On Sunday, February 21, we’re psyched to welcome AudraRox to the Iron Horse Music Hall in the No Nap Happy Hour!  The show is at 2:00 (doors at 1:30), and you can buy a family four-pack in advance only for just $30.

You’ve seen her on Sesame Street:

And here she is at last year’s KindieFest, playing “You Can’t Crawl in a Dress”:

Live, the band is wild and fun and just great.  Be there, won’t you?

Along with Tor Hyams and Stephanie Mayers, I produce KindieFest, the family music conference.  Registration for this year’s event is open now, with special early bird pricing for another few weeks.

What’s it about?  Watch:

I’m very glad to be helping, even a little, with this project of Whole Children.  Here’s an excerpt from a recent e-mail:

We are thrilled to announce the formation of the Whole Children Community Choir, a chorus made up of kids with and without disabilities.

The chorus is forming now, with rehearsals starting in February, working up to a concert on Mother’s Day with Dan Zanes!

Rehearsals: Mondays, 5-6:15. p.m. in Hadley. Feb. 1 thru May 3 (there is a possibility of two rehearsals a week as the concert date gets closer). Price: $65. Siblings $55

If you are interested in having your child (ages 8 and up, younger kids with permission from the choir director) be a part of this exciting venture, please email Kim Holden at kim@wholechildren.org, or call Whole Children at 585- 8010. Please feel free to share this flier with other families who might be interested.

We’ll talk a lot more about this as the event approaches, but I’d encourage locals to sign up!

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.

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.

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.