Now that we’re in 2010, let’s take a look at the River’s Family Music Meltdown and Book Bash.  So far we’ve announced:

Elizabeth Mitchell & Friends
Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem
Uncle Rock & the Playthings
Dog on Fleas

…and a ton more to come!  I’m not sure there will be another single kids’ music event with a better lineup this year.  Certainly there won’t be a free event that comes close.

Plus, on the book side we’ve got Mo Willems and, just announced, Diane deGroat and Shelley Rotner, authors of Dogs Don’t Brush Their Teeth.  (Two more authors are yet to be announced.)

We’re also adding a third performance area this year, focusing more on storytelling and the like, and we’ll have activities, vendors, food, and all sorts of amazing other stuff for you to enjoy — and admission remains free.  Yes, free!

Last year we had around 2,000 people come through and have a great time.  If you’d like to talk about being a vendor or a sponsor, please get in touch with me (show AT sparetherock DOT com) and I’ll put you in touch with the relevant folks at the station.  Sponsorship and vendor prices will go up on January 15, so drop a line soon if you’re interested.

Danny and Yosi put on a great show at Cup & Top Cafe today, and also stopped by the studios to record an in-studio with us that we’ll air on Saturday.  Here’s one song, “She Just Doesn’t Get It,” from their new holiday CD, …And a Happy New Year.

Just a friendly reminder that we’re presenting a free show with Danny Adlerman and Yosi today at 4:00 at Cup & Top Cafe in Florence Center.  More fun will not be had in all the thirteen colonies.

I really, really like the new Renee & Jeremy CD, C’mon.  Where their first album was, as I said at the time, flat-out gorgeous and mellow, this one is flat-out gorgeous and up-tempo.  The vocal interplay remains as sweet as it gets, but now, after the It’s A Big World-induced nap, you can boogie with C’mon.

So I was pleased as can be to accept the offer of giving y’all a free download of the lead-off track, “Share.”  This will be up for one week only, so get downloadin’ while the downloadin’ is good!

Here it is:

You can celebrate the new year in a couple of ways this week:

First up, on Tuesday at 4, Danny Adlerman & Yosi will play a free after-school show at Cup & Top Cafe in Florence.  These guys have been mainstays of the show since the very start and have released (along with Kevin Kammeraad) a great winter record, “…And a Happy New Year.”  Bucket of fun, this will be.  (And they’ll be on the show on Saturday.)

Then on Saturday at 3, Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem will have a CD release party at First Churches, benefiting Nontuck Community  Preschool.  The band’s new CD, Ranky Tanky, is more fun than is allowed in some countries.  You should be there.