More Meltdown Stuff

WRSI has posted a couple of fun things:

- Some audio files from Monte hanging out throughout the day

- A ton of photos, with more to come.

So. That rocked.

Thanks to everyone who was involved in making the River's first annual Meltdown a huge success. Since the event was free, it's hard to be sure how many people were there, but the consensus is that we easily had a thousand people come through, and possibly double that. It was a ton of fun, from two stages of music, to amazing authors reading, to the bounce house, to the incredible circus performers, to the hula hooping styles, to the lambs and chickens, to the great food, to all of the phenomenal vendors...it was awesome.

Some folks at the station will be collecting photos and putting together an album (probably with some video), so if you have any, send 'em to me. I'll put up a link when they're up.

Again: Thanks. So much fun. We'll be back next year.

I stop the world and Meltdown with you!

It's today, everyone. All the details are here, and some bonus stuff is here.

There's great stuff all day long, so stop by any time between 10 and 4.

2009-03-28 Playlist

Listen at WRSI.com, and see you at the Meltdown! JFK Middle School, 10-4, free!

Segment 1
TMBG - It's Spare the Rock
-Ella ID
TMBG - Alphabet Lost and Found
School for the Dead - Superhero (live at Spare the Rock)
Nields - Going to Boston (Rock All Day, Rock All Night)
ID
Frances England - Spring Has Sprung (Family Tree)
Uncle Rock - Play Outside Today (Uncle Rock U)
ID

Segment 2
Ben Rudnick - A Frog Named Sam (A Frog Named Sam)
Harmonica Pocket - Spiders in My Breakfast (Ladybug One)
ID/prep to rock
Deedle Deedle Dees - Ina Mina Dika (Let It Dee)
Asylum Street Spankers - Sliver (Mommy Says No)
Spoon - Underdog (Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga)
ID

Segment 3
Trip Shakespeare - Toolmaster (Are You Shakespearienced?)
ScribbleMonster - All Ready to Go! (Songs With No Character)
The Not-Its - Helicopter (Demo EP)
AudraRox - Short Attention Span
ID
Papas Fritas - Vertical Lines (Buildings and Grounds)

Segment 4
ScribbleMonster - Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child
Mariana Iranzi in-studio

Segment 5
ID
Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem - The Farmer is the Man (Gambling Eden)
ID
Dennis Caraher - I Miss the Mud (I Miss the Mud
Ziggy Marley (w/ Willie Nelson) - This Train (Family Time)
ID/book time with Ella

Segment 6
Fishbone - Everyday Sunshine
Breakestra - Sunny Delight
Secret Agent 23 Skidoo - Gotta Be Me! (Easy)
Bunny Clogs - Shpilkas (More! More! More!)
ID
TMBG - Flying V (Here Come the ABCs)
TMBG - Spare the Rock

Valley Advocate on Kids' Music

Check it out. We're on the cover, even!

Announcing StinkFest 2009: The Family Music Conference

If you're in the family music world -- whether as a performer, talent buyer, booking agent, radio person, publicist, retailer, producer, or in any other industry capacity -- you should attend StinkFest.

StinkFest is the world's first-ever family music conference that fully embraces today's market in all its diversity. I'm putting it together with Tor Hyams and Stephanie Mayers, and it will take place on May 2 in Brooklyn, with panels, networking, and a great showcase, with nine performers, including Ralph's World headlining. Check out the invitation (PDF) for details of panelists, etc.

Note that these events are industry-focused (i.e., this isn't a public concert) and that space is quite limited. You have to register in advance, and I'd do so soon.

Also, bands: We have one slot that we have left open in the showcase to be awarded by way of SonicBids (our sponsor). Check out our SonicBids site for details.

The rest of this week is all about the Meltdown, and I'll be talking about that more soon, of course. But I wanted to get this out there too.

2009-03-21 Playlist

One week until the Meltdown!

Listen any time at WRSI.com.

Segment 1
TMBG - It's Spare the Rock
-Ella ID
TMBG - Thermostat (John Henry)
Caspar Babypants - Monkey River (Here I Am!)
Maria Sangiolo - Celia Says (Under the Mystic Sea)
ID
Dan Zanes & Friends - Oseh Shalom

Segment 2
Us 3 - Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)
Lisa Loeb - In the Details (A World of Happiness)
Elizabeth Mitchell - Korean Spring Song (in-studio exclusive)
ID/prep to rock
Ramones - Sheena is a Punk Rocker
Mr. Richard - Airplane Jane
ID

Segment 3
Squirrel Nut Zippers - Got My Own Thing Now
Aquabats - Pizza Day
Danny Adlerman & Friends - In the Future (Listen Up!)
ID
Uncle Rock - Polar Bear Over There (Uncle Rock U)
Aric Bieganek - Central Park Kitty (Bright Lights, Big Kitty)
ID/book time with Ella

Segment 4
ScribbleMonster - Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child
Dennis Caraher in-studio (with Charlie Braun)
- Chasing After Chickens
- Bow Wow Baby
- Unusual Zoo

Segment 5
M. Ward - Helicopter
Frances England - Spring Has Sprung (Family Tree)
Nields - Red, Red Robin (All Together Singing in the Kitchen)
ID
Deedle Deedle Dees - John Brown (Let It Dee)
Shonen Knife - Top of the World
ID

Segment 6
XTC - Season Cycle
Jonathan Richman - Springtime in New York
ID
AudraRox - Hope My Mama Says YES!
Terrible Twos - When I Get to Eleven (If You Ever See An Hour)
Sunflow - I Wish You Love (Under the Stars)
ID
TMBG - Bed, Bed, Bed (Live) 27
TMBG - Spare the Rock

SXSW, other stuff

Due to a technical error, the wrong show aired on Saturday, Please, please, listen to the right show here. Mariana will be at Cup & Top tomorrow after school (4:00), and you should really go.

Also, Dena and I are in Austin for South by Southwest. Follow our trip at the River's new forum, and join in the conversation!

2009-03-14 Playlist

You can listen online any time at WRSI.com.

Segment 1
TMBG - It's Spare the Rock
-Ella ID
TMBG - Alphabet of Nations
Nields - ABC (Rock All Day, Rock All Night)
Uncle Rock - There's Love in My Food (Uncle Rock U)
ID
Tom Waits - Bend Down the Branches (For the Kids)
Randy Kaplan - No Nothing (Loquat Rooftop)
ID

Segment 2
Johnny Keener - Down on the Corner (Long John)
Terrible Twos - Ladybug
ID/prep to rock
Jonathan Richman - Roadrunner
Hipwaders - Field Trip (Goodie Bag)
fIREHOSE - For the Singer of REM
ID

Segment 3
REM - It's the End of the World As We Know it (and I Feel Fine)
Jimmies - Cool to Be Uncool (Make Your Own Someday)
ID
Bunny Clogs - Butter (More! More! More!)
Mr. Leebot - It Wasn't Me
Me 3 - Peeling Paint (The Thin King)
ID
Devo - Freedom of Choice

Segment 4
ScribbleMonster - Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child
Mariana Iranzi live in-studio

Segment 5
Jarrett K. studio visit
ID
Jayhawks - Smile
ID
Deedle Deedle Dees - Aaron Burr (Freedom in a Box!)
Dennis Caraher - Unusual Zoo (I Miss the Mud)
ID
Lunch Money - Everybody's Coming to the Zoo (Dizzy)

Segment 6
David Byrne - Don't Fence Me In (Red Hot + Blue)
Medeski Martin & Wood - Let's Go Everywhere (Let's Go Everywhere)
ID
NRBQ - RC Cola & a Moon Pie
ID
TMBG - She Thinks She's Edith Head (Long Tall Weekend)
TMBG - Spare the Rock

Meltdown Facts To Learn And Share

Did you know?

• The Meltdown will be the first ever full-band family show by The Nields.

• Red Gate Farm will, weather permitting, bring baby lambs. Baby lambs, people! They will not, so far as I know, be selling or, um, processing the lambs during the event.

• I've put a ton of stuff up on the Meltdown page at WRSI.com, including links to all of the performers, some videos, some tracks you can listen to, etc. It also has a full list of vendors, and folks, it's a great list. Check it out. Please? 'Cause it kinda took a long time.

• Monte will have most (maybe all) of the authors who are appearing at the Meltdown on his show the week leading up to the Meltdown. Be sure to listen. He'll also include some or all of them on the Best of Monte that airs just before our show on the River (i.e., 7-8 am on Saturdays).

• The Deedle Deedle Dees recently spent a weekend recording their next record. Rumor has it that "Nobody Told Me to Be Susan B. Anthony" (backstory here, involving me wearing a dress to elementary school) made the cut. Will they play it at the Meltdown? Maybe! Will I wear a dress? Probably not! But you can't know for sure without coming.

• Cup & Top Cafe will be one of the food vendors. They will probably bring some of their wicked good macaroni and cheese. Kids like macaroni and cheese. This event is kid-focused. COINCIDENCE? No, probably not.

• Our sponsor, The Toy Box from Amherst, will be there too. Stop by, get a cool toy, tell them "thanks" for sponsoring us on the radio machine.

• Mariana Iranzi will be on the show this Saturday, with jazz pianist Leo Genovese on melodica and Andes. She's also playing next Tuesday in a free after-school show at the aforementioned Cup & Top in the center of Florence.

• Dennis Caraher will be on the show on the next Saturday, March 21, with collaborator Charlie Braun and his sweet new 12-string.

• DJs from the River will do storytelling in the morning. Anyone who's been to Paintbox Theater will be especially psyched to see Kelsey.

• There is so much more to share, but I've probably avoided my real to-do list for long enough...

Remember: The River's Meltdown will take place on Saturday, March 28, from 10 am to 4 pm at JFK Middle School on Bridge Road in Florence. It's free, and presented by the nice folks at Yankee Candle Village and 93.9 The River.

Updated: The No Nap Happy Hour

The event: the No Nap Happy Hour Family Music Showcase during, but not affiliated with, South by Southwest.

Download the flyer here (PDF). Feel free to print a gazillion of them and post them, send them to friends, etc.

If you need a timeout during SXSW, come check out this no-badge unofficial kids' music showcase, for the low low price of $5 per person. We'll have:

• Jason Kleinberg from Me 3
• Laura Freeman + the Wee Lollies
• Mr. Leebot
• Adam Levy of The Bunny Clogs and Honeydogs.

$5 for anyone who can boogie (i.e., infants and Dick Cheney get in free).

Friday, March 20, 3-6 pm, Ruta Maya, 3601 S. Congress in Austin. I'll spin some tunes from 3 to 3:30, and then the music will start.

Rock.

Daddy A Go Go on the SXSW Pick 3

Here.

2009-03-07 Playlist

You can listen to the show on demand at WRSI.com any time. And be sure to shop at the Toy Box in Amherst for great kids' music!

Segment 1
TMBG - It's Spare the Rock
-Ella ID
TMBG - Fibber Island (No!)
Brandi Carlisle - Have You Ever (Iron Horse 4/2)
ID
Laura Freeman - Indigo and Violet (Color Wheel Cartwheel)
Ambrosia Parsley - Everybody Came (For the Kids Too)
ID
Barenaked Ladies - I Don't Like

Segment 2
Submarines - Fern Beard (Honeysuckle Weeks)
Mariana Iranzi - Woodpecker (Aventura Collage)
ID/prep to rock
Deedle Deedle Dees - Teddy Days (Freedom in a Box!)
Bruce Springsteen - Jacob's Ladder (Seeger Sessions)
Ralph's World - Happy Not My Birthday (Rhyming Circus)
ID

Segment 3
Brady Rymer - Every Day's a Birthday (Every Day Is a Birthday)
Mono Puff - Unsupervised (I Hit My Head) (Unsupervised)
ID
Pop Rockets - TRUCKS! (Blast Off)
Nields - Anna, Kick A Whole in the Sky (All Together...)
School for the Dead - Beautiful Day in the Woods (A New You)
ID

Segment 4
ScribbleMonster - Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child
ID
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - Wanna Be Like You (This Beautiful Life)
Egg - Summer Today (Sunny Side Up)
ID
Robbert Bobbert - Hey Little Puppy (...and the Bubble Machine)
The Cat's Pajamas - Loose Tooth (Reading Rocks!)

Segment 5
Gourds - Country Love
Terrible Twos - Littlest Houdini (If You Ever See An Owl)
ID/Book Time with Ella
Bunny Clogs - Confessions of a Teenage Lima Bean (More! More! More!)
Andrew Bird - Fitz and the Dizzyspells (Noble Beast)
ID

Segment 6
Michelle Shocked - Strawberry Jam (Arkansas Traveler)
Kimya Dawson - Smoothie (Alphabutt)
Board of Education - Lonely Tomato (Central Services Presents...)
ID
TMBG - E Eats Everything (Here Come the ABCs)
TMBG - Spare the Rock

Lineup Complete!

For our as-yet-unnamed event, the fourth will be Mr. Leebot!

So, just to reiterate:

• Jason Kleinberg from Me 3
• Laura Freeman + the Wee Lollies
• Mr. Leebot
• Adam Levy of The Bunny Clogs and Honeydogs.

For...let's see, we haven't actually set the price. Let's say $5 for anyone who can boogie (i.e., infants and Dick Cheney get in free).

Friday, March 20, 3-6 pm, Ruta Maya, 3601 S. Congress in Austin. I'll spin some tunes from 3 to 3:30, and then the music will start.

(And then on Saturday at Auditorium Shores, there will be a fun SXSW event with, among others, our pals Telephone Company, Jambo, Joe McDermott, Biscuit Brothers, Daddy A Go Go, and Astrograss. Go to that too. But let's focus on the Friday show first, K?)

Another performer for the yet-to-be-named March 20 Austin show

So: Friday, March 20. 3-6 pm. Ruta Maya in south Austin.

We've already got Adam Levy of The Bunny Clogs and Honeydogs.

And Jason Kleinberg from Me 3.

Today? We'll add Laura Freeman to the bill. With some form of band.

One more announcement to come, most likely...

Name a Gig!

So we've got this March 20 show at Ruta Maya, with Adam Levy from Bunny Clogs/Honeydogs. Oh! And I can also formally announce that Jason Kleinberg from Me 3 will be playing, maybe with some members of his other band (Diego's Umbrella), maybe solo. And we'll have a couple more artists yet to be announced.

But: what should we call it? Can't use Meltdown this time around, since it's right up against our March 28 Family Music Meltdown. Any suggestions? Post 'em in the comments.

Austin Show...

Again, Friday, March 20, you best be at Ruta Maya between 3 and 6. The lineup is still getting finalized, but one thing I can announce is that we'll have Adam Levy of the Bunny Clogs (and, for the grownups, the Honeydogs).

We'll also have some local favorites and more. We'll charge a little, but it's going to be super affordable and lots of fun.

More to come...

Save the date, Austin folks: March 20

On Friday, March 20, from 3 to 6 in the afternoon, there will be, well, something at Ruta Maya in south Austin. Precisely what is still getting worked out, but it'll be a fun kids' show. So note it on your calendar and I'll let you know more.

Meltdown Promo

Listen here: