
The past couple of weeks, I've been driving to work, listening to the same CD -- namely, the fourth volume of the
Yo Gabba Gabba "Music Is... Awesome!" series of compilations. For them's that don't have kids,
Yo Gabba Gabba is a show on the Nick Jr. cable network, and was co-created by Christian Jacobs, who readers of this site might better know as MC Bat Commander of the Aquabats.
Anyhow, the show has tons of musical guests, and everyone from the Aggrolites to Peter Bjorn and John has been on it, performing and singing short little ditties that appeal to adults, as well as a kids. Additionally, there's Biz Markie offering up beats, Devo's Mark Mothersbaugh drawing pictures, and cartoons of Super Martian Robot Girl (created by Evan Dorkin and Sarah Dwyer). It's pretty amazing, and way better than most kid's television, to say nothing of adult programming.
"Music Is... Awesome!" collects songs from the show, both the ones performed by the characters, as well as the music from the various bands which have performed on the show. It's catchy, short, simple, and damned if it's not wonderfully well-planned. There's something to be said for a series of songs which don't go over three minutes. Really, most songs on the fourth volume all run around two minutes, and they're just perfect little pop songs. They hit, grab your ears, and lodge into your brain for the rest of the day.
There's really no better way to start off each and every morning than listening to the Biz rap about breakfast. It's pretty much scientifically impossible to be in a bad mood after that. I can't imagine what the live show is like. I've seen video, and it's mind-boggling joyous. To experience that many kids being that into something would blow my mind. We
talked with Mike Park about that a few weeks ago, actually.
The show hits the Midland in Kansas City this Saturday, February 23, with shows at 2:00 and 5:00pm. Tickets can be had
from the Midland's website. Tickets run $23.50 to $46.00, with family 4-packs and VIP packages also available. You can try and win tickets
from Macaroni Kid, and that contest ends at 8:00pm Central Standard Time tonight.