By Al Ronberg

Colin Currie is actually very very awesome! Watching your 2 year old mesmerised by the movement, rhythm and sounds of a percussionist is truly a rewarding way to spend an afternoon. I kind of wished that I could have made it to the full NZSO version of the event, as I have to admit - I was almost as captivated as my daughter!

This show was completely inclusive and there were some very proud parents who can now say that they have watched their kids play drums at a concert in the Town Hall! It was one of those times when you felt really tempted to use your kids as an excuse to have a go... "Ooooh Emily, that drumstick looks really heavy, let Daddy help you..." (Anyone remember the Pulp Sport character who parodied the Instant Kiwi ads by playing Competitively against his kid instead of teaching him??? Well it's a bit like that!).

When you are a parent, you tend to notice things about people, and I noticed that Colin was noticing the kids really getting into his Marimba pieces, and there was a spark in his eye which told me he was doing something that he enjoyed very much... I am really grateful that someone of international renown would take the time to be involved in something like the "On the House" series of events at the Edge. When someone in the public eye decides to display their human-ness, who isn't going to win out of that!? Cheers Colin!

Yesterday was a pretty grey day in Auckland and to be honest, until being involved in Kiss My Arts, I wouldn't have even thought that there might be rainy day activities to do such as a Free Concert at the Town Hall - I will now be keeping this as an option in the back of my head - Why go play at Chipmunks, when you can open up the possibility of a new life-long passion for the arts in your kids?

Any concert that brings your kids to the point of falling asleep in their Carseat is a concert that has the potential to be very popular with parents - so Colin Currie proved to also be a very great Parenting Resource!!! :)