I know, I spend a lot of time talking about Austin Kiddie Limits, but there are some pretty cool fests that, even though they don't have quite as much kids music, are still sufficiently kid-focused.
Seattle's annual Bumbershoot festival, which is being held this year, as always, on Labor Day weekend (Sept. 5-7), has kids bands playing for the first time. Luckily, Seattle's got a great crop of bands, so they can be local, too -- the Not-Its! play at 1:30 Saturday, Central Services’ Board of Education at 1:00 Sunday, and Recess Monkey 1:30 Monday.
You can't have a kids section at a music festival without having a cheeky name, and Bumbershoot is no different -- welcome to Youngershoot. In addition to the bands, they've got movies, animation, and all sorts of other cool stuff going on. They even take a crack at suggesting kid-friendly "adult" artists -- I've got a feeling there are some other folks who would second the Michael Franti & Spearhead suggestion...
New Englanders, Do This. And New Yorkers, Too.
Three months ago, I posted my list of the best kids music venues in the country. I'm not sure the No Nap Happy Hour organized by Bill would appear in that top 5 list yet, but take a look at the first six bands in the series and tell me that it wouldn't be in the Top 10 at least:
7/26 Lunch Money
8/23 Justin Roberts & the Not Ready for Naptime Trio
9/20 Deedle Deedle Dees
10/18 Uncle Rock & the Playthings
11/8 Brady Rymer & the Little Band That Could
12/6 Bill Harley
That's a great lineup, a nice blend of local(-ish) and not-so-local musicians. And it kicks off with Lunch Money, folks! All shows are Sundays at 2 PM at the Iron Horse Music Hall. It's the best lineup north of the 42nd parallel. Go!
Video: "No One Likes To Be Left Out" - Mates of State
Yo Gabba Gabba! is pegged at your resident 3-year-old, so the song lyrics lack any subtlety. Of course, when they're as catchy as Mates of State's take on inclusion -- "No One Likes To Be Left Out" -- nobody really minds.
How much do I like this song? I'm willing to link to it, even though embedding is disabled. (Boo!)
Oh, and I totally think they ripped off one of the band's own videos...
Mates of State - "Fraud in the '80s" (kid-safe, I think, and an awesome song)
Austin Kiddie Limits 2009 Schedule Set
Well, the 2009 Austin City Limits Festival schedule is out and Austin Kiddie Limits is part of the fun, of course. Half the fun is planning the AKL stages around the shows in the rest of the park you want to see. (The other half is, of course, watching those finely made plans be blown to bits by the fact that your kids can't be marshalled around at will. It's good parenting training, actually.)
Anyway, here goes...
Friday, Oct. 2
11:30 - 11:50 Stoosh (ex-Loose Cannons folks)
12:30 - 12:50 Paul Green School of Rock All-Stars
1:30 - 1:50 Telephone Company
2:30 - 2:50 Milkshake
3:15 - 3:30 Special Guest
3:30 - 4:00 Lunch Money
Lots of good stuff going on in the afternoon -- Asleep at the Wheel, Medeski Martin & Wood, Blitzen Trapper. Good thing a lot of those folks are playing later in the weekend... As for the special guest, I'm pretty sure Andrew Bird's above Tor's pay grade (and his crowds would overrun the AKL area), but that's my vote.
Did Neil Armstrong Take Kids Music to the Moon?
I'm pretty sure the answer is, "no," but oh well. In honor of the 40th anniversary of the moon landing, here's the coolest moon landing kids music song ever, Rocknoceros' "Apollo." (If you want to see the band play it at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum in DC, go here and click about 4:20 in.)
Rocknoceros - "Apollo" (Live)
Video: "Family Tree" - Secret Agent 23 Skidoo
Please tell me -- where can I find a branded ViewMaster? Because Secret Agent 23 Skidoo has one of his very own, here in this new video for "Family Tree," which also features a brief hip-hop lesson from 23, lots of rhymes from Saki, and probably the coolest school bus vibe ever.
Secret Agent 23 Skidoo - "Family Tree"
