The sweltering summer of ’10 offered a touch of relief on Tuesday, August 3rd. Walking from the belly of the Madison Square Garden beast to Madison Square Park’s beauty was pleasant; more mid-May than early-August.
We arrived at the park just as the Nanny & stroller queue began to curve around the roped off oval lawn. At 10am, the “gates” opened and city kids rushed to find their perfect patch of still-moist grass. Naturally, we didn’t have a blanket, but the kindness of others was on display as a friendly family shared a corner of theirs, keeping the backsides of my little ladies dry. Thank you, kind New Yorker.
Early arriving concertgoers were treated to the most rockin’ sound check I’ve ever witnessed. If some in the crowd thought the show had started, I wouldn’t have blamed ’em. Really, we got to see 1.5 Dirty Sock Funtime Band concerts yesterday; a real treat. The band is extremely lively, funny and interacts with kids like few kindie groups can (or attempt to). It helps that 3 members of the band are not burdened with an instrument, meaning they can jump around, jump down and act way sillier than you could with a guitar draped across your shoulder.
The Bear has seen quite a bit of live music in her 6.5 years and has never been one to dance, engage or interact very much in front others at a concert. Sometimes, in fact, she looks like the most miserable kid in a room, sporting a real sour-puss expression, despite still loving all the music we listen to and review. That said, she was in to the Dirty Sock Funtime Band show from the jump. She danced alone, she danced with Annie from the band, she was even prepared to sing if Mike was able to stretch the cord far enough to reach her. The Dirty Sock Funtime Band has made a serious impression on both of my girls, but their imprint on the Bear is most remarkable. It was at her request that we go – she willed us out the door at 7am and up to Manhattan in rush hour on the train!
The band blitzed through all the best tunes from their CD “Sock-A-Delic”, including “Donut Brain Aliens”, “Dino-Soaring”, “Music Everywhere”, “Baby Spies”, “No Good Reason Party”, “Treasure” and the Dirty Sock theme song.
Check out the video of “Donut Brain Aliens”, my girl’s fave tune. 1/2 way in, Annie goes out to dance with the Bear and Mouse.
And check out my photos from the show here, and my buddy Bryan Sargent’s way-more-professional photographs of The Dirty Sock Funtime Band (like the one on top of this post) here.
After the show, we finally experienced two NYC traditions: the Shake Shack and Books of Wonder. The juicy burgers and ice cold milkshakes were well worth the 15-20 minute wait in line and then for the food to be prepared. Despite the heavy crowd, seating wasn’t an issue. I guess many take their delicious meaty treasures back to the office.
Shake Shack Madison Square Park
Books of Wonder on 18th Street, a short 5 block walk from Madison Square Park, is a wonderland for kid-lit lovers. I managed to escape spending only $30, meaning I did not splurge on a $40,000 first edition L. Frank Baum book. Maybe next time.
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