After reading this blog post on Pacing the Panic Room, I got in contact with the band Rabbit! and asked if they would come play for our school while they were here in Tucson. Rabbit! is a family-friendly band from Florida, touring across the US, and they wanted to do something a little different with this tour. From Pacing the Panic Room: "they made the decision to dig deeper into the communities they were stopping in." Their goal was to work with programs where the arts funding has been cut, and that doesn't describe our school so much, so I made sure to tell Rabbit! that if they got a better offer in Tucson to take that over ours. But luckily for us- they didn't :)
So after many many back-and-forth emails and working out a location (thanks so much to The Hut!!!), we got the concert all set up. I sent information letters home to every child at our school, put out sign up sheets and quickly got a big response. Within the first three days, we had 24 families, totaling over 70 people signed up. I was happy with the numbers, but I was not naive enough to think all those people would actually show up.
The day of the event came: Sunday, August 7th. Jeff and I got to The Hut at 9am, to help out where we could. Jeff did more than I did, running out to buy everyone bagels, and to get snacks and juice boxes for the kids (which were a huge success!). By 10:50 (ten minutes til show time) only two families were there! I was mortified. It turns out, the front gate was locked, and the parents didn't know about the side entrance, so they were all just standing on the street! haha, whoops! After that, people just kept pouring in.
We got the show started at 10:15 to a very antsy crowd- with probably 60-70 people in it! I was so excited that so many people showed up! The kids all danced up front and played their shakers. The kids loved the free instruments from B Toys - the shakers really got the kids involved in the concert and kept their attention longer.
Recognize this piano?? Max has one too, and it's from B Toys. The band uses it in their show and their album- which is why B Toys donated all the great instruments for the kids.
The kids loved the concert, as did their parents. I am now a rabid fan of the band Rabbit! They are so fun and bubbly, and their voices are just lovely. Each of the members could be a lead singer in their own band, but they all work so well together. It adds such a nice variety! And I want to point out- they are not a kid band, they are just plain fun. They are silly and whimsical, and impossible not to love.
Thank you so much to everyone involved with Rabbit! I can't even tell you how much it means to me that they did this for us. What they are doing for kids across the U.S. is amazing and I know they all appreciate it. It's a lot of extra work, and Rabbit! should be proud of the work they're doing!
If you haven't heard their music, please head to iTunes and check it out. The kids in my class love "Magic" but after I play the recently released "go for it" CD for them, I bet they'll all have new favorites soon! Who can resist 'Pink Lemonade' or 'Hide and Go Seek'??