Concert Recap: Randy Kaplan (Phoenix, Nov. 2009)

When I was putting together my recap of Doug Snyder's performance here in Phoenix a week or so ago, I realized that I'd totally skipped providing a recap of Randy Kaplan's show here back in November -- heck, I hadn't even uploaded the videos from the show.

So there's little I can say about the show three months after the fact other than: 1) Kaplan's a really good live act, and 2) he played some new songs. That's right, Kaplan's got a new album coming out this spring, but even last fall he treated the Phoenix crowd to some new songs, including the one below, which, appropriately enough for the desert, featured cacti.

Randy Kaplan - "I Like Cacti" (Live) [YouTube]

Randy Kaplan - "The Ladybug Without Spots" (Live) [YouTube]

Randy Kaplan - "Shampoo Me" (Live) [YouTube]

Randy Kaplan - "You Can't Always Get What You Wanti" (Live) [YouTube]

Randy Kaplan in Concert! (Or Why I Won't Be in Hollywood Sunday)

I probably would have made a bigger deal about the whole Kids' Day at Amoeba Records in Hollywood tomorrow (Sunday). Peter Himmelman in concert at 1 PM, assorted Yo Gabba Gabba! giveaways, et cetera, later in the day. (Hey, any place that features TMBG and Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang in-stores is OK by me.)

But Randy Kaplan is in concert tomorrow here in Phoenix at almost exactly the same time, and so he gets my time. The concert is at 2 PM at the Church of the Beatitudes and is part of the Not Just For Kids concert series. Tickets are just $3 per person, $10 per family. If you're in Phoenix, you've probably already heard about it, but if you haven't, do join us. It will rock, not in the strictly rock sense, but it'll be fun, just like it was last time.

Randy Kaplan - "Mosquito Song"

Concert Recap: Chuck Cheesman (Phoenix, September 2009)

Another fun set of shows at the Children's Museum of Phoenix this past weekend, this time featuring Flagstaff's Chuck Cheesman. The set we saw was a nice mix of originals, familiar tunes (Woody Guthrie, the Beatles, Joel Frankel), and movement stuff appropriate for preschoolers. To avoid copyright concerns, Chuck and I decided not to post covers. Unfortunately, that's usually when I happened to push "record" on my Flip. Little Boy Blue deleted another video, leaving me with this. It's not that I don't like this particular song (the last time we saw Chuck, we said "Ahoooooooy, mateys. Arrrrrgh!" for, like, a month). It's just that it doesn't quite show off his wonderful voice to best effect. Anyway, those of you in preschool (OK, and those that mind them) will appreciate this.

For Arizona-area folks, Chuck's playing (as is Laura Freeman) at the Pickin' in the Pines festival up in Flagstaff this weekend. Weather should be awesome.

Chuck Cheesman - "The Pirate Song" [YouTube]

Concert Recap: Todd Baio (Phoenix, September 2009)

A fun show this afternoon from Phoenix's own Todd Baio -- a whole host of instruments (you ain't lived 'til you've heard a "can-jo") and songs going back 150 years (or 500 if you count "Froggy Went A Courtin'"). Definitely a fun kickoff to the 2009-2010 season for the "Not Just For Kids" Concert series. Lots more to come over the next few months. Anyway, here's "Ezekiel Saw the Wheel," with a couple more familiar tunes after the jump (as soon as YouTube cooperates). More videos at the concert series' Facebook page.

Todd Baio - "Ezekiel Saw the Wheel" [YouTube]

Todd Baio - "Pay Me My Money Down" [YouTube]

Todd Baio - "The Fox" [YouTube]

Last-Minute Heads-Up: Chuck Cheesman / Todd Baio in Phoenix

I've tended not to talk much about the Phoenix shows I've been putting on, given the more national focus of the site, but a quick heads up for anyone from the Phoenix area who isn't on my e-mail list or didn't hear about this through Facebook and the like. Tomorrow (Sunday) there will be two different shows set up with my assistance. First up, the Children's Museum of Phoenix continues its 2009 series of concerts with a pair of sets from Flagstaff-based artist Chuck Cheesman. Chuck played in the famous Wiggleworms program at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music and I've seen him a number of times here in Arizona. If you've got preschoolers, this'll be a fun show for them. The show is free with museum admission. Shows are at 10:30 and 12:30 and require tickets, which I believe are sold out, but as people move in and out of the shows, you'll probably be able to get in even if you don't have a ticket and are willing to wait just a little bit.

Second, Church of the Beatitudes here in Phoenix (which just so happens to be my church) is starting a full season of Not Just For Kids Concerts (we kicked it off last season with Randy Kaplan and Justin Roberts) and the first show will feature Todd Baio playing his ukulele with songs for young and old. The show starts at 2 PM and is free. I will get around to talking about the Not Just For Kids Concerts soon enough 'round here because we're going to have 6 or 7 shows this season and it's going to be pretty darn cool...