KindieFest 2009: Final Thoughts

So now that StinkFest has officially become KindieFest, I just wanted to gather everything KindieFest 2009-related in one spot. From the awesome photos used with permission of J.P. Stephens from the band Lunch Money (visit him at Lumos Studio) to my initial thoughts on the day to my notes on all the showcase performers, I wanted a collection. (Plus, I dig the shoes.) Having said that, the collection is poor, if only because so much is missing -- Molly Ledford and Ashley Albert leading a songwriting workshop with the kids in attendance; listening to those kids perform the song; walking down the street to pick up a fresh sandwich and looking up to notice HEY! IT'S THE MANHATTAN SKYLINE! But it was an excellent day of meeting people and talking about the genre's future. Kudos to Tor, Bill, and Stephanie for putting it on. If you missed it, join in at the KindieFest Ning community. And kudos to all the kids musicians who hopped on stage with Ralph's World to do "Sunny Day Rainy Day Anytime Band."

Full set of artists' links (in the order I posted 'em) after the jump...

The Billy Kelly Show Is Here! The Billy Kelly Show Is Here!

I know, most people would say that reviewing his snappy song "People Really Like Milk" on NPR would be enough Zooglobble coverage for the week, but I love The Billy Kelly Show. Episode 1 is now online and I am adamant that you acquiesce to my request to watch the show. The poem is particularly brilliant.

And here's part 2...

Video: "Summer Today" - Egg

I know I just talked about a video with a pre-production reel, but it's also possible to put together an effective video on a minimal budget, so long as there's some sense of editing and the song's good. Jeff Fuller from L.A.'s Egg just got a new Flip video camera and used it to record a video. "Not exactly a proper music video," Fuller says, "but fun none the less." Agreed - I actually think the lo-fi video is an excellent match for the song, one of my favorites off Sunny Side Up. Egg - "Summer Today" [YouTube]

Pre-Video: "I've Got A Laugh" - Debbie and Friends

I'd seen a pre-production video of Debbie and Friends' "I've Got a Laugh" a few weeks back and thought, huh, that might make for an interesting post. And then Debbie sent me some animation art. Sold. There's nothing earth-shattering about the song, but I do think it's an effective echo song that's easily memorized and repeatable at home. I'm also impressed with the amount of work that goes into good video production. really enjoyed her video for "Hangin' Around" more than I thought I would, so I'm eager to see what the final product looks like. Debbie Cavalier - "I've Got A Laugh" (pre-production version)

A couple more pieces of art from the video after the jump.

Kidzapalooza 2009 Lineup Announced

For some reason, it always takes longer to announce the Kidzapalooza lineup at Lollapalooza than it does their Austin Kiddie Limits cousin, even though AKL is held long after Kidzapalooza wraps up (this year's edition is August 7-9 in Chicago's Grant Park). But via their Facebook page, here's the lineup. Hope you like kids who rawk:

NPR Really Likes "People Really Like Milk"

I've got another kids music review on today's NPR's All Things Considered. This time, it's not a whole album, it's just a song, specifically Billy Kelly's "People Really Like Milk." (Next time, I'll be reviewing a particularly crunchy Scribblemonster guitar riff.) The review will air at 4:45 PM / 6:45 PM / 8:45 PM (Eastern time). If you like the song, I think you'll like the album, too. And I think we can all agree that people should buy the song or album so Kelly can finish this video: