It's There. I'm Not.

Kidzapalooza and Lollapalooza, that is. Weather looks to be a little warm in Chicago, but nothing like last week, luckily. I hope to have a couple artists posting "on-the-scene" reports. No, I did not copy the idea from Bill. (Think of it as a case of "great minds think alike.") I'm not gonna get your hopes too high because I don't know exactly when the reports will get posted. By Labor Day, at least. And, no, Gnarls Barkley is not one of the artists. Though now that I write it, that would've been "Crazy." (Ducks frying pan from audience.) And, c'mon, everybody else is covering it, why not a Kidzapalooza musician?

And A Bass Player To Be Named Later...

The baseball trading deadline ended on Monday, but a major swap will happen in the children's music biz this fall. About when the Wiggles start their Fall US tour, Dan Zanes and Friends will be wrapping up a week's worth of shows in Melbourne, Australia. I knew about the Melbourne shows earlier this week, but what I didn't know until Zanes' most recent newsletter (and, really, go to his homepage and sign up now if you haven't already) was that it looks like my long Zanes-ian drought will be coming to an end this spring as he makes it to Tucson on April 22. It'll be a 2-hour drive, but we are so there. Many other things of note in the newsletter, including a new (to me) Dan Zanes Myspace page. Full of your streaming Dan Zanes needs.

Chicago, Chicago, It's A Toddl(er)in' Town

So Lollapalooza and Kidzapalooza happen this weekend in Chicago. Like a few others, I was offered press passes, but I couldn't take advantage of them. Something about my son getting baptized this weekend. Sorry, Perry, maybe next year. But that doesn't mean I can't plot who I'd see were I actually there. (Which I'd really, really, like to be.) Now, if I were going on press passes for Kidzapalooza, I'd feel obligated to attend most of the Kidzapalooza shows, with certain exemptions: 1) I only need to see each artist once. 2) I'm entitled to miss one Kidzapalooza artist to catch a Lollapalooza show I'd absolutely hate to miss. I'd also note that this would be the solo version of the show -- were I actually with a 5- and 1-year-old and a wife, the number of shows I could check out would be greatly reduced... And apparently I don't need to eat... Friday, August 4 11:30 - 12:00 ScribbleMonster -- play the Michigan song! I love the Michigan song! 12:00 - 12:15 Remo Drum Circle -- kids. drums. chaos.

Brady's Bunch

Brady Rymer. Elizabeth Mitchell. Hayes Greenfield. I doubt another lineup will top this, the best one-day-only concert of 2006. Heck, it can even give those multi-day festivals in Chicago and Austin a run for their money. Pity our family has no plans to beanywhere near Long Island on August 27. Oh, and Brady, you really should blog more often. That Clearwater Folk Festival entry was fun to read.

Austin City Limits Festival: Hey, We're Humid, Too!

The Austin City Limits Festival announced their 2006 lineup today and it includes kids music artists you might know such as Sara Hickman, Terri Hendrix, Joe McDermott, Imagination Movers, and Asheba. Take that, Lollapalooza! And just as with Lollapalooza, there are a good 30-40 other artists worth your time. The 2006 edition will be held Sept. 15 - 17. And, as an ex-longtime resident of Austin, I can assure you that it could (OK, will) be just as humid as Chicago in early August. But the pace is much more relaxed. And you're right around the corner from Chuy's Barton Springs location... (Of course, I post this knowing that the idea of families flying to Austin for the weekend for a concert festival is a bit, erm, far-fetched for all but the most devoted and affluent. But still.)