Everyone from Michelle Obama to the Goo Goo Dolls have appeared on Sesame Street, but let’s take a look at the best musical artists to guest on the show. Before we start we need to establish some criteria. The best guest appearances are those celebrities that leave their ego and image outside and give in to the madness that is Sesame Street. They need to interact with the puppets, sing, and most of all not worry about looking foolish.
First up is Andrea Bocelli. This piece is awesome because Bocelli totally gives into the set-up. He sings Elmo a lullaby with an operatic voice. The fact that Elmo is exchanging verses with a guy who has such a commanding voice shows what a true sport Bocelli is and how involved he was willing to get with Sesame Street.
Next up is Norah Jones who duets with Elmo. The song is pretty good, but I’m putting this one on the list solely because Norah sings a whole song about one letter. The kicker is at the end when “Y” actually shows up.
Adam Sandler is mostly known as a comic actor, but he’s released music albums before (although they were funny songs like the Hanukkah Song). In this clip he makes up a wacky song about Elmo, and then proceeds to rhyme things with Elmo. Although Sandler is known for goofy things, this clip is worth it because of how much fun Sandler is having and just how wacky the lyrics are.
Sesame Street has changed lyrics to famous songs before but they do a great job taking “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” from Gypsy and having Harvey Fierstein sing “Everything’s Coming Up Noses”. The parade of noses that follows is hysterical.
Finally, I’m adding Ray Charles singing “I Got a Song” with Ernie and Bert. Simply because it’s Ray Charles and Ernie and Bert’s scat is fantastic. I love how Ernie calls him “Ray” like they’re old friends.
If you’re planning on visiting the Pacific Northwest at all this summer, the weekend of June 13th is a good time. That weekend, Kindiependent, an independent children’s music collective, is hosting the Share the Music Festival at Seattle’s Freeway Park at 12pm. The festival is free for all attendees and features some of the top acts in children’s music.
The show will feature the bands Recess Monkey, Caspar Babypants, The Not-Its!, as well as Johnny Bregar. Kindiependent is a collective that sets up kids’ shows throughout the Pacific Northwest and is passionate about cultivating a vibrant kids’ and family music scene. Their aim is to create a network of artists and companies that support their message using creative collaborations and community events.
Check out http://www.kindiependent.com for more information about the show and what else Kindiependent has in store.
In recent years Paula Abdul has been portrayed by the media as a scatter-brained judge on American Idol, which she recently left. But her launch to fame was anything but unfocused. She was born on June 19, 1962 in Los Angeles and while singing never played a big part in her youth, dancing did. She took dance lessons at an early age and was a cheerleader at Van Nuys High School. During her freshman year at California State University at Northridge she made the cheerleading squad for the Los Angeles Lakers. This next part is important and the reason why you need to move to Los Angeles if you want your kid to have a career in entertainment. After three months with the squad she became the head choreographer and was discovered by the Jacksons (as in the Jackson 5) at a game. She was hired to choreograph their “Torture” video and then their tour. She went on to choreograph videos for many artists including Janet Jackson. Abdul used her savings to cut a demo and while her voice didn’t compare to Whitney Houston, her dancing ability was what sold her. Forever Your Girl debuted in 1988 and eventually spent 10 weeks on top the Billboard 200 album chart. The lesson here to teach your children? Even if you’re not good at every aspect of performing you can still break in to the business by being great at one part of it, or at the very least, maybe meet the Jacksons at a basketball game.
Animaniacs was a crazy cartoon produced by Stephen Spielberg that began airing in 1993. It had only 99 episodes in its entirety, but it was beloved by many viewers. I used to watch this show daily; it aired shortly after Tiny Toon Adventures, which was a similar show that was probably a little better known.
The show was centered around the Warner Brothers film lot, where three insane siblings, Yakko, Wakko, and Dot, lived in the water tower. There were also some other segments, like the infamous Pinky and the Brain cartoons, as well as the Goodfeathers, a group of pigeons that resembled the Godfather characters.
One of the most ingenious parts of this show were the educational skits. They were not only intensely thorough, but set to music so that even if you didn’t know what you were saying, you could remember the words. A perfect example is the Nations of the World skit, which has been lauded by geography teachers. But there are also many other areas the show explored.
Check out the following videos and see if your kids can get through some of the verses, or if you can:
Trying to get your child to sit still for a studio portrait is like trying to wrestle an alligator…okay, maybe not that bad. But you get the picture.If you’re looking for a unique way to capture the essence of your kid’s boundless energy, here’s an alternative to formal photos.
Sea Star Underwater Portraits lets your child show off her swimming abilities and provides you with a lasting impression in print. Professional photographer Abi Smigel is the genius behind the lens who began snapping kids on her swim team nearly 20 years ago. Today, she’s an avid underwater photographer based in San Francisco whose work takes her all over the world. She’s right at home photographing kids of all ages during swim class, birthday parties or even private sessions. Having worked with numerous children in a variety of settings, Smigel is able to capture some unforgettable expressions.
Her packages begin at $275 to photograph four subjects—a good excuse to do a family photo—with a $10 charge for each additional person. If you happen to have a water baby in your house, this is one photo worth framing.
Zoogobble is reporting the lineup for the Austin Kiddie Limits stage being held at the Austin City Limits festival, October 8-10 in Austin, TX. The stage will feature an array of artists, activities, food and art aimed at the youngest generations.
3-day passes have sold out at this point for the festival, but there are plenty of $85 a day regular passes left. Featured artists at the Austin Kiddie Limits stage include:
The Verve Pipe
Frances England
The Jellydots
Elizabeth Mitchell
Okee Dokee Brothers
Tom Freund
Paul Green School of Rock
Q Brothers
ACL is expecting at least another few artists and special guests to be added to the lineup, but who will it be? Last year’s lineup featured a full three days of music, so most likely there will be more additions soon.
For those of you interested in seeing the bigger bands in the midst of running your kids over to their stage, can find plenty of info at http://www.aclfestival.com. The big names at this point are way too many to name, so head over there and get your fill.
How lucky are we that a band we actually enjoyed listening to in the 80s and 90s is now a favorite of our own kids? Yes, the duo who left us “Twistin’” in the wind in 1990 has fully entrenched itself in the kids’ music arena. As a follow-up to the Grammy-winning “Here Comes the 123s,” They Might Be Giants released the “Here Comes Science” animated DVD/CD last fall. And to top it off, John and John have even ventured in the world of children’s books with their recent picture book/DVD entitled “Kids Go!” If you’ve got the makings of a little couch potato in your house, then this is for you. As if these guys weren’t busy enough, they’re touring across the country this spring and summer. Here’s the rundown of where they’ll be performing:
• May 23: Arlington, MA – Family Show – Regent Theatre (All Ages)
• May 23: Arlington, MA – Family Show – Regent Theatre (All Ages)
• May 30: George, WA – Sasquatch! Music Festival – The Gorge Amphitheatre
• Jun 11: Asbury Park, NJ – The Stone Pony
• Jun 12: Baltimore, MD – Family Show – Rams Head Live (All Ages)
• Jun 13: Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo
• Jun 26: London, LO – Family Show – Royal Festival Hall (All Ages)
• Jun 26: London, LO – Rock Show – Royal Festival Hall
• Aug 21: Napa, CA – Uptown Theatre (21+)
• Aug 22: San Francisco, CA – Stern Grove Festival / FREE SHOW! – Sigmund Stern Grove (All Ages)
• Sep 24: Providence, RI – Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel
• Sep 26: New York, NY – Family Show – The Town Hall (All Ages)
Posted by Pamela Brill
The open road is calling your name…except now, you’ve got a tot to tote around with you. Even if you can’t quite make like Dennis Hopper or Peter Fonda, at least the stroller you push around town can let you take a walk on the wild side. At just about 14 pounds, the Mutsy Easyrider is especially forgiving to your aching back (just how much are you dragging around in that diaper bag, anyway?). Small swivel wheels at the front help you maneuver this baby over every bump and curve in your path, and generously sized back wheels support and cushion her ride. The one-handed fold is perfect for when you’ve got too much to handle, while the large canopy is a blessing when your little one’s had more than her fair share of sun. Tall, ergonomic handles prevent you from getting that hunchback look, and the extended leg rest lets your kid stretch out when she’s all tuckered out. And if she happens to nod off during your daily jaunt, the Easyrider’s adjustable back lets her fully recline and rest comfortably. Now, you can really enjoy the scenery. Happy trails to you…
It began over 65 million years ago. The band was created when a flash of lightning and witches’ spells revealed and cracked five metal dinosaur eggs buried deep in a mountain. Thus Hevisaurus was born!
What is it, you ask? They’re a five member heavy metal group in Finland who dress as dinosaurs and play songs that deal with what to do when homework gets boring, flying on a dragon’s back, or “Rupu-Rupu,” a monster, who “smells like an unwashed potty”. The band played their first gig last September for a charity event and their fans have grown exponentially ever since. Their first album Jurahevin kuninkaat (Kings of Jurassic Metal) was on Finland’s album chart for 10 weeks. Their second is due this fall.
Mirka Rantanen, who has played with a few head-banging bands including Thunderstone, started the band. “Long-haired dinosaurs playing heavy metal — it started to sound like a really good idea” said Rantanen. And he put some serious effort into launching his idea. The costumes were made of reindeer skin dyed green and treated to look scaly in a process that took four months and 24,000 dollars.
While you won’t be able to see them live in the U.S., check out their website and their videos so you and your kids can rock along with Herra Hevisaurus, Milli Pilli, Komppi Momppi, Riffi Raffi, and Muffi Puffi.
