The robots are back, and they are alive and ready to take over the Orpheum Theater on Saturday July 22. The creative forces of Monster Universe and Culture Shock are combining to bring back the variety show Robot Apocalypse for a second year 鈥� this time, at a bigger venue.
Robot Apocalypse has a large ensemble cast filled with local talent; several of whom are award-winning Flagstaff artists like Revelucien, who was voted Best Performing Artist in last year鈥檚 Best of Flag contest, and Kayley Quick, the co-creator of the show and winner of the Local Artist category in the same year. Each artist in the show will have their own acts ranging from burlesque, drag, pole dancing and so much more.
鈥淲hat鈥檚 cool about the show is there so much humanness involved,鈥� said Quick. 鈥淭he theme of the show is modification and co-creation; how can we modify our acts or co-create our acts with robotics and artificial intelligence [AI]. My act, the shadow burlesque, was co-created with Chat GPT and the AI image generator Midjourney for images, video and narrative that correlate to what I will be dancing. The show itself is the creative heart display of the intertwinedness of humanity and technology.鈥�
With advancements in technology and AI in the past decade, for both malicious and benign purposes, it鈥檚 no wonder society has a fascination with robots and AI. While some are worried about the ramification of these advancements, others have taken a more optimistic view of these changes, but regardless of a person鈥檚 stance, everyone can agree that AI and robotics are and will continue to be a radical presence, reshaping the ways in which we engage with our world.
These ideas were the founding elements the Robot Apocalypse show, which was conceived after Quick watched several videos on robotics and AI-generated chats. Quick found the content weird, interesting and a bit creepy. This was the inspiration that Quick needed to create a show that would operate not only as an entertaining tangle of creative form but also a commentary on the fear of technological advancement and the interconnectivity of humans with technology.
鈥淲e play on that transition; we are going through with AI societally,鈥� Quick said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about where our creativity and humanity lie within this very dominate role that AI seems to be taking over. But let鈥檚 not fear AI in a way that we are [going to be replaced]. I view AI as tool that we can utilize, as humans, for our own self-expression. Not as something that going to come in and take all our jobs and replace us everywhere. Instead, we should use these resources and tools to further our own humanity. What I love about Robot Apocalypse is it brings a diverse community together. Everybody can participate in this technological feature. It鈥檚 not limited; we see that within the cast. Having acceptance for different types of people and how they exist in the world and how they use technology to express themselves.鈥�
鈥淭he idea is to use AI as a tool instead of being afraid of it,鈥� Doug Quick, co-creator, co-producer and owner/operator of Culture Shock expanded on the theme of the show. 鈥淓very technology that comes around, people become afraid of it at first; they think it鈥檚 going to replace humans, but really, it鈥檚 just progress, cars replaced horses, planes replaced trains, TV replaced radio but those things are still [around]. So, people really shouldn鈥檛 be afraid.鈥�
Doug will also be DJing alongside the show鈥檚 narrator, Android Dre, for the event. Some of the performers slated for Robot Apocalypse are Pole Leo, a self-taught pole dancer, an aerial dancer number, belly dancers and flow artists who will pull the audience into the show.
鈥淚 just really excited about it being bigger and better than it was last year,鈥� one of the performers said. 鈥淚 did a number with Revel last year. This year I got to make my own robot sculpture, made from recycled materials, of a real spooky representation of the internet personified. The real danger of AI comes from the way humans interact with it; they鈥檙e just mirrors of us.鈥�
While Robot Apocalypse is the main course of entertainment, there will also be an after party. Northern Arizona University Advanced Media Lab will be doing a Virtual Reality experience showcase with the artist Planet Cree. Hopi R2 will also be on display alongside AI and virtual artwork, some of which will be available for print. Other artists will be on site for living paintings. The after party is free with the tickets to the Robot Apocalypse show. The robots, it seems, are ready to take over our hearts and minds as well.
Tickets for Robot Apocalypse are on sale now via the Orpheum . The Robot Apocalypse will begin on Saturday, July 22 with the doors opening at 8 p.m. and the show starting at 9 p.m. The after party will be held in the Orpheum beginning at 11 p.m. Ticket pricing starts at $24. The Robot Apocalypse is an 18+ show.