The Dan Zanes Concert

Brooklyn rocker Dan Zanes (rock god to kids everywhere) had a holiday concert on 42nd St this season. I've mentioned P's music/instrument obsession of late - but the little man doesn't really like crowds... So I asked him if he was interested in going and received an unequivocal Yes!!!

After a trip to a crystal store in the West Village (another post, another time), we headed to Times Square for P's first rock concert :) Tots toddled the isles as we entered and P experienced a little vertigo... But then he settled right in to his Front Row seat, able to ignore the masses. Yes, that's right, front row. (Come to find out -there is occasionally a benefit to procrastinating -you can actually see the beads of sweat on a dancer's face.) I, of course, wanted to document the momentous occasion, but as I pulled out the camera I made a fatal error. I asked E if he'd seen any signs concerning photography in the theater. Whoops! Big, Big pet peeve of P's. If there is a rule on a sign, there might be security guards. If there are security guards, P is not a happy camper. Oh, and he himself becomes a security stand-in - watching everyone like a hawk to make sure the sign is Obeyed. I have no idea where this quirk comes from, but its longstanding. (A few weeks ago we were headed to the library but P was happily ensconced in his jammies. He decided just to wear them on the outing. As he slid his boots over his footies he laughed and asked if he looked "ridiquiwus." So off we went, P wearing jammies Under his clothes. The minute he saw the guard at the library he panicked. I reassured him there were no rules concerning PJ's and libraries and we moved on to pick books. Shortly later, I turned from the stacks to see him hunkered under a table. He peeked out, with tears in his eyes, and said "Mama, I'm scared." This is the child that yells at the wind when it blows too hard. Hunkering isn't really his style :) Until it comes to authority figures. They scare the holy-moly out of him. Turns out, he thought the guard could take him away from me since he was wearing pajamas out of the house! We had some loooong talks about guards and the extent of their powers (or lack thereof) on the way home but nothing seems to truly allay his authority figure fear.)

So, P was Very Nervous I'd get into trouble taking pictures. We decided it was fine, as long as I didn't record any of the show, but P was still reticent to be photographed, at first. Eventually he hammed it up...




The show was fabulous. The music amazingly multi-cultural, the musicians so upbeat I thought they'd float. The little man, riveted but unsmiling :) As in most occasions where he is overwhelmed with happy emotions (birthday, xmas, Uncle Seth's arrival) he strikes a serious face that approximates a sulk. Its really hilarious. The show's close was P's favorite song and everyone was up dancing. I grabbed P and bounced him in my arms as he Fought his smile with his sulk. The face looks something like disgust (you can actually see it in the photo just above, where he's veering towards the hamming stage, but still attempting the disgruntled stage), and one of the dancers looked down, started to grin at us and then gave us a look of surprise instead. Yah, she's probably not used to getting a dirty look from the tiny front row fans....

We snapped a few pics amongst the neon in Times Square on the way to our sub



and then enjoyed Storynory.com (Brother's Grimm)on the way home. As P sat silent and still, only his eyes moving with his imagination, I wondered if all first concerts are fraught with such small dramas. I'd always imagined the Hollywood version of kids :) They go out for a fun time and laugh and smile freely, perhaps there is a melt-down about chocolates or a missed bedtime, but, generally, light little hearts. There aren't many melt-downs here, and chocolates are eaten whenever they are needed ;) but the light heart is definitely not P's story...

Nevertheless, he said he loved the concert :)