A brief note about an interesting-sounding show tonight in New Jersey. Danny Adlerman and Yosi are appearing at the same show tonight in Metuchen, New Jersey, opening up for Mr. Ray. That by itself wouldn't necessarily lead to a mention here, but what I love about it is that Danny and Yosi are going to play each other's songs. It's kind of like a kids' music hoot night except that it's two artists, not the more typical one, and the hooted artists are actually on stage together, and other people aren't singing. So, really, nothing like a hoot night at all. But still kinda cool.
Austin Kiddie Limits Schedule Set
Amy Winehouse won't be there, the Paul Green School of Rock will. The schedule was always set before, but the Austin City Limits Festival (Sept. 14-16) has added some more details regarding its 2007 Austin Kiddie Limits activities. Instruments to noodle on, tattoos, dance lessons, hip-hop lessons -- lots of stuff to do.
See the complete schedule here.
Let the rumors for the "Special Guest" each day from 3:15 to 3:30 begin!
(My suggestion? The Del McCoury Band finishes their set 2:30 Friday. I think they could do a little Little Mo McCoury stuff at 3:15, no? Jack White on Saturday? Jeff Tweedy Sunday?)
Our Little Evening of Music Now Has a Name
Remember I told you that Bill and I would be hosting a really cool kids' and family music show on Saturday, Sept. 15th in Austin?
Really, with the Deedle Deedle Dees, Joe McDermott, the Telephone Company, and Laura Freeman? How could you forget?
Anyway, we have a name for the evening of music, seeing as how "Austin Kiddie Limits" and "Kidzapalooza" were already taken: the Family Music Meltdown. The title comes courtesy of Austin-area musician Mr. Leebot. (Thanks!)
And if you're gonna be in Austin that weekend, you need to join us. Well, not "need" as in you "need" air to breathe, but, y'know, it'll be lots of fun.
Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang Doin' Their Part to Eliminate East Coast Bias
I tend not to report on single-artist tours, but a note from Gwendolyn of Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang made me realize that we're starting to see more cross-country tours here. I mean, sure, Dan Zanes is like the Bob Dylan of kids' music, playing anywhere they'll have him, and Ralph's World and Justin Roberts are racking up the frequent flyer miles, too. (Laurie Berkner would as well, but she's not touring much, period.)
But now we're seeing slightly less familiar artists making the trek across the country. Brooklyn-based The Deedle Deedle Dees are heading out to Texas, Arkansas, and Kentucky. Melissa and Ellen & Matt, both LA artists, recently trekked out to the New York area (they popped up on Spare the Rock last week. (The The Sippy Cups are playing everywhere in between, too.)
And now Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang are putting together an honest-to-goodness East Coast tour. If you're in the neighborhood of the following venues at the following times, do stop by...
Sat/Sun Oct 21 & 22
Children’s Museum of the East End - Bridgehampton, NY
Sat Oct 27
11am: PB & Jams at World Café – Philadelphia, PA
Sun Oct 28
10am: Citibabes Annual Halloween Bash - Manhattan, NY
2pm: Brooklyn Botanic Garden – Brooklyn, NY (“Ghouls and Gourds” festival)
Mon Oct 29
4 pm: Brooklyn Central Library, Dweck Center - Brooklyn, NY
Tue Oct 30
4 pm: Bay Ridge Library - Brooklyn, NY
Wed Oct 31
6:30pm: Mamalu – Brooklyn, NY (Halloween show)
Thu Nov 1
10 am: Williamsburgh Library - Brooklyn, NY
Fri Nov 2
9:30am: Elephant Steps - Norwalk, CT
6 pm: Borders Books - Simbsbury, CT
Sat Nov 3
2pm: The Children’s Art Museum – Shelburne Falls, MA
Sun Nov 4
11am: First Act – Boston, MA
3:30pm: Brookline Music School – Boston, MA
Listen To This: Lunch Money, "Cookie As Big As My Head"
There are a number of releases in the works for the rest of 2007, but none I am anticipating more than the second album of South Carolina-based trio Lunch Money. It's approaching three years since the release of their debut CD, the small gem Silly Reflection (review), and that's just way too long, y'know? Their lo-fi songs, slightly remiscent of Yo La Tengo or Spoon at its most minimalist, have stayed fresh after repeated listening...
So thanks to Gwyneth, who caught the band's set at Chicago's Summer on Southport Festival a couple weeks ago, and preserved this new track for the world (or at least the world with access to YouTube) to see. "Cookie As Big As My Head" is another instantly catchy melody (though the bass seems particularly high in this mix) married to sharp lyrics ("By the way, my cookie policy is / I'm a chocolate chip girl / We can [something] Pecans and walnuts / [something else] Is winter coming? / Are you trying to tell me that I look like a squirrel? / I want a cookie as big as my head...") OK, I'm sure the lyrics will be sharper on disk. [Note: Thanks to Lunch Money songwriter extraordinaire Molly Ledford for setting things straight in the comments.]
If I Were At Lollapalooza
I've already given you a brief guide to the Kidzapalooza festivities which kick off tomorrow with the rest of the Lollapalooza.
I won't be attending (actually, I'll be handling both kids by myself as my wife heads out of town for a girls' weekend away), but if I did, I'd be getting sunburned, feeling dehydrated, and running my very own Chicago Marathon as I dashed between sets as follows... (Note: If I were there with, say, my two kids and not my wife, my actual schedule would be a lot different. Maybe I'd catch the Wee Hairy Beasties and play the rest by ear.) Click on the dates to see the master schedule for each day.
Friday, August 3rd
11:30 - Rock for Kids Youth Jam Band
12:00 - Illinois (caught 'em with the Hold Steady. Good set.)
12:30 - last 15 minutes of the Hipwaders set (don't worry, I'm catching their full set on Saturday. Or, er, if I were actually attending, I would.)
1:00 - G Love
1:30 - Son Volt or Ted Leo, can't decide (The Sippy Cups are playing, too, but I'll catch their set on Saturday).
2:30 - last 15 minutes of Peter Himmelman (catching his full set on Sunday).
2:45 - last 45 minutes of the Polyphonic Spree
3:30 - Sparklehorse (I'll catch the School of Rock Allstars on Sunday)
5:00 - The Rapture
6:30 - The Black Keys
7:30 - LCD Soundsystem (though Femi Kuti would be hard to miss)
8:30 - Daft Punk (I mean, c'mon, coming from an LCD Soundsystem set, you have no other choice but to go hear Daft Punk)
Saturday, August 4th
11:30 - Wee Hairy Beasties
12:15 - The Blisters
1:15 - The Sippy Cups
1:45 - Tapes 'n' Tapes (catching the middle 30 minutes of their set)
2:15 - The Hipwaders
2:45 - Alvin Ailey Theatre
3:15 - "Very Special Guest" on the Kidzapalooza stage
4:30 - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
5:30 - The Hold Steady. Do not miss the Hold Steady, even if it means missing Roky Erikson, whose return is a pretty big deal, considering his medical/mental health issues.
6:30 - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
7:30 - Spoon
8:30 - Interpol
Sunday, August 5th
11:30 - Peter Himmelman
12:15 - Q Brothers
1:15 - Candy Band
1:45 - Smoosh
2:30 - tail-end of Peter DiStefano & Perry Farrell
2:45 - tail-end of Amy Winehouse. Assuming, of course, she even shows up.
3:15 - School of Rock Allstars featuring "very special guest"
4:15 - Hmmm... Iggy and the Stooges or Kings of Leon. Iggy, just to say I did...
5:15 - Yo La Tengo
6:15 - My Morning Jacket
7:15 - Cafe' Tacuba
8:00 - Pearl Jam
Anybody going, even if they don't plan on attending any of the Kidz acts? Anything I missed?
