The Official Blog of Bobs and Lolo

Action Packed, the latest album from critically-acclaimed BC duo, Bobs & Lolo, has received a 2009 Western Canadian Music Award for Children’s Recording of the Year. Following on the heels of a 2009 Parents’ Choice Gold Award - essentially the Grammy’s of the kids’ music world – Robyn Hardy (Bobs) and Lorraine Pond (Lolo) continue to garner national and international attention for their third album’s refreshing lyrics, rich harmonies and original, ‘get on your feet’ tunes for preschoolers.

Action Packed features 12 original songs such as The Right Track, Snappy Snacks and Friends. The album is geared towards connecting children to behaviours that positively impact the world around them. Using kid-friendly analogies like trains, superheroes, adventure stories and more the songs address themes such as literacy, health and fitness, teamwork and friendship.

To listen to sample songs from the award-winning album, please visit www.bobsandlolo.com/music.html.

Bobs & Lolo use music, movement and make-believe to share stories and experiences that inspire kids to care about themselves, their neighbours and the planet. Already a hit with children, parents and educators alike, this award only reinforces the fact that Bobs & Lolo are hitting all the right notes on their musical adventures!

What do Bobs & Lolo have to say about all the excitement?

“Wow! Thank you! We were sorry that we couldn’t be there to accept the award in person in Brandon, Manitoba last night, but we are so honoured to be recognized in this year’s category for Children’s Recording of the Year. We want to first thank all of our friends, family and fans for their support and encouragement on our many musical adventures, and we also want to give special recognition to our producer, Mario Vaira for always believing in us and for fully investing his talent into making Action Packed an album that we are all proud of and excited to share with children everywhere. And finally, we want to thank our good friend, and fellow nominee, Will Stroet. His album, “My Backyard” also deserves top recognition. He accepted the award on our behalf at Sunday’s ceremony, a true indication of the warm and supportive nature of the children’s music world. Thanks again everyone! Woooohoooo!”

Action Packed was Produced, Arranged & Recorded by Mario Vaira at Five Fathom Studios, with drums recorded at WineCellar Music Studios by Ryan Stewart, and mastered at Suite Sound Labs, all of whom are located in Vancouver, BC.

See the Live Show:
Bobs & Lolo next perform at the Early Literacy Fair in Port Hardy (Sept 26), the Vancouver Island Baby Fair in Victoria (Sept 27), the Baby & Toddler Fair in Langley (Oct 3), the Metropolis at Metrotown in Burnaby (Oct 3) and at the Evergreen Cultural Centre in Coquitlam (Oct 4). Full calendar listings and event details are at http://bobsandlolo.com/blog/the-big-calendar/

Yesterday we had an opportunity to hit the air waves with Stephen Quinn, host of CBC’s On the Coast. We were invited into the studio with the hope that we could help Stephen prepare to lead the national anthem at Nat Bailey Stadium on September 4th. The result? A lot of laughs, a bit of goofing around and very little performance instruction! Honestly, the only real take home messages from the interview were:

1. Bananas are great to help settle nerves - according to Bobs!
2. More cowbell is never a bad thing - even in the national anthem!

Take a listen to hear what else we had to say!

http://www.cbc.ca/onthecoast/media/20090903bobslolo.ram

If you’re having problems streaming the interview, please try downloading Real Player (free!) here.

Although, we had a good time during yesterday’s CBC shenanigans, the summer fun doesn’t end there. We have a fantastic weekend of live performances ahead! Join us for our final show dates at the PNE Fair September 5, 6 & 7. Stage times are at 3:30pm on the Global BC Amphitheatre. Shows are included with gate admission. For more information, please visit www.pne.ca.

Our first day at the PNE - great crowds & weather!

 
Day three - Mario Vaira joined us on guitar!

We’ll also be onstage on Sunday, September 6th for the Party at the Pier in North Vancouver. Join us at 12pm for some musical celebrations at the foot of Lonsdale Avenue . FREE admission!

All events are RAIN or shine…hope to see you soon!

Bobs & Lolo

It is hard to believe that we’re in the final weeks of summer already!? With all the fun adventures of the last few months, we will definitely have a hard time saying goodbye to summer ‘09. Speaking of fun, we’d like to send out a quick note of thanks to all of the families who joined us at the Harmony Arts Festival and the 50th Anniversary Celebrations for the Vancouver Maritime Museum as well as Kidtopia’s Grand Opening in Surrey and most recently, the fabulous Kids’ Day at Filberg Park in beautiful Comox, BC.

We hope some of you will be able to join us for one of our upcoming performances to help us wrap-up the summer season on a high note! There are still a few tickets available for tomorrow’s show at the Tsawwassen Arts Centre. This little performance theatre is the perfect venue for your tiny dancers! We’re thrilled that the Delta Arts Council has invited us to share in their special Family Series this year. Be sure to buy your tickets in advance - tickets are only $8 or 3 for $20 when pre-purchased ($12 at the door). Please call 604-943-9787 for more info!

We are also super excited to jump into our show dates at the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) next week! We’ll be performing 6 dates on the Global BC Amphitheatre as part of the family-focused KC’s Concert Series. We feel honoured to be sharing the stage with the likes of the Doodlebops, Playhouse Disney’s Choo-Choo Soul and Johnny & The Sprites. Find us onstage at 3:30pm on August 26 & 27 and September 1, 5, 6 & 7. For more information, please click here.

In addition to a fun-filled performance schedule, we’ve also had a few other exciting projects in the works these last couple weeks. Those of you following our updates on Twitter or Facebook will already be in the loop on the next bit of news, but we’re very happy to announce that we finally have a new tour vehicle! We’ve been dreaming for years about upgrading our 1997 Geo Tracker and with the development of our new stage show this past spring, a new vehicle actually became a true necessity when we could no longer fit all of our props and gear into the little Tracker. Although, we’ll miss our first B&L-mobile (for purely sentimental reasons!), we are thrilled to be the new owners of…wait for it…yes - a minivan!

We’re hoping to get some graphics on the van in the next few weeks, so be sure to give us a little wave or a honk if you see us in your neighbourhood!

Bobs & Lolo

The last month has been filled with pancakes and bubbles, cowboys and jellyfish, heat waves and hailstorms, singing, dancing and more! Our musical adventures have been a little like a rollercoaster ride over prairies, mountains and sea by boat, plane, car and foot! Since our last report from the road, we made it through 10-days straight at the Calgary Stampede, a flurry of shows closer to home in the Lower Mainland of BC and a visit to the remote beauty of the Queen Charlotte Islands. With lots of ups and a few downs (missed our flight home from Calgary!), the brightest parts have been the constant reminder of just how amazing our travels truly are with new friends, places and experiences around every turn!

North Beach on Graham Island!

Two short weeks ago we arrived home following a run of 35 shows at the Calgary Stampede…yes - 35! Highlights of our Alberta adventures included our wonderful host family (the Tait’s!), a nerve-wracking yet exhilarating performance on the Grandstand Stage for nearly 15,000 people, bike rides, chuckwagons, ice cream treats and many new friends at Buckaroos!
 

Westcoast cowgirl – Bobs!

Morning ride around the Glenmore Reservoir!

Some of the Buckaroos team in the children’s area!

Trekking from the Grandstand Stage back to Buckaroos!

Our visit to the Calgary Stampede flew by in a blur of crazy shows, sightseeing and sleep deprivation! On our return to BC we had a couple of days to rest up before jumping into some shows near home. Special thanks to the families that came out to support Canuck Place at the Agoo Kids’ Day in Kits and all of the kidlets who joined in on the singing and dancing at the Shadbolt Centre’s Discovery Days Festival. We had a fabulous time at both events. If you have pics from the shows, please feel free to share them on our Facebook Group - we’d love to see them!

Most recently, we returned from a performance at the Tlell Fair on the beautiful Queen Charlotte Islands. The best word to describe this trip is magical! We spent three days exploring pieces of the most stunning land on the planet and felt honoured with the opportunity to meet some of the most kind and generous people you can find. Our thanks to Doug Mark Louis and the rest of the Tlell Fall Fair committee for inviting us to share in this year’s festivities and special appreciation to the Richardson Family for allowing us to make the Richardson Ranch “home” for a few days. We feel privileged to have spent some time exploring the farm and the surrounding community - a true west coast paradise!

Enjoying the beauty of nature at Tow Hill!

Enjoyed our history lesson with Grandpa Doug!

Curious pair of the award-winning Herefords on the Ranch!

We were also thrilled to have Mario Vaira join us on this recent trip. Mario came along to lend us his musical talents (guitar and backing vocals), but we also have to give him a shout out for bringing so much more to our musical adventures! We often refer to Mario as the “ampersand” in B&L as he is an integral part of our team from performing to production to design. Mario actually produced all three of our albums, including Action Packed which was recently nominated for a 2009 Western Canadian Music Award for Best Children’s Album of the Year! Yaaaa! Check out some of Mario’s other projects at www.fivefathomstudios.com.

Sound check at the Tlell Fall Fair!

After all this, it is crazy to think that summer is only halfway through! We have a number of shows coming up, including three fabulous events this weekend. Please join us for lots of free family fun!

Friday, August 7 - Harmony Arts Festival
Location: West Vancouver
Show Time: 10am

Saturday, August 8 - Vancouver Maritime Museum
Location: Vancouver
Show time: 11:30am

Sunday, August 9 – Kidtopia
Location: Surrey
Show time: 2:45pm

Thanks for tuning in for some of our stories from the road! We hope to be in your neighbourhood soon!

Bobs & Lolo

Action Packed has received a 2009 nomination for Best Children’s Recording of the Year from the Western Canadian Music Alliance! Following on the heels of a 2009 Parents’ Choice Gold Award - essentially the Grammy’s of the kids’ music world – Bobs & Lolo continue to garner national and international attention for their 3rd album’s refreshing lyrics, rich harmonies and original, ‘get on your feet’ tunes for preschoolers.

Action Packed features 12 original songs such as The Right Track, Snappy Snacks and Friends. The album is geared towards connecting children to behaviours that positively impact the world around them. Using kid-friendly analogies like trains, superheroes, adventure stories and more the songs address themes such as literacy, health and fitness, teamwork and friendship. Already a hit with children, parents and educators alike, the recent WCMA nomination only reinforces the growing success of Bobs & Lolo’s latest project!

The Western Canadian Music Awards honour the best of Western Canadian recordings. This year’s awards ceremony will take place in Brandon, Manitoba on September 20th, 2009.

To listen to sample songs from the award-winning album, Action Packed, please visit www.bobsandlolo.com/music.

Bobs & Lolo use music, movement and make-believe to share stories and experiences that both entertain and educate, while ultimately teaching children to care about themselves, their neighbours and the planet. Their programming places an emphasis on celebrating the values of healthy-living and aims to inspire young audiences with an awareness and appreciation for the world around them. Watch for regular appearances by Bobs & Lolo on the national children’s television network, Treehouse TV!

“Watch out Penner, Diamond and Raffi. Speaking of Penner, the duo opened for the legendary Canadian children’s entertainer this [past] summer.” -  Fiona Hughes, The Vancouver Courier

We wanted to post a brief note to wish all of you a happy belated Canada Day and share some stories from our festive July 1st adventures before we dive into our run of shows at the Calgary Stampede. 

We’re writing this from a cozy basement in the home of our fabulous Calgary host family – the Tait’s! It is crazy to reflect back on how much happened yesterday and to think that less than 24 hours ago, we were just stepping onto a stage in Coquitlam, BC.

Our Canada Day festivities began in partnership with the City of Coquitlam during the first annual family celebration at Lafarge Lake. This fantastic event was capped by sunny skies, a fabulous team of staff and volunteers and hundreds of kids, adults and entire families sporting their patriotic reds and whites! Special thanks to all the kids and the super-talented Currie “Chuckles” Creelman (piano) and Mario “Marstar” Vaira (guitar) for helping us rock the show! Sadly, we didn’t get any photos from the performance, but if anyone out there is willing to share, please send pics to fanmail@bobsandlolo.com or post them on our Facebook Group.

Immediately following our performance in Coquitlam, we motored over to Kitsilano in Vancouver to set-up for a performance on the Showboat Stage. Set against the beautiful backdrop of Vancouver’s English Bay and the North Shore mountains, this was definitely one of the most picturesque venues we have performed in…and one of the windiest! The Kits Showboat Stage is managed completely by volunteers, and presents live entertainment weekly throughout the summer months. Our thanks to the families that joined us to kick-off the Canada Day entertainment and extra hugs to the kids for retrieving all of our wayward props that blew away in the refreshing ocean “breeze”.

If two shows in two cities in one 4 hour period wasn’t already enough craziness for Canada Day, scheduling a flight to Calgary right after the second performance definitely put the icing on the cake! It was a bit of a mad scramble to re-organize our stuff to prepare for the flight. Vancouver-ites may have even spotted us on the side of the road after our Kits show, although you may have easily mistaken our organizational strategy as a set-up for a sidewalk “garage” sale!

Thanks to a wonderful chauffeur (yaaaa Mario!) and a sweet airport limo (1974 volkswagon van!), we made it on time, with all of our luggage, to YVR.

Our next hurdle was checking in all of our gear – $350 in extra baggage fees this time around (ouch!) – and getting it through security. We had a fifteen minute hang-up when the metal-hinged tree stand Lolo decided to carry on flagged a security check. It caused quite a flurry of excitement for the security officials who put the bag through the x-ray three times over, unpacked everything and then stared in confusion at the brightly coloured green, collapsible stand.  Only in the B&L world…

We’re now settling in nicely in Calgary, and we are just about to head over to Stampede Park for sound check and final preparations for tonight’s first show. We’ll be around town until July 13th with 35 shows scheduled for the next 10 days! If you’re in the neighbourhood, please join us for some cow-town inspired musical adventures! For a full list of our Stampede performance times and dates, please click here.

Yeehaw!

Bobs & Lolo

Vancouver-based children’s entertainers, Bobs & Lolo, take their award-winning music on the road for a run of 35 shows at one of Canada’s largest outdoor events!

Bobs & Lolo will hit the stage daily at this year’s world-renowned Calgary Stampede. With a well-established fan base in their home province of BC and growing national adoration, Robyn Hardy (Bobs) and Lorraine Pond (Lolo) are looking forward to sharing their live programming with families in Alberta next month. Their extensive touring to date, plus regular spots on the national children’s network, Treehouse TV, is sure to have preschoolers, with parents in tow, lining up for a chance to see the live show.

What do the performers have to say?

Bobs: “We’re super excited to perform at the Calgary Stampede! We’ve had such a great year already with our recent Parents’ Choice Gold Award and the whole Treehouse thing…getting such a large contract with the Stampede really validates how far we’ve come in the last few years. It’s crazy to think that less than two years ago, we were still doing 3-4 birthday parties each weekend!”

Lolo: “Yeehaw! I can’t wait to unleash my inner cowgirl! We’re looking forward to all of the fun that goes along with sharing in a big event like this, although I think the main focus for Bobs and I will be staying healthy and rested so that we can survive performing 3+ shows per day for 10 days straight!”

Bobs & Lolo will be performing on the Buckaroos Stage at the Calgary Stampede from July 3 – 12 with shows daily at 2pm, 5pm & 7pm. Additional shows are scheduled for July 4, 5, 8, 11 & 12 at 11am. All Bobs & Lolo shows are FREE with general admission to Stampede Park.

To learn more about the Calgary Stampede, please visit www.calgarystampede.com.

Bobs & Lolo use music, movement and make-believe to share stories and experiences that both entertain and educate, while ultimately teaching children to care about themselves, their neighbours and the planet. Their programming places an emphasis on celebrating the values of healthy-living and aims to inspire young audiences with an awareness and appreciation for the world around them. Catch Bobs & Lolo live this summer (event calendar) or watch for their regular appearances on the national children’s television network, Treehouse TV.

For more information about Bobs & Lolo, please visit www.bobsandlolo.com.

We really had the best of intentions to blog sooner than this - truly. The last few weeks have flown by in a blur of festival craziness that we affectionately refer to as the Tour Time Warp. Do you ever have those moments where you have no idea what the date is and when you get a chance to look at a calendar you’re honestly surprised to learn that it is actually at least a week later than you thought?? We are sitting here now in a state of shock over the fact that it is June 18th today!?

Calendar shock aside, the weeks really are flying by, but it does seem that every moment these days is filled with lots of exciting opportunities and celebrations. Whether it’s a great show, fabulous fan mail, a CD sale or just another beautiful sunny day, we’ve been having some amazing moments during our crazy musical adventures this spring. Here’s a little recap on the latest fun…

We last wrote about our adventures in the Okanagan (love you Ogopogo!). That trip was followed by a brief stint at home where we joined in on the fun at the Surrey Children’s Festival. This event is still in it’s toddler years on the Canadian children’s fest circuit (< 5 years old), but don’t let that lower your expectations - these folks really know how to run an AMAZING festival! Our thanks and kudos to the wonderful crew, volunteers, students and families that made our 2009 experience such a great one. We were also thrilled to perform on the Leap Frog Stage to sold out crowds…yippee!

The next chapter in our story took us from Surrey to Saskatoon for our debut performances in Saskatchewan! We absolutely fell in love with Saskatoon and the Northern Saskatchewan Children’s Festival! We knew from the moment we arrived at the airport that this was going to be a fun trip. It’s always a good sign when the person (a stranger no less!) responsible for picking you up at the airport greets you with a great big hug! That first gesture of welcome truly set the tone for our entire trip as we quickly realized that we were not just sharing in a much-loved community event, but we were being welcomed into a festival family. This festival will stand out for many reasons, but one of the best things was the 800+ volunteers that commit their time each and every year to making it a superb experience for the kids. We also really felt honoured to be in the talent line-up, particularly given that we were in the company of Canadian legends like Connie Kaldor, up & coming superstars like Splash n’ Boots and inspiring & energetic international talent like Masabo!

The Saskatchewan children’s Festival takes place in picturesque Kiwanis Park on the riverbank.

We left Saskatoon four days and seven shows after our first airport hug with many new friends and heaps of happy memories! Shauna - please have us back!

Backstage with husband & wife duo, Splash n’ Boots. The funny thing is that we (B&L) kind of feel married sometimes too…

The final stop in our Tour Time Warp was the Bowen Island Children’s Country Fair. We actually flew into Vancouver from Saskatoon on the Saturday evening and went straight to the ferry for Bowen Island the next morning. It was a perfect westcoast home-coming celebration as we performed with our full band in the ocean breeze on the event’s outdoor stage. Perfect!

Thanks to all the families that joined us for a day on the island! While the annual event has come and gone this season, we did want to share the promo video that event coordinator, Cam Hayduk, put together. It remains one of our favourite marketing videos to date…be sure to watch out for next year’s festivities!

The pie contest alone was worth the trip to the island - delish!

As we wrap up this blog, we are in the process of getting ready for some Canada Day fun (two shows - Coquitlam & Kitsilano), which will immediately be followed by the CALGARY STAMPEDE! We’ll be heading to Alberta for 35 shows over 10 days…no that isn’t a typo…with a minimum of 3 shows and sometimes 4 or even (gulp!) 5 shows per day. If you’re going to be in the Calgary neighbourhood for the Stampede (Jul 3-12), please join us for some singing & dancing…hoedown style :) Visit us at the Buckaroos Stage, and check out the Calgary Stampede website for more info!

Hope to see you soon!

Bobs & Lolo

P.S. Congratulations to Chuckles, our keyboard player, and his wife Lucy on their new beautiful baby boy! We love you, Samuel!

We’re pretty confident that the Okanagan International Children’s Festival will be the only venue we play where when asked what their favourite animals is, the audience responds with an enthusiastic “OGOPOGO!” For those of you not in the know, Ogopogo is a legendary creature of the Okanagan Lake – the picturesque locale for our most recent road trip. Google “Ogopogo” for a full history of the alleged sightings and stories…crazy stuff!!

We just returned from 4 days in beautiful Penticton - home to the Okanagan Children’s Fest and some of BC’s most beautiful lakeshore, hiking & biking trails galore, award-winning vineyards and Ogopogo, of course.

We loved our trip to Penticton! Although we didn’t spot the Ogopogo ourselves, we did get to celebrate our debut performances in the Okanagan, and we also got to work with a fantabulous team of Festival volunteers and staff. Our thanks to everyone for the warm hospitality and enthusiastic onsite help!

Photo: Stage crew - Matt & Bobbie!

One of the definite highlights of our trip was the Friday night Vaudeville Show. This was essentially a variety night featuring all of the mainstage acts from the festival. We were honoured to share the stage with the likes of Al Simmons, Glenn Singer, Grand Derangement, the Gizmo Guys and many more.

Photo: Backstage at the Vaudeville Show!

Be sure to check out more pics from our Okanagan trip on our Facebook Group or MySpace site.  We’re now jumping into a short run of shows at the Surrey International Children’s Festival (May 28 - 30) before heading off to Saskatoon for the Saskatchewan International Children’s Festival  (Jun 3-6). We’d love to see you at an upcoming show – please visit our events calendar for our full schedule!

Photo: Onstage at the 2009 Okanagan Children’s Fest!

Bobs & Lolo

P.S. Huge hugs to the family that spotted us in the restaurant on our last night in Penticton and picked up our bill! Your generosity was an amazing surprise and very special treat!

Although we had quite a few shows during the month of April, we still managed to squeeze in some sun, sand and surf during our downtime. A huge highlight included a surf lesson on beautiful Cox Bay just outside of Tofino, BC. Playing in the waves was a great way to wrap up our shows on the west coast and celebrate Bobs’ birthday! Special thanks to our hosts at EcoEverything, Weigh West Marina, Wickaninnish Community School and the 1431 Beach Resort for helping make our trip extra special.

A big thank you to Surf Sister for a wonderful day in the water!

We’re now in the process of gearing up for an action packed spring and summer. We hope you can join us for some musical adventures! Below is a list of some of our stops over the upcoming month:

Kerrisdale Community Centre: May 18

Last minute long weekend fun for everyone! Join us on Monday at 1pm for a fun-filled dance fest at the Kerrisdale Community Centre. Check out our new set!  Jump into the kiddie mosh pit! Join in on the crafty stations with sea star popsicle stick puppets and paper plate sea turtles! Super fun-times for the whole family this Victoria Day!
 

Okanagan International Children’s Festival: May 21 – 23

We’re excited about our debut shows in the beautiful lakeside town of Penticton! Next week we will be heading to the interior of BC for the Okanagan International Children’s Festival.  We are honoured to be sharing the same stage as legendary Canadian children’s entertainer Fred Penner as well as a host of other mega-talented performance groups!

Surrey International Children’s Festival: May 28 – 30

We can’t wait to “hop” onto the Leap Frog Stage at the 2009 Surrey International Children’s Festival! Our full band is performing with us, and we guarantee that the amazing musicians lending us their talents for the three-day festivities will have the place rockin’ before the two of us even hit the stage! Be sure to check out the Saturday Family Special – two shows for the price of one!
 

Saskatchewan International Children’s Festival: June 3 – 6

We’re delighted to be a part of the 2009 Saskatchewan International Children’s Festival. We have heard fantastic reviews about this event from both families and other children’s performers, including local superstar Marnie Grey. This will be our first time performing in Saskatoon – we can’t wait! If you’re in the area, please join us for some musical adventures at the Kinder Garden and Knox United Church.

Bowen Island Children’s Festival – June 7

Located in one of our favourite spots, the Bowen Island Children’s Festival is sure to be a highlight of our 2009 event schedule! Just a skip, jump and a hop from the shores of West Vancouver, the island is a perfect day trip destination for families. Join us and our band for all the festival fun…more info coming soon!

We’d love to see you at one of our upcoming shows! Please check out our online event calendar for further details.

Bobs & Lolo