Candy Band Live at Kidzapalooza-Concert Videos by ChiIL Mama

You can see these rockin' Detroit Mamas this Sunday at Beat Kitchen, Chicago, with local fav, Little Miss Ann!














(**We'll be there shooting with pro gear this time, instead of my little 10 year old mini DV cam.   Sorry about the Kidza quality, but you can get an idea that these Mamas ROCK!   Candy Band's one of our very favorites.)

Ed Kowalczyk Plays Chicago's Park West Sept 23rd--With A Humanitarian Twist

ChiIL Mama recently saw Ed Kowalczyk at the Kidzapalooza stage.   Here is a YouTube Kidzapalooza video of Heaven, a song he wrote for one of his daughters, when she was born.  It's apparent that Ed is inspired creatively by being a parent.   She's now 8, right between Du-Jay and Sagezilla's ages.   The second song is Lightning Crashes, one of his better known hits from Live.

He also impressed the Kidzapalooza audience with Grace.

According to Ed's blog, he says, "In the nightly bedtime routine at the Kowalczyk house, I am in charge of getting two glasses of water for my daughters' night stands. One evening last year, as I handed my 8-year-old her glass, it hit me like a freight train; this clean water is a blessing that thousands of fathers, just like me in this world, do not have. I don't have to worry that the water might make my children, the loves of my life, sick with a possibly fatal illness. I simply take it for granted. I decided then and there to make a difference. It is with great pleasure and profound gratitude that I announce my partnership with World Vision. Let's all work together to give parents in need that simple joy of putting a glass of safe and clean water on the nightstands of their little ones."

Ed Kowalczyk, lead singer of the multi-platinum band Live, will hit the road this fall in support of his debut solo album, Alive. The tour will make stops in Philadelphia, Chicago and New York, along with several more major markets. Ed and his new band, including Ramy Antoun on drums, James Gabbie on lead guitar, Chris Heerlein on bass, and brother Adam Kowalczyk on rhythm guitar, will perform favorites from Live’s catalog (“I Alone,” “Lightning Crashes”) along with tracks from the new album.

For this tour, Ed will team with World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their children worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision will have a space in the lobby of each venue educating and encouraging concertgoers to get involved, make a donation and learn about sponsoring a child. Ed personally sponsors many children through World Vision and hopes to bring awareness to the organization.

Additionally, “Grace,” the first single from Alive, marks a homecoming for Ed at Rock radio. The track is rapidly climbing its way up the Alternative and Rock Radio charts after just 7 weeks with generous airplay coming from great markets such as Syracuse, Rochester and Charlotte with its largest market add so far from WBOS in Boston just this week. Robyn Lane at WRAT in Point Pleasant, NJ said “The only thing better than hearing “Grace” on the radio is hearing Ed and his band do it live…Simply beautiful.”

Ed Kowalczyk built an impressive résumé with LIVE that includes eight full-length albums, total CD sales exceeding 20 million, a huge international fan base and extensive touring all over the world. LIVE has been one of the most successful and enduring alternative rock bands of the 1990s and 2000s.

Click HERE for more info about tickets or to purchase Alive.

7 Days Of Recess Monkey--Back To School Special--Day 7--Big Rock Finish!

You have not heard the last of the Seattle teacher trio known as Recess Monkey.   But just like summer and all good things... ChiIL Mama's 7 Days Of Recess Monkey--Back To School Special eventually had to come to an end.


However, we'll leave you with a BIG ROCK FINISH!   


We have brand new, never seen photos of Recess Monkey at Kidzapalooza Sunday.  



Aaand...we have not one, but TWO Win-A-Disc-Wednesday winners for the first time ever...Charlie F. who likes to jam out to classic rock and Teresa O. who likes to listen to Tom Waits with her son, Francesco.   


Big congrats to you both.   Enjoy Recess Monkey:  The Final Funktier.  Please e-mail your address to zbluesun@gmail.com and we'll send the discs right out to you.   Information remains completely private and will not be used for any other purpose.


Aaaand...last, but not least, we have a video of Recess Monkey's closing out their Kidza set with Moon Boots, featuring Tor Hyams (Lollapalooza's Co-Producer himself, rockin' the organ)!



Have a great school year, everyone...and enjoy Recess!

Kidzapalooza 2010--Recess Monkey--Boogie Monster (rumored to be "better than Green Day?!")

7 Days of Recess--Back to School Special

Day 6

****Nation Wide--Remember to enter here all week to win Recess Monkey's fun new release, The Final Funktier.   Enter through Tuesday midnight.   Two winners chosen.   One entry per person.   We'll send winners' CDs anywhere in the US.

****Winner of 2 free 3 day passes to North Coast Festival ($170 value) announced at noon today!   

Kidzapalooza 2010-Recess Monkey-Haven't Got A Pet Yet

7 Days Of Recess--Back To School Special

Day 5

****Nation Wide--Remember to enter here all week to win Recess Monkey's fun new release, The Final Funktier.   Enter through Tuesday midnight.   Two winners chosen.   One entry per person.   We'll send winners' CDs anywhere in the US.

****Live in the Chicago area, or can you get here over Labor Day weekend?--enter here to win 2 free 3 day passes to North Coast Festival ($170 value).   Otherwise 3 day passes are sold out!   Kids under 10 are free with paying adult.

Kidzapalooza 2010--ChiIL Mama Interview With Recess Monkey

7 Days of Recess--Back To School Special

Day 4

****Nation Wide--Remember to enter here all week to win Recess Monkey's fun new release, The Final Funktier.   Enter through Tuesday midnight.   Two winners chosen.   One entry per person.   We'll send winners' CDs anywhere in the US.

****Live in the Chicago area, or can you get here over Labor Day weekend?--enter here to win 2 free 3 day passes to North Coast Festival ($170 value).   Otherwise 3 day passes are sold out!   Kids under 10 are free with paying adult.

Kidzapalooza 2010 JP, Chrissie and The Fairground Boys

Live from Kidzapalooza 2010. Chrissie Hynde, Pretenders frontwoman, punk queen, and veg activist from Ohio graced us with her amazing voice on the Kidzapalooza stage on Saturday afternoon. Her set was certainly one of the Kidza 2010 highlights, as she sang with her new love interest. This song is the story of how she met her fairground boy.

Double click on the video for full screen options.

Kidzapalooza Remo Drum Circle With John Yost

How many drums have your kids broken so far? We've gone through a rubber topped pseudo-Native American drum, a wooden drum that got recalled for lead paint and several giant plastic drums filled with percussion toys. Our cheap maracas cracked and spilled their plastic beans everywhere. And those instruments sounded terrible when they were new.

However, all the Remo drums we've ever bought are still in great shape and hold a prominent place in our hearts and in our living room. Over the years, our kids have accumulated an assortment of Remo bongos, toms, conga drums, shakers, tambourines and even lollipop drums on a stick that are spiraled like a huge sucker. At 7 & 9, the kids still haven't outgrown them. Instead, these instruments have grown with the children.

Especially during those early years, when drums sometimes accidentally double as seats or stairs, kids are really rough on drum heads. But just because it's for the kids and not the pros, Remo doesn't cheap out on the materials. Remo uses REAL drum head on their kids' drums. So they last REALLY long and they sound REALLY great.

Every year we look forward to the Remo drum circle at Kidzapalooza.   Everyone who wants to, gets to play.   And the pressure's off in a group.   There's such a loud lot of drumming going on that nobody will hear or care if you screw up.   There's safety in numbers.

There's also a mightiness and energy to group drumming--to individuals coming together to make a big noise together.   And John Yost is the master maestro who helps to make control out of chaos.   He directs and channels the energy so everyone gets a turn to play.   And he gives the rhythms focus, so people get out of their head and their self consciousness and into a follow the leader game.   

In 2010, the drum circle became a longer running part of the Kidzapalooza day, instead of just happening at the end.   It's a great change and hopefully a new tradition.   

Drumming is great for kids' development and parents might just find themselves jumping in and wailing away, too.   Drumming is also a great stress release.   If we can walk together, why can't we rock together.   If you haven't tried it yet, a drum circle is fun family together time.   We'll be practicing up on our Remo drums this winter.   Look out Kidza 2011.   We're gonna kick out the jams.

Tim and The Space Cadets: An Exclusive Interview and 4 Live Performance Songs From Kidzapalooza 2010

Tim and The Space Cadets' Kidzapalooza sets on Friday and Saturday were a ton of fun to see live.   They were a past ChiIL Mama Win-A-Disc-Wednesday band, and we'd love for you to get to know them better.  Check out our review of The Greatest Party Ever CD, right HERE.

ChiIL Mama sat down with Tim Kubart and Matt Puckett for a casual interview on the grassy slopes of Kidzapalooza.   We caught up with the guys last Sunday, before they flew back to New York and day jobs awaiting them.   


Check it out, to learn about Tim and Matt's eco-efforts (which ChiIL Mama is also featuring on Green Parent Chicago), The Matt & Kim/Matt & Kim photo, and the inside scoop on the band and their other projects.   Hear what Lollapalooza bands the guys stuck around to see.   You can even find out what it's like to be in Matt's eco-friendly shoes...



ChiIL Mama shot these videos during Tim and The Space Cadets' Saturday set on the Kidzapalooza stage.   First up, is a brand new tune that's not even out on CD yet, about getting out of school for a Snow Day. 



The second one features their hit, Superhero, paired with a spirited cover of Jump, Jive N Wail.   



Kidzapalooza is undoubtedly the biggest, annual rock bash for the 10 and under set.   Tim and The Space Cadets appropriately closed out their Kidza set with The Greatest Party Ever.

Be sure to check out their home site HERE for more samples of their rockin' kindie tunes, upcoming show dates, and CDs.


According to their site:

Tim Kubart created Tim and the Space Cadets in 2009 after four years as a professional kids' musician, and set out to make radio-friendly pop rock for all ages. He's played with various children's music projects in classrooms and at street fairs, music festivals like Austin City Limits and Lollapalooza, and venues like Sesame Place and the Intrepid Museum, one of New York City's largest concert spaces.

Tim and his first mate Matt Puckett (guitar, backup vocals) put their heads together to write songs that exist somewhere in the realm between Raffi and Blink-182, inspired by memories of school days, snow days, pizza parties, and summer vacations.  "The Greatest Party Ever" weaves their witty, fun, and heartwarming lyrics through textured pop tunes, rockers, and lullabies.

i ♥ Faces--Surprise!

Recess is for running.   It was a great surprise for the Kidzapalooza crowd when Jack, bass player and singer for Recess Monkey, Seattle's award winning kindie band, jumped off stage in his space pants, and led them in an exuberant, running conga line around the grounds.

Click on the photo to enlarge

Kidzapalooza 2010: Sunday Line Up

Punk Rock Mamas from Detroit--The Candy Band at Kidzapalooza

This it it folks...your last chance to experience all a Lolla for another year.   We had grand plans to make it to breakfast with the bands at The James Hotel this morning from 9-11, and still may, but the kids are exhausted from a late, amazingly fun Greenday show that closed out Lollapalooza last night.   We made it through the final fireworks.


So often, being a Mama means putting your kids' needs first.   So I'm letting them sleep, since we have one last, big Kidzapalooza day ahead of us.  Soundgarden's one of our favorite bands, and Wolfmother rocks, too.   


Sunday is also the day Perry Farrell and Peter DiStefano & Tor always play the Kidzapalooza stage.   There's a good crowd of "big kids" that swing by, but Perry has always made it clear that this is for the kids--specifically the under 10 crowd--and their parents or guardians.   So, young kids are welcomed down front, for an up close experience with the incomparable Jane's Addiction front man.


Zilla and Du-Jay have seen Perry play the kids' stage every year since 2005, but last year they stayed up late and experienced the full blown, big stage, Jane's Addiction extravaganza.   After the first few songs, Sagezilla turned to her brother and said, "Wow!   This is better than Perry Farrell."   Du-Jay replied, "That IS Perry Farrell."   In rock and in life, the whole can certainly be greater than the sum of it's parts.   


For parents who loved to rock, years before we gave our hearts to our kids, it's pretty great to be able to introduce them to rock icons and amazingly talented artists in a smaller setting that won't overwhelm them.   


So, come on out and bring the whole family.   Here's the last lineup for Kidzapalooza 2010.   We'll have a full recap of Saturday and Sunday up this week, along with photos, video, interviews, disc give aways and more.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 8th
11:30–11:55 12:30–12:55 1:30–1:55 2:30–2:55 3:15–3:40 3:45–4:00 4:00–4:15 4:30–5:00	School of Rock The Q Brothers Recess Monkey Dan Zanes and The Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra Peter DiStefano & Tor thenewno2 Perry Farrell The Verve Pipe

Kidzapalooza and Lollapalooza 2010: Saturday line up and Friday highlights

The biggest rock fest for the littles is happening NOW.
Come on out today and see

11:30–11:55 12:30–12:55 1:30–1:55 2:30–2:55 3:00–3:25 3:45–4:10 4:15–4:35

Tim and the Space Cadets The Candy Band Rocknoceros The Verve Pipe The Happiness Club Dan Zanes and The Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra JP, Chrissie & the Fairground Boys

Check the Kidzapalooza web site or find them on Facebook for late breaking info.


We'll have a full recap continuing this week, along with a fun interview with Seattle's Kindie Rock Kings, Recess Monkey.   For now, we'll give you a quick taste of the highlights.   Then put your space pants on, head on down to Grant Park and rock your Crocs off.

Double click on the slideshow for full screen options.


Friday Kidzapalooza Highlights:
Interview with Recess Monkey and a funky, fun set headlining the kids' stage.
 

Rockin' out with Tim and The Space Cadets

Getting creative with renowned pop artist, Romero Britto. 

According to his web site, Romero Britto today is represented in galleries and museums across five continents, from Singapore to Dubai, to London and New York. Opening in Paris at the Salle le Nôtre at the Louvre Museum in December 2008, Britto unveiled “Journey” to hundreds of guests. Other recent shows and projects are just as impressive, “…Matisse channeling Picasso,” wrote the New York Times® when Britto created a living canvas performed by the Cirque du Soleil in celebration of Super Bowl XLI.

Not only that, but he's a down to earth, nice guy who isn't above sitting down with a bunch of children at Kidzapalooza and painting outside on a hot, Chicago summer day.

Sagezilla and Du-Jay are both still at an age where they want to grow up to be both artists and vets.   They draw and design found object sculptures daily.

Romero said that he likes to encourage creativity in kids and thinks it's hugely important.   I did a retake without the glasses glare, but later it seemed fitting that he is reflecting back the art of the children and for the children.   His book is colorful and excellent, too.   Check out My Alphabet Playbook for all the pre-k kids in your life who still want to grow up to be artists. 

Here's Sagezilla and Romero, both in shirts bearing their own art work.

  

Meet him in person again Saturday.

 

Friday Lollapalooza Highlights:


Helping green the earth--We collected 3 trash bags full of recyclables and traded them in for tree shirts with the full Lollapalooza line up on the back.




Seeing Bleeding Heart Bakery--our favorite punk and hard core pastry shop (and their sweet new t-shirt designs)

CHICAGO'S KIDZAPALOOZA!  this Friday through Sunday. ALSO! Just announced! Check  out The Happiness Club,  Recess Monkey, The Verve Pipe  and Dan Zanes at the  ultra fun V.I.R. event at the  James Hotel, Sunday morning  at 9am! First come, first served  admission is open to the  public. The James is at the  corner of Rush and Ontario!

Kidzapalooza 2010 is here!

Growing Up Kidza:   Here's Sagezilla and Du-Jay at Kidzapalooza 06
at the ripe old ages of 3 and 5, hearing Perry Farrell and Patti Smith live for the first time.

A little wicked voice in my head wants me to tell you Kidzapalooza bites, and to stay away, so it doesn't become overcrowded and suffer from it's own popularity.   But, I know you wouldn't buy it.   The truth is, Perry and Tor have created an amazing kids' island, amid the organized, creative chaos that is Lollapalooza. 


And we're not talking Lord of the Flies kids' island here.   Kidzapalooza has lots of open green space to dance and run around and hula hoop in.   There are large shade trees where families can spread a blanket and relax.   Kids can try their hand at real instruments in the Rock and Roll Petting Zoo and get their punk on with colorful hair styles.


The best part is, all kids 10 and under are free with paid adult tickets to Lollapalooza, and the kids activities are free.   Kidzapalooza won't dollar you to death with charges for temp tattoos, stylin' hair, and art projects.   And Paul Frank is providing great tote bags to silk screen.   This is no macaroni duck, or festival art project that's going right into the circular file.   


Kidzapalooza is full of hands on fun.   Kids can try skate boarding, make a music video and take home the DVD, and feel the energy created when John Yost really gets a Remo drum circle going.

Kidzapalooza Chicago 2010 Activities

This year's activities include:

Rock Star Video Karaoke with Ravinia: Pick a song and use some props to rock out as your favorite star. Take home a DVD of your video and share with friends.

Hip Totes with Small Paul: Screen print a tote bag with Julius and have something cool to take home and remember your experience.

Playstation: Play your favorite game outdoors!

Break Dancing Workshops: There will a dance floor set up in the shade for kids to learn break dancing with the Brickheadz. Learn break dancing fundamentals and even spin on your head.

Hip Hop Workshop: The Q Brothers will teach kids how to scratch, beat box and rhyme. Take home a CD of your Phat track!

Skateboarding Workshops: Watch skaters from Character Skateboards do their tricks up close and personal. Then learn some basic moves and the importance of safety with The Chicago Youth Skateboard Project.

DrumZone: This area is all about rhythm and making noise with John Yost’s Rhythm Revolution. Bang away on a variety of drums to create something cool and loud.

Hairdooz with Siren Salon: A chance for kidz to be styled using environmentally, kid friendly products. A pink Mohawk will have you in style for the festival.

Tattooz: Body painting & tattoos are available at this station. Be a rock star while at the festival!

Photo Shootz: Kidz capture their new rocker look with Time Out Magazine and pose with props to be the next rock star on a magazine.

John Yost's Rhythm Revolution provided by Remo: Teaching the kidz rock rhythm on all sorts of drums at the end of everyday. Let’s shake the city of Chicago!

And let's face it, the bands aren't bad either.   Check in often in the next few days.   ChiIL Mama will be interviewing Tor, Recess Monkey, Candy Band, Tim and The Space Cadets and more.   We also have three new CDs by The Verve Pipe A Family Album to give away.

For the full 3 day line up click here.  The performers this year are some of the best ever.   The Kidzapalooza bands begin at 11:30 daily and end by 4:30 or 5:00 at the latest, so you can continue your littles rock education with the big kids, at the main stages.   Click below to hear a description of the bands "straight from the horse's mouth", by Perry Farrell and Tor Hyams.

   

We're looking forward to Friday afternoon.   Future rock star kids from the School of Rock take the stage at 12:30 and again Sunday at 11:30.   Then there's a strong line up all afternoon.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 6th

11:30–11:55 12:30–12:55 1:30–1:55 2:30–2:55 3:15–3:45 3:45–4:00 4:00–:30

The Happiness Club School of Rock The Candy Band Tim and the Space Cadets Rocknoceros Ed Kowalczyk Recess Monkey Our kids were weaned on The Pretenders,  so we're especially excited to see  Chrissie Hynde at 4:15 Saturday,  playing as JP, Chrissie &  The Fairground Boys.    What parent of young children hasn't  sung the lyrics "...gotta stop sobbin',  uh-huh.   Stop sobbin'. Stop stop  stop stop."   I had to sing it to Sagezilla  when we went to see The Pretenders  at The Riviera last year without her,  since it wasn't an all ages show.   We just went back to Ohio last week,  to my childhood home, and  The Pretenders were in heavy ipod  rotation on the 6 hour drive.   We're  interested to see what she'll bring to  the stage at Kidzapalooza.   And Zilla  and Du are stoked to not be left behind. Kidzapalooza runs August 6-8th.    Stay away....so there'll be more of all  the good stuff for the cool kids  who are going.