to Bush that the water was from Indian River, which means, according to local legend, that he will return.