From left: Chris Lay, Justin Bennett, Breanna Paletta and Todd Bayles are the Portland-based band, ‘The Sale.’ The band, which will release their debut album ‘11:11’ on July 1, will travel to Wrangell the next day to take part in our Fourth of July festivities.
When the City and Borough of Wrangell celebrates Fourth of July this year there will be an added treat – live music on Tuesday, July 3 and during the street dance on Wednesday night.
The Sale, a pop-rock quartet from Portland, Ore. will be performing for Wrangellites and visitors to the borough during its most popular summertime event, with a pre-Fourth concert during the early part of the day on July 3. The street dance, which will take place behind City Hall on Campbell Drive, will kick off at 8 p.m. on the Fourth.
Fourth of July Committee co-chairman John Waddington said bringing the Portland-based artists to Wrangell isn’t just going to add some music to the fireworks.
“It is going to make the Fourth,” Waddington said.
He also said that music, when combined with the celebration, unites those taking part in the festivities.
“In the years when we have a band that comes to Wrangell, it brings people together in downtown because we have a purpose to gather and enjoy the fireworks,” Waddington added. “In years without music, you see people clump up downtown and then wander off into groups. This is going to make our Fourth of July amazing.”
The band, which consists of vocalist and guitarist Breanna Paletta, guitarist and vocalist Justin Bennett, drummer Chris Lay, and bassist/cellist Todd Bayles, will release their first album, titled “11:11” on July 1 – the day before they travel to Wrangell.
The band has toured across the United States during the past five years and members have opened for a number of major-label artists in Portland, Seattle, Wash., and Cedar City, Utah, including Tori Amos and the Cowboy Junkies.
Paletta said she is looking forward to sharing the band’s music with Wrangell.
“We love meeting new people and sharing our music and message,” Paletta said. “We want to spend time with good people, celebrate the Fourth, and make it fun for them.”
The trip will be the first to Alaska for all of the band members except Paletta – who said she couldn’t wait to return.
“I was in Ketchikan once and it was beautiful, so I’m looking forward to being back in Southeast,” she added.
Bennett, who along with Paletta is a primary songwriter for the group, said he is looking forward to the trip north.
“I’ve never been to Alaska, so I am super pumped up to go, and crab is my favorite food so I am stoked,” Bennett said. “I think we’re going to bring a lot of positive energy with the songs we do, which can be from up-tempo rock, to reggae, to even folk and the occasional love song. We play a little something for everybody.”
The band will play their first of two sets for the city celebration on July 3 starting at 3 p.m., and then again for the street dance and fireworks extravaganza on July 4, with music beginning 8 p.m. The Marine Bar will also host the band on July 3 starting at 8 p.m.
On a local note, Wrangell resident and guitarist Austin Sun is scheduled to play a rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” with the band during the fireworks display.
For more information, call the Chamber of Commerce at 874-3901.
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