KidsFest 2010

KidsFest is a giant two day celebration of children that wraps up all of San Diego's Children's Week celebrations. It's a big bash they hold for non-profit children's charities and businesses that specialize in activities for kids. A huge thanks to Tina Platt, who asked us to both open the festival at 10am and headline it at noon with two super-fun music sets.

Varsity Strings' singer/songwriter James is going to do an acoustic set to open the festival, first thing in the morning. Here he is doing a sound check -

I don't think our neighbors liked this, we don't usually play Jimi Hendrix at 8:00am on a Saturday - we start practicing with Red House before Declan arrives. Hey, Curly Max can play drums! He didn't tell me!

Meanwhie, back at KidsFest, James is doing a set of his own songs -

Then Declan shows up for morning practice and the Garage Band really gets loud. This is the last practice before we run to the festival for our set -

The Cheer Squad from Madison High shows up!

GO MADISON!

By now James is out enjoying the festival, no worries for the rest of the day -

And we're ready. With a brief, accurate introduction from the announcer, ("this is Varsity Strings; they're all hams) we kick off a fire breathing set, starting with Johnny B. Goode! I (Dark Max) get to have the honor of playing the first guitar solo of the day!

And - here's our Song List:

Johnny B. Goode

Paint It Black

Bossa Dorado

Sweet Home Alabama

Always On The Run

Cissy Strut

Red River Blues

Communication Breakdown

Batman Wipes Out

I think we finally painted that door and that line of cars black.
(You're welcome, Mick.)



Wireless amps are fun! A ham I am. With the right tools, you can make any audience member feel awkward and uncomfortable!



Okay, this is just nuts. Watch it.



The dream is realized. Playing Zep's Communication Breakdown for a more than a thousand people. I think we're all having lots of fun right now!



And of course, this is a Kids Fest, so we had to teach the kids about who's who in the world, right?



With a name like "Batman Wipes Out," you know that this is going to have a healthy dosage of devastating Declan drum solos, cool Curly Max basslines, and devilish guitar abuse by Dark Max.

Once again, we're all hams.



Channel 9 News got to Point Loma on the double when they heard about Varsity Strings's performance!

"And if we're lucky, folks,  we might catch 'Dangerous Digits'  Declan for a rare interview, so keep your fingers crossed!"

There was a pond with millions of plastic ducks at the kids fest. What else is there to say?

Sound check at 9:00am - This is the best sound man in San Diego.

James arrives at the main gate -

And has time for a few photos -

There are those dang ducks again!

Actually, this looks pretty fun! Does 17 years old count as a kid?

Declan and his loyal roadies set up as fast as possible -

"Well, Dark Max, we've made it to the big time."

"Wanna get a burrito afterwards? I'm hungry."

" ... "

AAA! A Drill Sergeant is here to make us do push-ups and... oh, wait, it's just Declan. Phew!

For the second time in a row, Curly Max gets Golden Violin Special Diamond Edition Award for Looking the Most Like A Rock Musician and Having Jeans That Are Genuinely Ripped, Not Those Expensive Ones You Buy That Are Fake-Ripped.

Tune in for the next exciting performance of

Varsity Strings!

Thanks again to Tina Platt at KidsFest!