Sarah Pederson is currently undergoing treatment for Metastatic Breast Cancer. The Cancer Benefit Show will help raise funds for Pederson's medical expenses.Â
Sarah Pederson is currently undergoing treatment for Metastatic Breast Cancer. The Cancer Benefit Show will help raise funds for Pederson's medical expenses.Â
Decepticide will be joined by Alaska Thunder Funk, Them Bones, Devilwitch, Part Time Super Heroes, The Rezz, She and Mindful Khaos.Â
"Well friends, here we go again. That creepy friend, cancer, is back for round 2 after 5 years of remission," Sarah Pederson posted on Instagram on June 15. Since then, Pederson's life has pivoted from her passion, promoting Alaskan bands, to fighting cancer for the second time. While Pederson is currently down, she's not alone in her fight.
This Friday, the music scene she was instrumental in creating will come together to play a benefit concert of epic proportions.
"Sarah is the reigning Queen of metal [music] in Anchorage. So there was no way the community wasn't going to step in to help her beat this," said Koot's co-owner Bart Boggan. "We'll be using the whole bar and have a who's who list of local bands playing on both of the big stages."
For a minimum donation of $10 at the door, metal heads will be treated to live music by Alaska Thunder Funk, Them Bones, Devilwitch, Part Time Super Heroes, The Rezz, Decepticide, Mindful Khaos, and the band that prompted the festival, SHE.
"It's really humbling, and one does never expect it when something like that happens, and the pouring of love and support has been amazing," said Pederson. "I am super grateful for all the love and support, and for everyone who helped put this event together and everyone who will attend on Friday."
Although Pederson has been humbled by the outpouring of support, lending their musical talents to help one of the biggest hearts in the scene was a no-brainer.
"We have all ended up at Sarah's house at one point in our lives. We lived with Sarah because she took us in. Things happened; I could not go back to my house, and I was homeless, but Sarah took me in. My drummer, the same thing. Our former bass player did the same thing, too. We all lived with Sarah at some point, and not just us. Many guys in the music scene have had the same experience, and that's how the music community became more like a family. That's thanks to her," said Decepticide guitarist Enzo Montana.
Through the creation of her promotion company, Family Tree Presents, Pederson has helped develop and maintain a scene that is often overlooked.
"There were other promoters before her, but to me, she was the most important for metal because she would bring up the bands that we really liked - like the really heavy bands that were not on the radio and sometimes not even on MTV," said Montana. "It really motivated a lot of people to go to shows, to start bands, and to one day hopefully open for a Family Tree show."
Through her tenure as a promoter, Pederson has helped countless bands, including the prodigal 36 Crazyfists, who remain Alaskan metal legends.
"It is not easy for bands to exist in Alaska because they have to travel so far to play bigger shows," Pederson said of her motivation to open a promotions company. "I would go to shows with my dad and brother when I was younger, so metal was already in my blood."
As anyone in a band she has touched can attest to, kindness also flows through her veins.
"Sarah's done so much for the music scene and for the people in the music scene at the most personal level," explained Montana.
Sarah Pederson's Cancer Benefit Show will be hosted at Koot's (2435 Spenard Road) on Friday, November 4. The music starts at 8pm and continues all night. In addition to the music, there will also be a silent auction with coveted items like signed memorabilia from Portugal. the Man, and a pop-up clothing store. If you're unable to attend but would like to donate to Pederson's medical bills, you can do so by visiting her GoFundMe page at gofund.me/ffc4c992.
