Polka with Alaska's best

When you're traveling around Alaska, keep a lookout for anything advertising a performance of Alaska Blaskapelle, a German band that will have you dancing in the aisles. If you find a performance, plan to attend if at all possible.

Alaska Blaskapelle is a group of about 40 professional and advanced-amateur musicians from Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley, of which about 10 or 12 are used for each performance of good German music, mostly polkas, waltzes and marches. The band has at least as much fun as the audience. Wearing lederhosen and playing mostly brass instruments, they have been described as a heavy metal band dressed in leather. They are also extremely proud of the fact that the last scheduled rehearsal was in 1986.

Seriously, though, these folks are really good. And if you're in the audience and want them to play something special, the band responds much better to a round of beer or perhaps Jagermeister than anything like a cash tip.