This one ought to make the anti-hipster-parent faction pee themselves with horror: according to this trend piece, all-ages clubbing is the latest thing. All-ages as in, toddlers. The rise in music for kids that doesn't suck has led to venues opening up for parent and kid shows. Hey, remember when the chill-out lounge was for drugs, not babies?
Whole families can go see live acts like the Sippy Cups, Dan Zanes, and Laurie Berkner (who my husband has a monster crush on, BTW) and experience baby's first stage dive. The article implies that taking kids to shows makes parents feel young and hip, but while I love a good family show, they are more likely to make me feel old. There's something about having your preschooler stand in the same spot in front of stage left where you puked as a teen that really brings home how much life has changed. Plus I have to hear myself moan, "Twenty-five dollars for a concert t-shirt! That's highway robbery!" in a way that does not fill me with youthful spirit. Still, good times.
My daughter and I saw Dan Zanes in San Francisco a couple years ago, and it was pretty wild. At one point some of the kids kinda rushed the stage and I had visions of Altamont. The downsides of the concert were: rowdy five-year-olds (not as annoying as rowdy nineteen-year-olds though); minimal glass-eating and swearing from the band; and pretty pathetic tattoo work on some of those kids--looked like they drew 'em themselves, to be honest. On the plus side: kids can get away with that spin-y, noodly, interpretive dance thing way better than adults can; the sing-alongs were fun, not annoying; and you could actually use the bathroom stalls to pee.
