An early drive to Wilmington, DE – not terribly far or intense as some drives – for the first of a series of park/recreation/outreach shows as a solo in several city parks. Cosponsored by a local theater, I’ll be doing 90 minutes with kids in the neighborhoods.
I set up under a small, metal gazebo with a sound system and a generator purring in the distance. Some daycares came down and we played together, along with a juggler nearby, some swings and playsets nearby. It was a mixed bag of interactive songs, often amongst four or five kids at a time.
I experimented with the kids using the mike on some songs, but there is an uneasy relationship with kids. It is a cultural prop, and some kids won’t sing without the mike in their hands. I learned to use it judiciously, and when I had to shut it down when it came to push and shove. Lots of touching the strings of the guitar when I’m playing, things I recall from my PASELA days in the pre-schools.
But, it is a sign of hunger for making music and is accepted as such.
Many nice moments with individual kids, and that’s what makes the time fly.
Macungie later this evening.