This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Aug. 23, 2012 - How to describe a Babaloo concert? The headline on the Babaloo website’s “about” page says “Carefully controlled kid chaos,” and for someone who has experienced a Babaloo performance first hand, that brings a definite nod of agreement.
Over the past several years, Babaloo, known as Rob Compton to people who are taller than 36 inches, has earned a reputation as one of the premier children’s entertainers in the Midwest – and with good reason. He’s not the kind of guy who talks down to kids, or who attempts to add a moral to every song or routine that’s part of his concert.
Instead, he taps into kids’ natural energy and instinct for fun and laughter – and keeps children totally engaged and thoroughly entertained for an hour. He also manages to bring plenty of smiles to adults in the audience - thanks to his wry sense of humor and contagious enthusiasm for music and entertaining.
Before he focused on a career as a children’s entertainer, Compton played and wrote music for several bands. He also won first and second place awards in the prestigious International Songwriter’s Competition.
Songs such as “My Toothbrush fell in the Toilet,” “Bean Bag Bop” and “My Hair Had a Party Last Night” connect with kids as well as adults. Add drumsticks, buckets to pound on and a ginormous bubble machine that also shoots toilet paper into the crowd and you have one memorable concert.
You and/or your kids or grandkids can experience Babaloo live this Thursday, Aug. 23 at the World Bird Sanctuary in Valley Park starting at 7 pm. Here’s some additional background on Babaloo – supplied by his alter-ego, Rob Compton.
HOME: Krakow, Mo. Just outside of Washington on a few wooded acres full of squirrels and pileated woodpeckers.
AGE: Would rather not say, but will admit to 14 years – eight full-time – as Babaloo. I only recently stopped waking up in the morning thinking I had to get a real job.
INSTRUMENTS: Just me and my carbon-fiber, kid-proof guitar. But I've been know to use buckets, tin foil, kitchen sinks, gongs, kazoos, and giant water bottles in my act. I also play a mean harmonica -- with my nose.
HOBBIES: Five kids and a grandson keep me pretty busy, but I also love spending time in the outdoors, biking, hiking, backpacking, fishing, canoeing and kayaking. I also juggle hamsters for fun and profit.
LAST CONCERT ATTENDED: "Here Come the Mummies" while working at the Iowa State Fair. Before that: "The Old 97s" (my favorite band) at The Pageant.
LATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: Babalooing my brains out at the Iowa state fair the past 11 days; four shows a day with some strolling performances as well!
WHY I DO WHAT I DO: Because I'm pretty much unemployable at this point. Besides, I must be racking up some serious karma points making kids happy for a living.
QUOTE: Here are a few … "Life is hard, but life is harder when you're dumb." Or maybe "Life is good. Real good." Or "I'm gonna do what I like, and like what I do, and quit wasting time doing what I don't want to." (Lyrics to a song I wrote a long time ago with my old prog-country band, Wild Horse Creek).
Birds In Concert Series
This August, the World Bird Sanctuary has added a Thursday evening concert series that blends musical entertainment with educational activities about birds. The Sanctuary, in Valley Park (125 Bald Eagle Ridge Rd., 63088) on more than 300 acres next to Lone Elk Park, is dedicated to preserving threatened wild bird species. The sanctuary features live displays of bald eagles, owls, hawks, falcons and other species. The Thursday night “Birds In Concert” series features the Sanctuary’s own band, The Raptor Project, performing at 7 pm, followed by entertainers such as Babaloo. Parking and admission is free. The final performance in this year’s series is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 30 and will feature the Rebounds. For more information, call 636-225-4390, or go to www.world-bird-sanctuary.blogspot.com