Pancake Mountain: The Show You Wish You'd Been Raised On

As a college student who continually feels like he is hurtling toward the adult world, I’ll on occasion find myself going in fast forward, wondering about things like what kind of parent I’ll be. I tend to be optimistic on the matter, knowing that I’ll get all the basics down—I’ll read to my kids, play with them, teach them the necessary skills to make positive life decisions, etc, etc.

But what will they listen to? I know I want my kids to be immersed in music—it was an important part of my upbringing—but do I honestly think that I’ll be spinning the likes of Wilco for a toddler? Shouldn’t they be listening to more age appropriate ditties by Raffi and Big Bird?

For the folks at Pancake Mountain, good music knows no age limits. This underground public access kids show out of Washington DC has managed to somehow attract the biggest names in indie rock to perform in “dance parties” before an audience of hyperactive young ones. What’s more, they’re not asked to play rocked-out versions of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”, but rather their biggest hits written for grown-up ears. The results are, needless to say, adorable, from the high energy bouncing along to Ted Leo and The Pharmacists on “Little Dawn” to the slow swaying and spinning that accompanies Bright Eyes on “True Blue”.

And as if this wasn’t enough, the whole thing is headed up by a goat puppet named… wait for it… Rufus Leaking. Get it?!?

…oh well, not everyone appreciates puns, I suppose. Check out the various video links and YouTube clips for yourself, and try to tell me you don’t wish you had your own Pancake Mountain dance parties to go to in your formative years.

From the Pancake Mountain website:

Ted Leo

Bright Eyes

The Arcade Fire

And on You Tube:

Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins



Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips (in a karaoke duet with Rufus of “We Built This City”—I kid you not)