We’ve seen a bad one like this before, on May 3rd, 1999 in almost the exact same place, so we knew as we watched that people were losing their lives. 40-50 minutes and it was over. Then we start to see images of the damage, entire neighborhoods and businesses…..gone. The aerial view looked almost like a giant lawnmower cut a path (up to 2 miles wide at points) all the way through the city. Since then we’ve been glued to the TV, Twitter and Facebook, reposting/retweeting info so friends outside the area will know what’s going on and that we’re okay, and to try and help disseminate helpful information to those in the area as well.

This has been very emotional for everyone around here. I have personally spent a lot of time in the area that was hit as I used to teach music lessons at schools in that part of Moore. In the Sugar Free Allstars I have played at the library in Moore on numerous occasions. One of the worst things for us has been learning that two elementary schools suffered direct hits while kids were still there. Thankfully at one of the schools, Briarwood Elementary, all of the kids have been accounted for. Tragically at the other school, Plaza Towers Elementary, they have shifted from search and rescue to search and recovery, with several children still inside. This is heart wrenching for us as many of the performances we do are in elementary schools just like this for kids the same age as those that are still inside, and there is a good chance that some of the kids at both schools have come to our shows. At home, we’re trying to keep it together so my two-year-old who is mostly oblivious doesn’t worry but there have already been a couple of times today when I’ve been by myself that it’s become overwhelming and I just have to cry…

I do want to make sure and sing the praises for our local OK weathermen and storm chasers: if it were not for their early warnings and up to date reports there is no doubt that there would have been far more lives lost. Now it’s time to gather some things to take to a donation center and try and help as much as we can. These folks need all the help they can get. I am including a list of ways that you can provide aid even if you are not anywhere close. Oklahoma – and our entire country – is full of good people. They have already had to turn away volunteers because so may people are showing up to help. Donation locations are being overwhelmed with goods and monetary contributions. For every tragic story, there are even more stories of survival and hope: teachers covering students with their own bodies, first responders and neighbors rushing to help with no thought for their own safety… Oklahoma is strong. We will survive.

* Donations of $10 to assist those affected by the tornado can be made by texting STORM to 80888 for Salvation Army, texting REDCROSS to 90999 for Red Cross, or by texting FOOD to 32333 for the Oklahoma Regional Food Bank.

* United Way of Central Oklahoma’s Disaster Relief Fund—donations may be made online at www.unitedwayokc.org or by mail to United Way of Central Oklahoma, P.O. Box 837, Oklahoma City, OK 73101 with notation for May Tornado Relief.

* Contributions to the Moore & Shawnee Tornado Relief Fund can be made securely online at www.TulsaCF.org. Donations can also be mailed to TCF offices at 7030 S. Yale, Suite 600, Tulsa, OK, 74136.

For a complete list of ways to help those affected in the May 20th Oklahoma tornado visit http://www.metrofamilymagazine.com/May-2013/Ways-to-Help-Families-Affected-by-the-May-20th-Tornado/

To find loved ones in Moore: www.safeandwell.org

Okay, in all fairness we’ve always kind of thought it would be pretty cool to perform with an orchestra, I mean, who wouldn’t want to experience that? But you don’t really think it’s going to happen. So how did it? Well to make a long story short here’s how it all began. First we met a guy that works for the OKC Philharmonic at a show we’re playing for the OKC Museum of Art; he loves the idea of us playing with the orchestra and passes the idea along. Then we hire a woman who plays in the OKC Phil to do some violin parts on our most recent album, she also loves the idea of us playing with the orchestra and passes the idea along. Next thing you know we’re setting up a meeting with the organization’s executive director and when we show up there are SIX staff members in attendance, excited that we are there, listening intently to what we have to say, writing things down and in general TAKING THIS WHOLE THING VERY SERIOUSLY…….at this point the reality of this performance is actually starting to sink in……holy moly…..this is really going to happen.

After some of the initial details are worked out we take a few days figuring out a set list….I mean here is a chance to have some of our songs arranged for a symphony orchestra so it was important to pick songs that we thought would benefit and be enhanced by orchestral arranging. We settle on a mix of: a couple of tunes we do on a regular basis, along with a few that aren’t performed as often, and one that we had never performed live. Our good friend and fellow Okie who now lives in Brooklyn was selected to arrange the orchestra’s parts and we spend several months discussing ideas with him, going back and forth, tweaking the orchestrations until they are just right. All the while we are keeping in contact with the Phil’s general manager and PR officer to coordinate logistics and promotions. It was definitely a unique experience spending months and months preparing for just one show as we are accustomed to playing several shows in a week, very often several shows in a day.

As the date for the show closes in we begin to do local TV spots, sign off on the arrangements, have final meetings with the general manager, arranger and conductor, select our wardrobe and polish our dance moves (you heard right, dance moves). Then the day arrives, we have promoted more heavily than ever before, invited everyone we knew and prepared in every way we could possibly think of. The morning of the show we have a 2 hour rehearsal with the orchestra (the only rehearsal we do with them……yikes!) and work out some last minute kinks. We relax for a couple of hours, have some lunch then it’s showtime. In the months since all the preparation began I always wondered if I would be nervous before the show. There was a moment when the overture began (yeah, we even had an overture – pretty sweet, huh?) that I got butterflies but they passed and it was replaced with excitement. From the moment we walked on the stage and had close to 1,000 people going nuts for us…it was on! Everything went pretty much exactly as it had played out in our heads, which is a very rare thing. The show could not have gone more smoothly, and from the beginning to the end of the concert I’m sure that everyone in the room that day would agree that it was a very special experience for all involved.

So there you have it, our first ever symphony show, what an amazing time it was. I proceeded to get sick the evening after the show, guess my body finally let down….just thankful it didn’t happen any sooner. We’re hopeful that we’ll be able to perform with a symphony again, but no matter how many times that may happen there will never again be a first time, it was truly a once in a lifetime event and I’m so thankful that I had the opportunity to experience it from Behind the B3…….

My kids are both right at the age where they watch the same tv programs. We actually watch Good Luck Charlie as a family. It reminds me of my younger days when I would watch Growing Pains or The Cosby Show together with my family. I often make the comment that I think Good Luck Charlie should be on network television but I won’t complain too much that it’s a hit Disney channel sitcom. It’s nice to not have to cringe when those Viagra commercials come on network channels. Not really interested in having that conversation with my daughters…yet.

But I digress. Bridgit is a doll. She comes across as a very wholesome, educated young lady and that’s really the kind of person I want my young daughters to consider as a role model. During the HuffPost Live Chat, I had the opportunity to ask Bridgit a bit about her musical talents. You can watch/listen in on our conversation around 20:12, although, feel free to watch the entire segment (you should):

So, if you haven’t given Good Luck Charlie a chance yet, I recommend that you do. The series is well-written and the actors have great chemistry. I’m always howling with laughter. Bridgit’s debut album, Hello My Name is, is available for purchase. It’s a fun, pop rock album that the family can enjoy together.

CD:

I have been called a music snob by many a person. I take offense to this because I think I like WAY more music than the normal person, but that is a different argument for a different time. Even if I am a music snob, I can’t find anything to not like about this album.

I had never heard Moona Luna before getting my hands on Vamos, Let’s Go!. Since I’ve had a chance to listen to this album over and over again, I can tell you that I’m going to make sure to get the first release from this New York based group.

In my last review I talked about how that group did a great job of mixing styles. I’m not saying that Moona Luna does it better or worse, but they do a fantastic job of making songs sound unique while still sticking to their Latin roots.

I absolutely love the first track, which also happens to be the title track, “Vamos, Let’s Go!”. The first time it started playing I thought I had made a mistake and clicked on a Los Straightjackets or 3^rd Wave Ska track. It has such a happy and upbeat “surfer” feel to it. Plus, accordion!

Once the second track hit I thought my iTunes had randomly shuffled to something that would have been heard on the jukebox in a 50’s ice cream shop. After listening I realized it was still Moona Luna! I said to myself, “Well this is a cool track. It’s like something from “Grease” but good and appropriate for children!” I couldn’t wait for the rest of the tracks to play.

Once the third track of this album rolls, Moona Luna really hits their stride. The first two tracks are really good, but I think the remaining are really in their wheelhouse. Not only are they in their wheelhouse, but they knock them out of the park. No swinging and missing here. I’m not going to talk about each and every track (we would be here awhile), but the fifth track, “What Time Is It? (Que Hora Es?)” is a laid back track that I find myself either singing or whistling all the time. I’m pretty sure my coworkers are ready to tell me what time it is.

Track seven, “One of Those Days (Uno De Esos Dias)” not only has very relatable lyrics, but a tango beat that will have you dancing across the room. Track nine, “All The Time (Todo El Tiempo)” made this rude boy flash back to good memories with the upbeat guitar strumming and fun accordion licks (it seems as if our fearless leader has me pegged on what music to review).

The final track, “Beautiful Birthday (Cumpleanos Feliz)” is a very strong end to the album. It is not only a track that is probably going to be played at some point during my daughter’s birthday just based on the title and because I love her, but it is bright, peppy, and just downright fun.

I didn’t even get to the most important part yet. In the constant struggle to find music that is appropriate for the entire family, you don’t want to settle for low hanging fruit. Not only does every song contain both English and Spanish lyrics, but there is repetition in each song. Well, at least from my poor Spanish skills there seems to be. If a word that is repeated throughout the song is said in English, there is a good chance it is said in Spanish as well. Those of us that work with kids know that repetition does work. It works even better when it is presented in a fun format. This album is way more than a fun format.

We know that a child’s best chance to learn a foreign language is start them early. I can’t think of a better way to introduce them to Spanish. If I can learn and remember some basic Spanish just by listening to this album, I have no doubt your child will as well. Do everyone a favor and turn off the Maroon 5 (no seriously, please stop) and play Vamos, Let’s Go! instead.

Don’t believe the review? Listen for yourself.

Job searching does require a bit of focus, patience and time. All of which are hard to come by when there’s a preschooler coming up to you every five minutes to summarize parts of the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episode she’s watching and that she’d like to share with you pieces of a fabric lei that she so diligently shredded into a hundred pieces just moments before. After you return to your computer from attending that mermaid party in the living room, you find that your session on the hiring company’s website has ended and you have to start the application process all over again for that job opening. Breathe. Focus. Shit. Need to throw a load of laundry into the dryer. Oh, it’s lunchtime. Gotta feed the kid and maybe myself. Wait. Did I eat breakfast yet? I don’t even remember eating dinner last night.

You get it, right? The process can be frustrating but you know you’ve got to keep at it. There’s got to be a light at the end of the tunnel. However, it’s not realistic to think that you can sit all day, every day uploading your resume and filling out online applications. There has to be time to recharge or you’ll just burn out. So, in the meantime, I’ve been recharging myself by going to the gym and practicing concert photography. I even made the trek up to the northern suburbs to Billy Corgan’s new tea cafe, Madame ZuZu’s. Real tea this time, as opposed to imaginary tea. It’s all in the name of seeking inspiration and a little feeling of zen, folks.

I recently took a Wonderlic Test and a math quiz for a possible job opportunity. Completely aced the Wonderlic Test. Completely bombed the math quiz. I just had an interview for said job and luckily, the hiring manager and I had a good laugh about my math skills or lack-thereof. Anyway, still waiting to hear about that job. I don’t think my bad math skills will be a deal-breaker. Good things come to those who wait, right? In this case, I’ve been waiting so I sure hope it’s a good outcome. Otherwise, it’s back to the drawing board.

In the meantime, I’m keeping as busy as I can. Struggling to keep my hopes up about getting a job sooner rather than later. Anyone else ready for Spring? I know I am. It’s March and it feels like January in Chicago. Warmth is just around the corner.

I’ll be back soon chatting about the adorable and talented Ms. Bridgit Mendler, who I was fortunate enough to spend a virtual half an hour with on Huffington Post Live; and big news about my new feline family member.

Cheers!

The attention to detail throughout the movie is ridiculous. The filmmakers made sure that every single die hard video game fan would find something to smile about. At times it felt like I was watching a cartoon version of the television show Community with all the pop-culture references and meta jokes. It successfully appeals to die hard gamers and casual observers like myself.

The movie follows the tale of Ralph (voiced by John C. Reilly), the bad guy from a game called Fix-It Felix. Sick of being the bad guy, he starts game jumping (a big no-no) while the arcade is closed. As you would expect, this leads to lots and lots of mayhem. I won’t give away all the details, because frankly not knowing what to expect, made many of the moments in the movie so enjoyable.

The voice work is something to behold. One that really stuck out to me was actor Alan Tudyk and his character, King Candy. It’s a hardcore tribute to Ed Wynn’s Uncle Albert from Mary Poppins, and he absolutely, positively nails it.

It’s not a perfect movie. The idea of this movie is better than the overall story execution. But, let’s be honest. That’s just me nitpicking. This was a damn enjoyable movie. I’m still trying to figure out how Brave beat this movie at the Golden Globe and Oscars. The movie is big and brash and yet, very sweet,

The digital and Blu-ray combo pack comes with all-new bonus material including deleted and alternate scenes, the Academy Award winner theatrical short “Paperman,” and whole bunch of easter egg stuff that you’ll probably miss on first watch.

Wreck-It Ralph is available at all places where you can get movies, like here.

Check out the clip on the creation of the 8-bit world.

Activity games your thing?

I found the simple life ain’t so simple, when I jumped out on the road – VH

No truer words have been spoken Mr. Roth, no truer words indeed. As a matter of fact I’m on the road with Sugar Free Allstars at this exact moment – heading east on I-40 toward Gallup, New Mexico where we will be playing the last show of a 10 day tour that also included Phoenix, Arizona and Los Angeles, California – so it’s only fitting that I should be thinking about the challenges of touring. Touring is hard physically, mentally and emotionally, but if you want to expand into new markets and build a fanbase outside of your home area you have to do it. It’s fun and exhausting all at the same time. It can be something of a paradox because when you’ve been at home for a long period of time you start itching to get back out on the road, but as soon as you’re on the road you just want to get it all over with and come home. You miss your family, your home, your friends, sleeping in your own bed, home cooked meals, but it’s really fun exploring new places, meeting new people, playing for new fans and old fans you haven’t gotten to see in a while.

Until I had to do it, I never realized just how much work goes into booking a tour. Months of preparation went into putting together this one and it only lasted 10 days. You have to find your venues, make contact with their talent buyers, work out dates that make sense with routing, negotiate a fee, confirm and/or contract the shows, promote the shows (through all social media, emails, reaching out to friends/family in each town, sending posters, etc, etc) and when that’s all done you have to find places to stay while on the road. It is a lot of work and there is never a guarantee that something won’t go wrong along the way, whether it’s issues with the touring vehicle (an all-too-common issue for most bands), shows falling through, band member illness, or any number of problems.

Sounds like more trouble than it’s worth right? Well maybe on paper, but the experiences and benefit gained from touring usually outweigh the amount of work that goes into putting them together. Because we have so many friends, family and fellow Kindie artists that are willing to help in any way they can, it makes all the work so much easier. Just a few examples are: on this tour we didn’t have to worry about having a place to stay in L.A. for our first several days there because our great friend and fellow Kindie musician Heidi Swedberg opened her home to us and even cooked several amazing meals! The venue we played in Santa Monica, McCabe’s, was recommended to us by another good friend and awesome Kindie musician Lucky Diaz – it was through his introduction and referral that we were able to build a relationship with the venue (I also got to catch part of a Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band show at The Grove while in town and man, they rock so hard!). Our new friend and family musician Birdie Mendoza organized a potluck get together with other musicians including David Tobocman where we all got to enjoy great food and make music together. We also met Mista Cookie Jar as well as Rodney Lee from Groove Kid Nation for the first time at our McCabe’s show, and ALL the family musicians mentioned thus far helped promote our appearances – the Kindie community really is like none I’ve experienced before and we thoroughly enjoy all of the personal and professional relationships we have developed on this journey!

So we’re closing in on home and about to finish up this westward run that we’ve been on for the last 10 days. As difficult as it can be to put together and be gone for so long it, was worth it on this trip. We had fantastic shows everywhere we played, moved some merchandise, made some new fans – basically what you hope all tours turn out to be like. That being said, we are so ready to be home and not in a moving vehicle for a good while. But before long we’ll be back out there again, maybe somewhere close to you! Until next time, that’s life on the road from Behind the B3…..

While I don’t love every Disney princess movie, I’m no anti-princess zealot either. In fact, some of my favorite Disney songs come from The Little Mermaid. The music and lyrics by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman were second to none.

“Under the Sea” and “Poor Unfortunate Souls” are all-time classics. They were memorable songs in 1989 and are just as memorable today.

Disney announced today they will be releasing ‘The Little Mermaid’ October 1st on Blu-ray DVD. This is the first Disney release of The Little Mermaid on DVD since 2006.

Check out the trailer

Simply click on the big fat graphic below, print and play away the day!

And check out the clip from Peter Pan featuring Captain Hook and Tic Toc

“I have nothing against the arts, in fact; quite the contrary. However, I do not support the misuse of taxpayer’s dollars. Every dollar saved from these side projects is a dollar better spent for our education system, state employees, and agencies across Oklahoma.”

Needless to say it’s discouraging when one of your state’s legislators refers to the arts as a “side project”.  In reality, studies have shown time and time again that this “side project” increases students’ intellect and test scores, has a positive impact on local economies, and culturally enriches communities, thereby attracting new businesses and families.

If the motivation behind this bill is purely fiscal responsibility, let’s talk numbers: the Oklahoma Arts Council only receives $4 million per year of the total state budget of $6.8 billion (that’s less than 1/10th of one percent!) and according to a 2010 study by Americans for the Arts, the arts in Oklahoma actually generated $29 million in tax revenue, a $25 million profit.  I’m no financial expert, but I’m not sure it makes much business sense to cut a program that provides a 600% return on its investment.