When ScribbleMonster played at Kidzapalooza

The Bozo Show has been collecting dust or gone for about a dozen years now. Still, there are countless Chicago-area childrens performers who proudly and prominently list their appearances on Bozos Circus (and I think they stopped calling it Bozos Circus about 25 years back) in their bio. Heck, if I were on The Bozo Show, Id do the same. In its heyday, there reportedly was a 10-year waiting list for tickets. You never knew anyone who actually got to attend the show. Except for ScribbleJayne. Her uncle did advertising for Channel 9, so she actually scored tickets and went as a kid. Weve tried to figure out a way to somehow make that qualify as saying we appeared on The Bozo Show. We can stop thinking about that now. Now we can say that ScribbleMonster played Lollapalooza.

For about six weeks leading up to the festival, Im amazed at all the various calls, faxes and emails somehow related to the event. There are a mass of people involved in making this thing happen. A request is made for a picture and MP3 that can be used on the website. They need artwork for the Kidzapalooza coloring book, our technical rider, stage plot, more artwork for the official program, several requests for contact information, promotional materials it goes on and on. And they provide us with tons of information. Still, were not really sure what to expect.

I drop off merchandise and pick up our artist credentials on Tuesday. I feel bad for the workers all over the park setting up stages and booths in the direct sun with 100 degree temperatures. The stage isnt up yet, but the Kidzapalooza area is the best in the house. Lots of shade, close to the lake. Sweet.

Friday morning we arrive at about 8:00 am to load in. We flash our Artist wristbands and are waved in. When I get to the Kidzapalooza area, four guys swoop in to unload my gear before I even come to a complete stop. By the time I get out of my car, everythings on the stage. After we get our stuff set up, were carted over to the catering tent for breakfast. Upon our return to the kids stage, we find The Blisters doing a sound check. Theyre kids who are the same age as some of our own kids and theyre really good.

Our show is usually very hands-on (were mobile with wireless mics and guitars) but the stage is five feet off the ground with barricades on either side. Theres no easy way to split time between the stage and the crowd. We also have only 30 minutes to play. Neither of these things are a problem, theyre just different. With all our interaction and set-up for activities, we normally play about 15 songs in an hour set. Today weve come up with a killer set of 10 songs that well try to blow through.

The gates open at 11:00 and theres a long line waiting. Our set starts at 11:30 and Kidzapalooza is officially underway. It takes awhile for people to get into the park. With each new song, there are new additions to the crowd. The KidTribe gang is hula-hooping and dancing with kids on the lawn in front of us as we perform. All the color and movement add to the party vibe. The band is pumped and the sound is great. We dont spend a lot of time with chatting or interplay. Its more of a rock band set. Lake Michigan is directly behind us. Were playing at Lollapalooza! This is so awesome. We get through all 10 songs in our half-hour and we have a ball.

After breaking-down our gear we chat with Miss Mia and Ratso who are taping interviews for the local TV treasure known as Chic-A-Go-Go. We then catch the first half of Ashebas set before checking our guitars in at the artist area. We run into him a couple more times before the day is through. You can tell that Asheba takes his role as a childrens performer very seriously and I love this about him. Sure, our job is to entertain, but I also believe that we have a responsibility to set positive examples for our audience. Our kids are exposed to plenty of questionable language and behavior on television, from their siblings and their friends. Are farts funny? You bet. Am I calling for an end to farts? Hardly. Kids can and will find a way to have fun with farts on their own. They dont need any encouragement in song from an adult. Im thinking we can aim higher and still have some fun.

We explore the artist lounge area and marvel. We find a scattering of comfortable umbrellaed tables and padded lounge chairs surrounding a tented bar area complete with couches, lounge tables and video screens displaying live Lollapalooza performances. Theres also a large platform area for viewing the AT&T stage, a masseuse and a PlayStation2 adorned with guitar controllers for playing Guitar Hero. We have three 13-year-old ScribbleKids in tow including a drummer and guitarist - who mingle with the Blister kids. I think theyre all grateful to have someone their own age to relate with. They talk about their gear, how long theyve played, the fest, what bands they want to see and monopolize the PS2.

How great that the Kidzapalooza stage has actual kids performing on it. Im excited for our kids to see The Blisters play. They have a great crowd (made up primarily of adults) and do an impressive set of covers with a couple originals thrown in. For me, the highlight is their version of The Beatles Dear Prudence. The audience was riveted. And the crowd went nuts over their encore of Sweet Home Alabama. The ScribbleKids were very much looking forward to seeing Panic! at the Disco and Death Cab for Cutie. At the end of the day, hanging with The Blisters and seeing them perform is the highlight of their day.

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Saturday morning runs about the same as Friday with ScribbleMonster performing at 11:30. The Candy Band and Justin Roberts are here loading in. The line doesnt seem to be anywhere as long at the gate this morning. Maybe everyone is still sleeping off yesterday. Like yesterday, more people stroll in as our set progresses. Theres a group of teens who are clearly amused by Chocolate Milk, Dont Cry, Dance! and A Monster Goes Rrraargh! Its great to look out and see them dancing, singing and smiling along with the younger kids, KidTribe and all the hula-hoopers. As we leave the stage looking out at Lake Michigan, we all agree that we would have no problem doing this every day.

Next up is The Candy Band, a group of moms from Detroit who blend nursery rhymes and punk. Almond Joy totally rocks on the guitar and ScribbleBrett is ready to have her be my replacement in ScribbleMonster. The adults in the crowd are obviously amused and its a kick watching everyone (really, everyoneincluding vendors, security, police officers) laughing and playing along to their Rock, Paper, Scissors.

Knowing it will disappoint my mother who is a retired kindergarten teacher and huge fan (that combination and living in Chicago, Ive seen Ella Jenkins many times) I still duck out on Ella to catch The Go! Team. As a fan, Saturdays the day Ive most been looking forward to. In addition to The Go! Team, The Smoking Popes are playing and neither one disappoint. The Go! Teams music is so positive and fun. Live, theyre unbelievable. Their energy is non-stop. Theres no way you can sit still or not have a smile on your face. Ive been waiting for a band on the grown-up stages to have this kind of energy and excitement. Come on! Were at Lollapalooza! Go! Team!

I make it back to the Kidzapalooza area in time for the second half of Justin Roberts set and catch all of their second show. Justin plays with a very accomplished group of musicians who are as nice as they are talented. Not only does the band sound great, theyre great fun visually. Clearly theyre having a good time and they have many polished, entertaining moments where the band responds, reacts or moves in unison. Meanwhile, ScribbleMonster gets excited when we remember all the words to our songs.

Who knows what I was expecting from Chutzpah a Jewish hip-hop trio. This easily could have just been silliness. But it was skillfully produced music with clever lyrics and choreography that, while humorous, also manages to educate and share the Jewish experience (seriously). Songs included The Curse of the Blessing, In the Schketto, (that would be the Jewish ghetto) and Superjew (which is still running through my head). While singing a song about mothers, MC Meshugenah gets a phone call from his mother on his cellular headset. Ma. I cant talk right now. Im on stage at Lollapalooza. No! Ma! But the biggest laugh of the day comes when he declares, Be crazy! Be yourself! But be prepared if people laugh. So true, children. So true.

I figure that The Go! Team was to be the fests highlight until The Smoking Popes play. We get to watch from on the stage as they rip through a set of some of their best, plus a couple of new tunes. Theres a fun Spinal Tap moment when Elis amp starts picking up an AT&T commercial mid-song. The timing and reaction couldnt have worked any better if it were a planned bit. The Popes new drummer is fantastic and the band so is tight and together. I love that stuff. I get goose bumps when they play Pretty Pathetic (that song is brilliant) and my eyes well up with joy as they end their set with the crowd singing along to I Know That You Love Me. Its an awesome moment.

We run into Justin Roberts bass player, Jackie Schimmel, at dinner. During our conversation she mentions that Stefan at Zooglobble asked her to write something about her experience at Lollapalooza and asked one other person. Yeah, that other person is me. The secrets out. News spreads like wildfire across the festival.

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But Wait, Theres More from ScribbleMonster at Kidzapalooza
On Sunday, the Kidzapalooza stage has one surprise after another. The first act is The School of Rock All-Stars a group of about fifteen kids between the ages of 12 and 18 performing classic rock tunes. These kids are unbelievable. Quite possibly the most talent I see all weekend. Theres a really nice crowd on hand and they are loving these kids. The response is so great, they invite the kids back to perform the final set on the Kidzapalooza stage that afternoon. Want to talk about the potential of kids? Want to get your young musicians inspired? Holy cow! Ive got to go back to school.

Perry Farrell & Peter DiStefano draw a huge crowd and you can tell they are both sincerely excited about Kidzapalooza and doing something for the kids. Tor Hyams reminds the crowd (which is primarily adults) that this stage is for the kids and requests that everyone make way so those with kids can get to the front. His request is met with applause and friendly compliance. Peter DiStefano brings a handful of kids on stage with him, one at a time, to help him play the guitar. He does the string work while the kids strum and they all sound great. Its a simple little thing, but it brings so much joy to these kids and their families (and Peter).

The backstage area is completely different during this all-star run. There are tons of cameras, press, security, handlers and guests. Patti Smith, yep, that Patti Smith, is on hand as a special surprise guest. She plays a couple of songs and then is part of the days most surreal moment when she is interviewed backstage by Ratso, the rodent hand-puppet co-host of Chic-A-Go-Go. Matt Costa also stops by to play a few tunes as do The Terrible Twos. Shortly after they finish their set, I catch The Terrible Twos alter-ego, The New Amsterdams, playing on the next stage over. Both are pretty great.

When I tell my sister that I met and shared a cart ride with GQ of The Q Brothers, shes star-struck. It ends up that The Q Brothers are part of the group responsible for The Bomb-itty of Errors, a hip-hop take on Shakespeares Comedy of Errors that my sister dubbed The most amazing thing Ive ever seen on stage. Thats a lot to live up to. The Q Brothers performance is friendly and relaxed (much like the brothers themselves) and I suddenly feel as if Im at a family reunion. Im struggling with how to describe the mood. Its kind of like those impromptu performances that would take place in the Petries living room on The Dick Van Dyke Show. Weird analogy, I know. But its the best I can come up with. Theyre clearly enjoying themselves and the feeling is infectious.

ScribbleBrian and I catch a cart and arrive in time to see the last few songs by Chicagos very own Assassins. They have a nice crowd and sound great. ScribbleBrian hasnt purchased his Lollapalooza gear yet, so we make a stop at the merchandise tent. Wah-wah-whahhhh. So sorry, but youre too late. The place is cleaned out. There were, like, 50 official items to chose from at the start. Now theyre down to two tees (only available in XL) and a beach towel. Lets tell ScribbleBrian what he didnt get. There were four mens and four womens tees that had the 2006 Lollapalooza logo on the front and all the bands that played listed on the back. ScribbleMonster is in the center of the bottom row. Thats so cool. I bought me a couple of those; one long-sleeve and one short. I consider being nice and offering one up to ScribbleBrian, but quickly decide that would be a bad idea. I mean, what lesson would he learn from that? Its really for his own good.

We hop a cart back to the artist lounge area and meet up with ScribbleBrett. The VIP treatment this weekend has been pretty cool, but Ive got to say that the golf cart shuttle is the best perk. At least a few times this weekend it allowed us to split our time between sets when two bands we wanted to see were playing at the same time on opposite ends of the park. Not to mention the wear and tear it saved on my shoes. Hey, Im a starving artist and shoes are expensive.

Im amused and find it kind of charming that ScribbleBrian purchased a silver Sharpie marker which he carried around in his guitar case this weekend specifically in case he ran into Flea. The only kink in his plan is that he would have to carry his bass around with him all weekend. Well, that and he would actually have to run into Flea. Dont look now, but isnt that Flea standing right next to you, ScribbleBrian? Doh! Hey Flea, how you doing? Good. Wah-wah-whahhhh. Poor ScribbleBrian. Too bad you left the bass at home today (and Sharpie).

ScribbleBrett and ScribbleBrian are excited about seeing the Queens of the Stone Age and Red Hot Chili Peppers tonight. Im just tired. And its getting really crowded in here. I head for home shortly into the Queens set. The report from ScribbleMonsters rhythm section is the Chili Peppers show is fantastic. What an awesome weekend. Everyone has been so good to us and Lollapalooza put on a great event. If you didnt get here this year, I highly recommend you put it on your calendar for next year.

As a parent, I understand why there may be some apprehension about bringing your kids along, but heres some stuff you may not have known about Kidzapalooza:

Kids under 10 get in FREE when theyre accompanied by a ticketed adult. Got kids? Nieces? Nephews? Bring them along! The very family-friendly Kidzapalooza area is open from 11:00 to 4:30 and has the nicest piece of the park. Theres plenty of grass and shade with great views of Lake Michigan. The talent on the kids stage is top-notch and theres a ton of really cool FREE hands-on activities (more on those later). This area alone is worth the price of admission. And feel free to stray into other areas of the festival. The crowd was great, the park is beautiful, theres no reason not to.

One day ticket holders are not allowed re-entry unless they have a kid. So you ask yourself, What am I going to do with the kids when I meet up with my drinking buddy Rocko later? Take them home. Have someone come to meet you and pick them up. Dad and the kids can go back to the hotel while mom gets her grove on. Make Friday your day and Saturday family day. The possibilities are endless. No one else is allowed back in once they leave. Your kids make you a VIP.

Did I tell you about the FREE stuff for the kids? Not only do the little ones get in FREE, there are FREE tattoos, face-painting and t-shirts from Small Paul, coloring books, CDs, and punk hair-styling by the Michael Anthony Salon. A few lucky kids even walked away with Gibson guitars!

And theres a TON of FREE hands-on activities. KidTribe was out with the hula-hoops all weekend long. Their interaction with the kids and all the bright color and activity really added to the whole character and vibe of the Kidzapalooza area. The Guitar Center Rock and Roll Petting Zoo is the coolest idea. There are real-deal guitars, a drum kit, keyboard, microphones and amplifiers set up for the kids to play around with. The kid jam sessions were a sight to be seen. Peter DiStefano was giving a guitar clinic in the Zoo on Saturday. What an awesome opportunity for your kids to interact and get pointers from an honest to goodness rock star. One of our ScribbleKids who already plays guitar enjoyed playing around in the Petting Zoo with a bass so much, he took his savings and birthday money, bought a bass guitar the next day, and has been playing it all week. How cool is that? There were dance lessons and performances by the Brickheadz. John Yost & Remo were on hand with tons of percussion and leading family drum circle sessions. In addition to performing, The Q Brothers spent their weekend teaching kids how to scratch, mix and rhyme and then helping them make their own CDs at the Inferno Mobile Recording Studio. Again, how cool is that? Your kids are getting pointers and creating with professional musicians and producers, and taking their original works home for FREE!

Do you love music? Do you love your kids? No pressure, but