Music

Bop Til You Drop

tween performers tour with kid-friendly pop tunes

Tom Giffey |

Ever wish you could expose your kids to pop music without: A) enduring whatever future TMZ train-wreck that Disney is marketing, or B) having to explain to your kids what all those bleeped lyrics on the Top 40 station are? Ever wish you could take your kids to an age-appropriate concert without elbowing your way through the screaming throngs at a boy-band arena show? Look no further than Kidz Bop, a touring concert series featuring a troupe of adorable tweens performing kid-friendly versions of today’s top hits. A tour featuring the current Kidz Bop lineup – Ashlynn, Bredia, Grant, Jayna, and Matt – will hit the State Theatre with more sugary pop than an overturned Mountain Dew truck. Expect their “Dream Big, Sing Loud” show to feature plenty of peppy versions of contemporary songs that kids (and adults) will recognize. For example, the gang’s latest album kicks off with a rendition of Pharrell Williams’ ubiquitous “Happy,” and also includes hits by the likes of Pitbull, Katy Perry, and Justin Timberlake. Kids will love to hear these radio hits live, while adults will be entertained (and amazed) by the cleverly sanitized lyrics. (Yes, Kidz Bop did a version of Macklemore’s “Thrift Shop” – quite an achievement if you recall the songs chorus). Since 2001, Kidz Bop’s rotating lineup of performers has produced a string of 26 (and counting) albums of pop covers, most of which have hit No. 1 on the Billboard kids chart – so expect your little ones to clamor to take a CD home (or at least to download a few tunes). And even if bubble gum isn’t your preferred flavor, take one look at these kids’ performances and you can’t deny they’re talented, energetic singers and dancers. Let’s just hope they stay out of the tabloids when they grow from Kidz into Adultz.

The Kidz Bop Kids “Dream Big, Sing Loud” • Sunday, Sept. 7, 6:30pm • The State Theatre, 316 Eau Claire St., Eau Claire • $25 reserved seating ($50 tickets include a post-show meet-and-greet with the performers) • (715) 832-ARTS (2787) • EauClaireArts.com