The Friday Confab 3/16/07

I had this plan to write a really amazing post today about Road Trip, the new Girl Authority album which arrived in my mail yesterday, and what the whole Girl Authority concept says about how girls and women interact with pop culture, but I'm going to need more time to work all that out in my head. My head, which has been swimming all week with big ideas about blogging and community and motherhood and class. And simultaneously swimming with ideas and excitement about Brooklyn, and all the fun that will be going on there next weekend.

So I'm setting aside Girl Authority until next week. Let's talk about Brooklyn. Between the Spare the Rock taping on Saturday (which is in a small space and invitation-only, but will be broadcast at a future date on Bill's show) and the Park Slope Parents CD release party/concert on Sunday, I'm looking forward to meeting sooooo many amazing people. Artists and writers and publicists and so many others who are passionate about great kids' music. I am so geeked for this.

Remember back in the fall when I wrote about our family going to the Motor City ComicCon? And I poked fun at comic geeks and Star Trek geeks (even though some of my best friends are geeks)? Well, the kids' music scene has kind of become my geek-dom. I get it now. I am a geek.

In my geeked-out state, I wanted to briefly mention a few of the artists who will be in Brooklyn next weekend. Many of them have been reviewed and discussed around here -- AudraRox (who, along with Bill, is a driving force behind this), Milkshake, Rebecca Frezza, Astrograss, Brady Rymer, Yosi, Ernie & Neal, David Weinstone. (Name-dropping! Wheeee!) But there are more....

John Carlin has the opening track on the Park Slope Parents CD. His own album, First Time for Everything, is a great one to have on hand in the mini-van when you want music that will keep everyone happy. It has a mix of original songs and covers (including "Tennessee Stud" and "Waltzing Matilda") and John's amazing vocals.

I've always been curious about Gustafer Yellowgold, one of the artists on Little Monster Records. I've read a bit about him and heard a few of his songs, but haven't really explored any further. Yet.

The Dirty Sock Funtime Band has awesome videos on Jack's Big Music Show. They look and sound like a kids' version of the Spin Doctors, one of my favorite early 90's bands.

Robbi K has a truly unique sound and a approach to performing for kids. I'm looking forward to her new album, due to be released in June.

I've been emailing with a few of the people I'm going to meet in Brooklyn, and getting more excited by the day. I've gotten over the major hurdle of deciding what to wear (without looking like the frumpy midwestern mom that I am), but all sorts of other questions keep popping up.

How will we know or recognize each other (especially those of us who haven't appeared in a music video or on an album cover)? Should I try to interview certain artists while I'm there, or just relax and take it all in? Will Steve Burns wear his groundhog ears?

And speaking of Steve Burns wearing groundhog ears, don't forget to stop over at Zooglobble to vote in the kid-vid brackets. Happy weekend, everyone!