Recycled Percussion brings Vegas show to Spokane

Since Recycled Percussion’s big break on “America’s Got Talent” nine years ago, the group has performed more than 3,000 shows in Las Vegas alone. This weekend, the family-friendly, high-energy group is coming to Spokane to perform at the Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox.

“The name Recycled Percussion is actually pretty deceiving,” said Justin Spencer, one of the group’s founding members. “We once were only percussion, many years ago. But then we became finalists on ‘America’s Got Talent’ and signed a multimillion dollar deal in Las Vegas, so we had to really diversify our show.”

The success prompted them to add a guitarist and integrate a major comedy element into the percussion-centered show.

“Our show is really funny. It’s just a very well-balanced show,” Spencer said. “If you like classic rock ‘n’ roll music (and) really edgy comedy, you’ll like the show. It’s a Vegas quality show in Spokane.”

The group is popular with all ages and has become a leading family show for Las Vegas travelers.

“We get lots of families,” Spencer said. “It’s like the premier Vegas show for families.”

They love getting the audience involved with call and response segments and will often bring fans up on stage to participate in various parts of the show.

In addition to their punishing Vegas schedule that sees them performing three or four times a day, the group has also been heavily involved in charitable ventures. Their ABC show “Chaos & Kindness” has taken up a large part of their efforts.

“(The TV show) is just something that kind of came from years and years of doing really cool (stuff) for people,” Spencer said. “So whether it’s every year buying toys for 5,000 kids on Christmas or helping people in the hurricanes, going down there and offering a helping hand or helping elderly couples get a new house or families battling illnesses like cancer or transplants.”

That philanthropic spirit and the group’s lasting entertainment value has carried the group from hometown performances all the way to being featured on America’s Got Talent more than any other act in the show’s history.

“We just try to bring kindness to people, to spread the word of a judgment free life, understanding that there’s a lot of chaos in this world and that we can make a difference just by being kind,” Spencer said.