ABC Wednesday: K is for...

 Keepin' it green.  Keepin' it clean.

This year, there's something new cropping up in Indiana.   Among the miles and miles of cornfields a bit less than an hour north of Indianapolis, wind turbines now dot the landscape. Like rows of metal pinwheels, left by a giant's child, the windmills of a new millennium endlessly turn, creating clean energy.





Check out the link below for more kickin' entries from around the globe for ABC Wednesday.

Win A Disc (and hardback book) Wednesday: Swing Cafe

ChiIL Mama was absolutely delighted to read and listen to Swing Cafe, another excellent title in The Secret Mountain's award winning series of children's books.   The accompanying CD is packed with classic recordings by legendary performers like Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Fats Waller and other Jazz greats who are interwoven throughout the narration of the story.   The CD is a lengthy 60 minutes, so families get their money's worth on this one.   It's a perfect road trip disc.

Enter at the bottom of this review for your own chance to win SWING CAFE in ChiIL Mama's Win A Disc Wednesdays drawing.   This brand new release just came out this month, so be one of the first to check it out.

Although it's listed as recommended for ages 5-7, the story line is complex enough to be compelling to older readers as well.   We all enjoyed the tale of Esperanza Carmina Belleza, AKA:  Zaz.   In fact, we were so busy loving the fabulous illustrations, clever type faces, and interesting story, that we hardly noticed how much historical information we were learning.   This storybook & music CD set is an asset to any collection and an absolute must for swing and jazz fans.


Here's a quick synopsis and the low down on the author, illustrator and narrators off of The Secret Mountain site.


A little Brazilian cricket named Zaz dreams of singing in New York. After hopping a ride on a woman’s fruit hat that takes her from her homeland to Manhattan, she meets a savvy fly named Buster who brings her to the Swing Café on East 54th Street. Everyone there speaks a common language, called Swing, and Zaz is inspired to take to the stage, sing from the heart, and deliver the performance of a lifetime.

Publication date: September 2010

Author

Carl Norac is an award-winning author who has written more than 40 children’s books, including I Love You So Much, which was a Publisher’s Weekly bestseller.

Illlustrator

Rebecca Dautremer is the illustrator of The Secret Lives of Princesses and more than thirty other children's books.

Narrators

Bebel Gilberto is an established artist on the world music scene who has recorded with David Byrne, Caetano Veloso, and Laurie Anderson. Her debut album Tanto Tempo climbed the world music charts with more than 1 million copies sold worldwide and became the third-best-selling Brazilian album ever in North America. She lives in New York City.

David Francis trained as an actor at LAMDA in England and later at Shakespeare and Company in Massachussetts. He lived and worked in the UK for 20 years with several theatre companies in London, Exeter, Canterbury and Sheffield. He recently completed his eighth season at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario, Canada. He lives in Montreal.

Enter here to win.   One entry per family per week unless you Tweet it or submit it to any social media site, then you can enter a 2nd time.   Good luck!

Win A Disc (and hardback book) Wednesdays: The Little Blue Doggy--And The Winner Is...

The Little Blue Doggy from The Secret Mountain on Vimeo.


Mama Amanda and her youngest daughters, Victoria and Adeline are our winners this week.   Big congrats!   The Secret Mountain's award winning children's books are well written and impressively creative musically and artistically.   Check out their site to order your own copy and to browse through more great titles.   


Enter this week to win Swing Cafe, another excellent hardback book/CD combo from The Secret Mountain.   ChiIL Mama highly recommends both of these books. 


Winners have 1 week to claim their prizes before another name is drawn.   Please e-mail ChiIL Mama at zbluesun@gmail.com with your contact information and we'll get that right out to you.   Contact info remains confidential and will not be sold, shared or used for any other purpose.

Rock of Ages Interviews

ChiIL Mama caught up with 3 patrons after they'd seen Rock of Ages.   Here's what the audience had to say:

1.  ChiIL Mama--What's your first name?

Melissa (aka Mel)
Debbi
Karen


2.  CM--How far did you drive to see Rock of Ages?  


M--I took the train from Galesburg -- so roughly 200 miles.
D--30 miles +/- (burbs)
K--12 miles

3.   CM--Did you come in costume?  


M--No, but I wish I had!
D--I dressed up, which is like a costume for me, but no.
K--No.

4.   What are some memorable audience outfits you saw? 

M--There was this group of women as we came in that had neon-colored glitter wigs and boas.  That was my favorite.  We also saw a lot of leg warmers and Flashdance-style tops.  And then there was the bachelorette party with the bride in a tiara.

D--Bachelorette party - the girl with the uber short, black mini-dress and 6" heels and some kind of fake flower thing sticking outta her jet black, Morticia Addams hair

K--girl with hot pink barred sunglasses, a jean jacket, tight-rolled jeans,

double-layered socks, and crimped hair

5.   What was the major draw, or your main reason for coming to Rock of Ages?

M--I'm not going to lie.  The primary reason I wanted to see the show was Constantine.  I'm an American Idol fan.  I had also read reviews of the show when it was on Broadway and it sounded like such a fun show. 

D--The music!

K--80's music!

6.   Tell me about your favorite scenes? 

M--I absolutely loved just about any scene with Lonny.  His character was hilarious!  I thought the bathroom seduction scene was really well done and loved the act I finale.

D--Sister Christian scene - love that song! And Whitesnake Here I Go Again scene - I liked the power beats as much now as I did then.

K--"We're not gonna take it" to begin 2nd act... re the LA strip being

bulldozed

7.   Who's performances stood out and why? 

M--Constantine for sure, but I also loved the actor who played Lonny and the actor who played Stacy Jax.

D--Constantine - seemed like a shy nerd type, which doesn't really match the hair and Lonny who rocked that mullet hard. And if that German character wasn't gay, his actor certainly was.

K--I liked the club owner because he had the funniest lines.

8.   What are your backgrounds or professions? 

M--I am a high school English, speech, and drama teacher.  I also act and direct with local community theatre.

D--Regular working stiff now but I've had theatre design experience and I really enjoyed the set and how it functioned (swing-out bathroom/producer office) as well as how it was dressed.

K--classical musician and office serf

9.   Those of you who come from a musical background, what is your take on Rock of Ages vocally and theatrically? 

M--No music background -- just a music lover.  I do direct musicals, though, and was just in awe of the technical prowess of the show.  

D--Minimal musical background (high school choir) but I thought the voices were very strong and, for the most part, they honored the songs by not changing them to be The-at-trick-cal.

K--vocally, the singing was very appropriate for the period and style. The lead

romantic vocalists sang with great pitch and awareness in a healthy belting
style. The hippie protest chic was irritating, though, because she spoke
with a pinched larynx through the entire show... it sounded like screaming
all the time. Too bad. Everyone else was good, though. Although I'm not a
fan of the hyper-effeminate portrayal of Franz, the German guy. Too heavily
stereotyped for my taste.

10.   Give me a 1 sentence sound bite. 

M--Rock of Ages rocked my socks off!  :)

D--Half of me enjoyed the show while the other half of me enjoyed a few trips down memory lane - that was worth the price.

K--"Rock of Ages" is hot, sticky, and sweet. 

(Apologies to the touring company/ Chicago cast.   We would have much preferred to run cast photos of you, but had to run with what we've got.   You guys rocked!)

Get your Rock of Ages tickets today at Broadway in Chicago.   

Rock of Ages, Still Rollin' Out 80's Style Hair Band Bliss, But Only Through October 3rd

ChiIL Mama had a rockin' good time at the Rock of Ages First National Tour launching in Chicago.   The five time Tony Award nominated smash-hit musical  is a hilarious trip back to a simpler time of leather clad heroes, big haired dreamers, day glo spandex, and wine coolers.   The timeless story of boy meets girl...boy loses girl...two reconcile...plays out against the backdrop of a turf battle, between gritty rock pioneers and money grubbing developers. 


The cast is full of silly, cliche', but fabulously fun characters--outraged hippie protester, flamboyant, sensitive German boy mistaken for gay, sleazy producers, madams who play Mama figure to the strippers on the strip, naive small town youth whom L.A. is eager to exploit, and on it goes.

You can still get your rock on with powerful performances by a cast full of notables, including Constantine Maroulis, who originally played Rock of Ages lead, Drew, on Broadway.   He's best known as an American Idol finalist but he's been making quite a name for himself on stage including a Best Actor Tony Award nomination.   The contrast between his soft spoken, shy advances toward his love interest, Sherrie, and the impressive intensity of his songs is hilarious.


As the show opened with hard rockin', in your face, 80's classics, there was an odd moment of disorientation.   This wave of arena rock energy emanated from the stage, but instead of an audience in leather and blue jeans screaming back with fists in the air, the front rows of the orchestra pit were filled with elderly theatre patrons who were steadfastly clinging to their seats.   


The actors went to work right away, joking with the audience and pulling them in.   In no time, the 4th wall was down, the balconies were rockin', and the floor crowd was singing along, jumping to their feet, and havin' nothin' but a good time.   


Thanks to ample liquor, and drink tickets that brought waiters right to your seats, even the most staid patrons loosened up by the 2nd act.   By the time the cast broke out the big rock ballads, nearly everyone was waving mini flashlight bulbs in the air, to simulate the lighter filled 80's rock audiences, without the scent of burning fingers.


The entire cast looked like they were having so much fun, and a good segment of the crowd came dressed in their 80's best.    Plenty of big hair, rock tees, fish nets and 80's garb flashed between the more conservatively dressed.   Between the cast and the crowd, there was plenty of eye candy for everyone!   Gotta love those long haired rocker boys in black leather and tight pants.   


Broadway in Chicago posted a PG13ish warning that some of the dances and costumes may be inappropriate for children.   There are "stripper" characters, but nothing more risque than a bra and fishnets.   I did see a few younger children in full 80's rock star dress, and they were having a blast.   Still, parents who are uncomfortable with simulated lap dances and semi-mature sexual themes might want to make this a parents night out.


For everyone who remembers living through the 80's, or wish they did, ChiIL Mama highly recommends Rock of Ages.  If you just can't make it out this week, there's a New Line Cinema/Warner Bros. film of the musical, directed by  Adam Shankman (Hairspray) due out in 2011.

Windy City Roller All-Stars Triumphed Over The Texecutioners 88-62 Saturday

The number of family fans of Roller Derby has been steadily growing, and the kids were out in force Saturday night.   We've been going to see derby for years and the kid presence is bigger and better than ever.   Saturday, Sagezilla, Du-Jay and I returned again, to see the WCR All Stars roll right over their Texas rivals in the main match up of the evening.   Both teams are the top of their regions.   And with an early start time, it was a good before bedtime bout to bring the littles to.


It was especially fun to see real Texas derby girls, since the fictitious Texas team in Whip It brought flat track Roller Derby up on the radar of so many new fans.   Thank you Texas.   It was still great to see Chicago kick your booties last weekend.  Texas, have you been practicing up on that "We're number 2" chant?  If you haven't seen it yet, Drew Barrymore's directorial debut, starring Ellen Page as tiny but mighty, Bliss, is well worth checkin' out.   


We got to see our friend, Mya Ssault, skate hard in the opening bout, which showcased standout performances from Val Capone, Tamikaze, Zoe Trocious, Karmageddon and Hermione Danger.   Despite heroic efforts, our Windy City B-Team, The Windy City Rollers Second Wind, lost to the A-Team from Indianapolis.   


A final win of 190-78 went to the Naptown Roller Girls.   Despite our loss, this was a seriously fun bout, and the players were mobbed with autograph seeking kids.   These were no fair weather fans.   The kids were impressed and in awe with the athletes, and excited that the derby girls came out front to meet everyone before their game sweat had even dried!


In the next few weeks, ChiIL Mama will be talking to Mamas who skate in Chicago's Derby Lite and girls who skate JRDA, Junior Roller Derby.   We were happy to see some of the Windy City Mamas getting their props recently at Time Out Chicago Kids on line.


WFTDA Championships Uproar on the Lakeshore:   Chicago will host the finals November 5-7th, with 3 days of awesome Roller Derby action.   Tickets are on sale now.

Disney Store Interactive Redesign Grand Opening Today!

We had a magical time checking out the newly redesigned Disney store at State and Randolph.   Click here for our full review on ChiIL Out for Chicago Parent.

i ♥ Faces--Chalk

My all time favorite chalk photos were from Chalk 4 Peace at The Hideout Block Party 2008.   Here's Sagezilla in her Blondie "Call Me" tee, having a blast chalking up the place.   Here's a link to more fun from that event, since we can only enter one photo per week on i ♥ Faces.

Mellow Yellow Monday: ChiILin' At Rock The Block Walkathon

Last Thursday all children from 3 year olds through 8th graders walked to raise money for their school.   It was a mellow, healthy, fun fundraiser, with an abundance of yellow.





Parent volunteers staffed stations on healthy eating, yoga, first aid, fire safety, biking, and hydration stations to keep the kids' water bottles full.   All kids got pedometers to count their steps.   Everyone had a great time and raised thousands of dollars for school PTO events.


Check in here for more Mellow Yellow Monday fun.

Redmoon Reigns Supreme With The Tallest Shadow Projection Show In The City...If Not The Universe

Here's ChiIL Mama's recap of Redmoon's out of this world merger of live action, human shadow puppets, and acetate cells magnified on the facade of the MCA by old school, overhead projectors.
   



We loved the family centered theme, classic comic book illustrations, and stunningly large presentation.   The Astronaut's Birthday celebrates the simple joys of pancakes, laughing loud, a Dad who hunts monsters in the closet, kids who just miss their Moms, and the evil empire destroying power of a child's pure love.


We saw The Astronaut's Birthday last night and highly recommend it.   There are only 3 chances left to see it.   So call for tickets today!

ONLY 3 CHANCES REMAIN TO SEE REDMOON'S CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED SPECTACLE! Thursday, Friday, & Sunday SEPTEMBER 23RD, 24TH, AND 26TH. At the Museum of Contemporary Art Plaza 7:30PM THUR: $15 7:30PM FRI & SUN: $20 Kids under 10 for $10, Kids under 3 for FREE. FOR TICKETS: WWW.REDMOON.ORG, call 312 850 8440 ×111, or EMAIL boxoffice@redmoon.org "Redmoon Theater is why you say: 'I'm glad I live in the city!' ...they have done an absolutely amazing production! ...a story for today." — WTTW Chicago Tonight with Hedy Weiss, 09/14/10 Chris Jones recommends "Hottest Ticket" for Astronaut's Birthday — Chicago Tribune, On The Town arts section 09/17/10 "Urban bliss can come in many forms. But it would be difficult to imagine a more transcendent experience — or a more profound manifestation of the magic this city and its artists can conjure — than Redmoon Theater's new project, The Astronaut's Birthday..." — Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times "The fiercely analog Redmoon has built a major outdoor show on the back of an overhead projector and a hand-drawn comic book...The Astronaut's Birthday is an exceedingly cool idea that offers such a fresh take on public art and outdoor performance...the pleasure of sitting atop a familiar sidewalk, listening to original music, watching lines wiggle and enjoying a very distinctive show that really is made in Chicago, right before your restless eyes." — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune "...a marvel of synchronization and ingenuity, and the production's homemade, hands-on aesthetic dovetails nicely with its humanistic moral." — Zac Thompson, TimeOut Chicago "...extraordinary ... an epic production." — Venus Zarris, Chicago Stage Review "... a masterful work of theatrical engineering and spectacle... astonishing." — Shaun Manning, Comic Book Resources "...this is typical Redmoon sorcery." — Lawrence Bommer, Steadstyle Chicago< "If you want to see an unusual, creative, and entertaining multimedia performance, look no farther than 'The Astronaut's Birthday', an outdoor event resulting from a collaboration between Redmoon and the MCA." — Donna Robertson, The Examiner "The MCA-commissioned project is another hyper-ambitious effort from the endlessly imaginative Redmoon crew, world famous for site-specific spectacle theater." — Joel Hoglund, CS Magazine "Unlike the high-tech, high-concept space films Hollywood is churning out by the bushel, 'The Astronaut's Birthday,' which opens to launch the MCA's acclaimed performance series, is defiantly hand-made and low-tech..." — Rachel Shteir, Wall Street Journal "Easy to describe just isn't what Redmoon Theater is into. If this company ever came up with an event that could be summed up in a sentence, they'd scrap it and start over and make it more complicated. More spectacular. More of a scramble of the senses..." —Collections: "What's Next!", Chicago Tribune Gather in the plaza of the Museum of Contemporary Art and be witness to an ENORMOUS STORYBOOK of EPIC ADVENTURE! Marvel as we take over the entire façade of the MCA with our collision of SCIENCE FICTION, COMIC BOOK, SPECTACLE PERFORMANCE, WILD SHADOW, SILHOUETTE PERFORMERS, AND BERSERK MUSIC! COME AND BE ASTONISHED... The Astronaut’s Birthday is created in partnership with MCA Stage. JOIN REDMOON IN OUTER SPACE! FOR TICKETS: WWW.REDMOON.ORG, call 312 850 8440 ×111, or EMAIL boxoffice@redmoon.org   SEE REDMOON AT THE FIELD This Halloween, celebrate at The Field Museum with a delightful, yet spooky parade! On October 30th, the Field Museum's Stanley Field Hall will be enlivened with a performance by Chicago's signature theater company, Redmoon! Raucous performers dressed in head to toe skeleton costumes will march the hall playing bombastic music and wearing enchanting dinosaur skeleton masks.  Redmoon will perform two parades, the first at 11:30am and the second at 1:30pm.  Free with admission. Visit http://www.fieldmuseum.org/ for details.

Don't miss the next chance to see Redmoon, detailed above.   They'll Bring The Field Museum to life on October 30th, with dino skeleton masks and 2 rockin' parades. ChiIL Mama and the littles also thoroughly enJ.O.E.d ...I mean enjoyed, Redmoon's Labor Day, J.O.E. (or joyeous outdoor event) Festival on the lakefront.   CLick here for our prior Mellow Yellow Monday post on our unique Luminarium experience.   We'll post a more comprehensive photo filled recap tomorrow.   We literally waited for hours to see The Luminarium, but our line time was full of mini Redmoon strolling performances that made the time go faster.   It was a unique, colorful experience worth the wait. After The Luminarium, we were excited to have another chance to see Redmoon's reincarnation of last year's The Last of My Species.   Sagezilla was surprised and happy to see her former preschool teacher, Jess, from Hoyne Street Playgroup, rockin' out on guitar.   He not only played for the show, but also helped compose some of the music.   Check in tomorrow for a cuppa J.O.E. and a full photo feature.

Save The Date!--CircEsteem's Fall Benefit Gala Is Coming

Du and Zilla are learning aerial arts, like trapeze and silks, along with beginning circus skills from these guys.   They run a fantastic program for multicultural kids and adults with a great range of ages and abilities.   And they put on excellent, entertaining shows, too!

CircEsteem's Fall Benefit Gala  A cocktail party with a twist of circus! Event and raffle tickets can be purchased online here or by downloading the registration form and mailing a check to CircEsteem at 4730 N. Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL 60640.

ABC Wednesday: J is for Jerseys

The boys are back in black...and red...and white.

The Stanley Cup Winning Champion Chicago Blackhawks are finally back for a new season.   


We had sweet 4th row seats for The Blackhawks Training Camp Festival last Saturday, so check out the 2 slide shows for some Hawks V. Hawks cold steel on ice action.



Gotta love those new Stanley Cup Champion jerseys!   Check out more J entries by clicking on the link below.

Win A Disc (and a hardback book!) Wednesday: The Little Blue Doggy

ChiIL Mama is thrilled to bring you 2 of The Secret Mountain's award winning children's book/CD sets, this week and next.

The Little Blue Doggie is slated for October release, so our winner will be one of the first to have a copy anywhere!   Enter at the bottom of this post to win. Du-Jay, Sagezilla and ChiIL Mama all enjoyed this story.   The illustrations are colorful and full of texture and the songs are truly fun.

I'd read some mixed reviews and comments that this book is scary and disturbing, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but we loved it.   Of course my kids also love Harry Potter and Cornelia Funke's books, Edward Gorey and Lemony Snicket.   So they do have an appreciation of the macabre.   Nonetheless, I didn't think this book was anywhere near as dark as many of those authors' works, not to mention Grimm's fairy tales!

Children vary widely in what they can handle at different ages and what will totally creep them out.   We have small friends who watch and read intense stuff with impunity and other small friends who are unhinged by Scooby Doo and literature not meant to be scary at all.   So, parents, you know your own offspring.   

The Little Blue Doggy, Snag, does have a habit of unraveling, resulting in his yarn being collected by mice, appropriated by birds for nesting material and ultimately he's eaten by mites while locked in the bathroom closet.   Yet, his Mother always stitches him back together, no matter how unraveled he gets.

We recommend this book-CD combo, because it has a compelling plot, absurd twist where the dog parents go to the park to see a human zoo of people in cages or "humans on display", and likable tunes that aren't too babyish.   I'm a sucker for dark yet oh so amusing lyrics like Hopscotch Song's words, "One, two, three, four.   I can hear my Daddy snore.   If I knock him on the head, he'll get out of bed."   We also like the unexplained, out there song, My Sister is a Popsicle.   The Little Blue Doggy is a refreshing antidote to the boring, innocuous fluff that passes for so much childhood literature.

STORYBOOK-MUSIC CD FEATURES SONGS BY

ACCLAIMED COMPOSER LIONEL DAUNAIS

PERFORMED BY MICHELLE CAMPAGNE & FAMILY

The Secret Mountain continues its award-winning series of children’s storybook-music CDs this October with the release of The Little Blue Doggy, which features songs by iconic Canadian composer and lyricist Lionel Daunais and performed by acclaimed singer-songwriters Michelle Campagne & Family. The Little Blue Doggy follows the September release of Swing Café, featuring narration by Grammy-nominee Bebel Gilberto and songs by jazz legends including Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway and more, thus continuing The Secret Mountain’s penchant for releasing books that both children and parents can enjoy.

Recently inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, Lionel Daunais wrote the 13 songs that accompany The Little Blue Doggy. Recipient of numerous awards including the Canadian Music Council Medal and the posthumous Denise-Pelletier Award, Daunais’ songs are light-hearted and musically diverse, including, “Hopscotch Song,” “My Sister Is a Popsicle,” and “The Soles of My Brand New Shoes.” 

The title song tells the story of a little blue stuffed doggy who falls victim to famished mites after having been left at home alone. Upon his parent’s return, they discover his soggy red cotton tail on the floor and are faced with the challenge of putting him back together.

The storybook-music CD features vivid textural illustrations by award-winning children’s illustrator Marie Lafrance who has received critical acclaim for La Diablesse and the Baby (a Governor General’s Literary Award finalist), La fee des bonbons and Le Grand voyage de monsieur Caca. Each of The Secret Mountain’s innovative storybook-music CDs features a hardbound book with an album of music included in the back cover. For more information, please visit www.thesecretmountain.com

The Secret Mountain is dedicated to the creation of children’s books, videos and audio recordings of the highest quality. Recent releases include the acclaimed My Name is Chicken Joe, by Trout Fishing in America and Sunday in Kyoto, which features songs by Canadian cultural icon Gilles Vigneault. The Little Blue Doggy is also available in a basic CD-Digipak format with a printable PDF file of the illustrated book.

Enter here to win The Little Blue Doggy STORYBOOK-MUSIC CD.   One entry per family per week.   Entries accepted through midnight Tuesday.  Winners announced every Wednesday.

Win A Disc (Or Tickets!) Wednesday: Gustafer Yellowgold. And the winners are...

Raoul C. is our Schubas family 4-pack ticket winner!   You'll be enjoying Gustafer Yellowgold live at Schubas on October 3rd at 11AM.   Your name will be on the guest list at the door.   Kids 2 and under are free.   Click HERE for tickets and show details.


Ashlee W. is our big winner of the Gustafer Yellowgold DVD/CD set, Have You Never Been Yellow.   She likes to rock out with son, Xavier, to "Anything!"  Mama says, "X is currently on a hard core kick.   Eeeps!"   


He ought to enjoy the 8 days of new Boogers videos ChiIL Mama posted all last week, ending today.   My kids like the hard stuff, too, but when it's time to stop the mosh pit and relax, they adore Gustafer Yellowgold's quirky absurdism and colorful entourage.   For more information or to order Gustafer discs, merch and tickets, click HERE.   That's also the magic button to check out loads of free, wacky games, music videos and tunes.


Contact ChiIL Mama at zbluesun@gmail.com within the week, with your contact info, and we'll send that right out to you.   Information will not be shared, sold or stored.   It will only be used to bring you some great, new music.


Congrats to both families.   Enjoy!

The Boogers-New Songs-Sneak Peek All Week-#8 Baseball Bat

Our Big Booger Bonanza must come to an end today.   But we've saved one of the best for last.   Ramones fans out there will recognize a kinder, gentler (in lyrics only) version of Beat On The Brat.    The rockin' riffs are still there and the great, danceable tune hasn't been dumbed down or slowed down a bit.    


All the grown ups know The Ramones were being sarcastic, or ironic or what have you...not condoning child abuse.   But lest our punk kin offspring take the lyrics to heart as an instruction manual or a direct imperative....thank you, Boogers!   


Punk parents the world over can breath easier and break out the bats again, without their brats belting out cringe inducing lyrics in school and in front of the Grandparents!   Oh yeah.   Oh yeah, oh, oh.   (Still, no promises they won't head butt you, like the little dude on the left of the video below.   Cause a punk is a punk, no matter how small.)

Ed Kowalczyk Plays Chicago's Park West Sept 23rd--With A Humanitarian Twist

ChiIL Mama recently saw Ed Kowalczyk at the Kidzapalooza stage.   Here is a YouTube Kidzapalooza video of Heaven, a song he wrote for one of his daughters, when she was born.  It's apparent that Ed is inspired creatively by being a parent.   She's now 8, right between Du-Jay and Sagezilla's ages.   The second song is Lightning Crashes, one of his better known hits from Live.

He also impressed the Kidzapalooza audience with Grace.

According to Ed's blog, he says, "In the nightly bedtime routine at the Kowalczyk house, I am in charge of getting two glasses of water for my daughters' night stands. One evening last year, as I handed my 8-year-old her glass, it hit me like a freight train; this clean water is a blessing that thousands of fathers, just like me in this world, do not have. I don't have to worry that the water might make my children, the loves of my life, sick with a possibly fatal illness. I simply take it for granted. I decided then and there to make a difference. It is with great pleasure and profound gratitude that I announce my partnership with World Vision. Let's all work together to give parents in need that simple joy of putting a glass of safe and clean water on the nightstands of their little ones."

Ed Kowalczyk, lead singer of the multi-platinum band Live, will hit the road this fall in support of his debut solo album, Alive. The tour will make stops in Philadelphia, Chicago and New York, along with several more major markets. Ed and his new band, including Ramy Antoun on drums, James Gabbie on lead guitar, Chris Heerlein on bass, and brother Adam Kowalczyk on rhythm guitar, will perform favorites from Live’s catalog (“I Alone,” “Lightning Crashes”) along with tracks from the new album.

For this tour, Ed will team with World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their children worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision will have a space in the lobby of each venue educating and encouraging concertgoers to get involved, make a donation and learn about sponsoring a child. Ed personally sponsors many children through World Vision and hopes to bring awareness to the organization.

Additionally, “Grace,” the first single from Alive, marks a homecoming for Ed at Rock radio. The track is rapidly climbing its way up the Alternative and Rock Radio charts after just 7 weeks with generous airplay coming from great markets such as Syracuse, Rochester and Charlotte with its largest market add so far from WBOS in Boston just this week. Robyn Lane at WRAT in Point Pleasant, NJ said “The only thing better than hearing “Grace” on the radio is hearing Ed and his band do it live…Simply beautiful.”

Ed Kowalczyk built an impressive résumé with LIVE that includes eight full-length albums, total CD sales exceeding 20 million, a huge international fan base and extensive touring all over the world. LIVE has been one of the most successful and enduring alternative rock bands of the 1990s and 2000s.

Click HERE for more info about tickets or to purchase Alive.