Kindiefest 2012: SteveSongs

My kids know SteveSongs.

Your kids know SteveSongs.

I was kind of familiar with SteveSongs, until I saw them on stage and went, "Oh yeah!"

Steve Roslonek has been writing and performing his award-winning music for kids and families for the past eleven years. In 2008, he became the face of PBS Kids and rocketed to a new level of fame on the kindie scene. Since our (older) son was 7 that year, he was aging out of their main demographic.

However our 17-month-old is now aging INTO their programming, so Steve is experiencing a resurgence in our living room. And both kids were happy to see him in performance. For Matt, Kindiefest was his first concert experience. And we've got the videos to prove it.




Bari Koral and Ralph Covert (of Ralph's World fame) took the stage for a number.





Right before this song, I grabbed one of the few available chairs against the wall. Secret Agent 23 Skidoo walked over and asked if anyone was sitting in the empty chair next to me. I shook my head. But he didn't sit for long – less than a minute later, Steve asked him to take the stage to perform this song from their upcoming CD.



The kindie scene has a great vibe. These are people who are passionate about their music, their message, and their community. While I'm curious about the Saturday conference portion of the event, I think the intensity would be unsettling. The commerce side of producing and marketing music, the "behind the wizard's curtain" nuts and bolts, is not what I'm all about. Not now, not yet, maybe not ever.

But the family conference was still a destination. Recess Monkey was not slated to perform this year, yet they booked shows in New York so they could attend the event. I stood next to Suzi Shelton for five minutes, yet didn't realize it was her until she took the stage and sang. And you know the artists appreciate a local groove when Dan Zanes can say goodbye and walk home.

Key organizer and founder Bill Childs is relocating to Texas this summer, and hopefully taking the influential Spare the Rock children's music podcast with him. Based on conversations at the concert, Kindiefest's reputation and legacy are golden. I can only hope that Kindiefest continues to groove for years to come. At least until Matt is old enough to remember the shows!