KidVid Tournament 2011: Round 1 Review

It started with my favorite kids music videos of the year. Then you voted on your favorites at Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl. Then you went to Out With the Kids, Ages 3 and Up!, Gooney Bird Kids, and Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child to vote in Round 1. Maybe you even went to Dadnabbit (or should've, anyway) to read Jeff's handicapping of the brackets. All that, and we still have seven matchups to go. Here, then, are the Round 1 winners who will be facing off in Round 2. Ella Jenkins Region: The Not-Its!, "Green Light, Go!" (2) vs. Sugar Free Allstars, "Cars and Trucks" (4) Pete Seeger Region: Keller Williams, "Hula Hoop To Da Loop" (1) vs. Recess Monkey, "Black Hole in My Room" (2) Leadbelly Region: Caspar Babypants, "$9.99" (1) vs. Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke, "Big Pet Pig" (2) Woody Guthrie Region: The Bazillions, "Preposition" (1) vs. Debbie and Friends, "Cinderella" (2) Some of the winners won in blowouts, some in squeakers, but all of these (friendly) face-offs will get even closer here in this next round. Even though I like the Sugar Free Allstars video (it made my Top 25 list, after all), it makes me a little sad that John and Mark's "A Counting Error," my favorite video of the year, didn't make it to round 2, but that's the perils of fandom, right? Round 2 will start on Saturday, March 26. Which matchup will kick off Round 2 and where will it be found? Well, you'll just have to wait for Saturday to find out...

Yo Gabba Gabba, Fresh Beat Band Get New Episodes

And the world, what? Rejoices? Shrugs? Little of both? I don't know. Anyway, a little late with this news, but did want to note that a couple weeks ago, Nick and its many affiliated channels announced that it had picked up both The Fresh Beat Band and Yo Gabba Gabba! for new 13-episode seasons. That would be the third season for the four primary-colored human forms and the fourth season for the four primary-colored, er, whatever it is Brobee et al. are. There aren't any details on what sort of craaaaazy adventures each quartet will get themselves into (or what guests the YGG! folk will have). However, as YGG! co-creator Christian Jacobs noted in an interview, they've also been working on a movie script, so perhaps the additional episodes will give the script an added push as well. Anyway, given that it took them basically a year to debut Season 3 YGG! episodes after they approved production, expect DJ Lance and friends to come back for Season 4 in spring of 2012. Photo Credit: Ben Clark/Nickelodeon

Share: "Garbage Man" - Mr. Richard

There is nothing revolutionary at all about this new track titled "Garbage Man" from Florida's Mr. Richard. It's just a simple little ditty with a nice groove. But sometimes that's all your kid (or you) needs (or need, for the grammatical sticklers out there). Richard reports that he wrote the song "after seeing Jonathan Richman for the umpteenth time so he gets some props, too." It's the first single (of sorts) from Richard's forthcoming 2011 album. Even better for you, it's downloadable for free here.

KidVid Tournament 2011: Day 4 (Pete Seeger Regional)

It's final first round day of KidVid Tournament 2011 action. The last regional host is Bill Childs at the venerable Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child radio show. He's hosting two matchups for the Pete Seeger Regional: -- Keller Williams, "Hula Hoop to Da Loop" (1) vs. Justin Roberts, "Obsessed by Trucks" (4) [vote here] -- Recess Monkey, "Black Hole in My Room" (2) vs. Jamie Broza, "Waters of March" (3) [vote here] Vote today, and if you need a second (or first, or seventh) opinion, Jeff Giles over at Dadnabbit is providing commentary on the whole bracket. Read his take on today's matchups here.

KidVid Tournament 2011: Day 3 (Leadbelly Regional)

We've had an exciting weekend of KidVid Tournament 2011 action, but we're not done yet with the first round. Today's action moves down south as Gwyneth over at Gooney Bird Kids is hosting two matchups for the Leadbelly Regional: -- Caspar Babypants, "$9.99" (1) vs. The Verve Pipe, "When One Became Two" (4) -- Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke, "Big Pet Pig" (2) vs. Holly Throsby, "Fish & Mice" (3) Don't forget -- if you're looking for commentary before or after you vote (today only!) Jeff Giles over at Dadnabbit is providing commentary on the whole bracket. Read his take on today's matchups here.

KidVid Tournament 2011: Day 2 (Ella Jenkins Regional)

Day 1 of KidVid Tournament 2011 is in the books, Day 2 is next. Head on over today to Ages 3 and Up! for your chance to vote on the next two matchups, featuring the Ella Jenkins Region: -- John Upchurch and Mark Greenberg, "A Counting Error" (1) vs. Sugar Free Allstars, "Cars and Trucks" (4) -- The Not-Its!, "Green Light, Go!" (2) vs. Essie Jain, "What a Big Wide World" (3) And before (or after) you vote there, Jeff Giles over at Dadnabbit continues to provide his commentary on the whole bracket. Read his take on today's matchups here.