You won't usually find me at The Tivoli at 10am for a show. However, it's the school holidays AND Bunny Racket are headlining the Open Season matinee. Now it should all make perfect rock & roll sense!
Parents, prams and young punters are outside waiting to be let in to catch the magic that Bunny Racket will bring to brunch (2 July). I even spy punters and their adults wearing bunny ears. Super cute!King Bunny (aka Andy Walker) has previously told us about how he fell in love with music as a young bunny, even getting himself into a Ramones gig at age 12.
Now, as an adult and musician with children, he gets that kids need to have real rock & roll in their lives. So, we know Bunny Racket is coming from all the right places and with a truckload of talent.
My escort today is a four-year-old miss who is super excited to be seeing Bunny Racket "come out from the videos". Ha! Needless to say, she and the other little punters were even more excited when King Bunny came out before the show and let them take photos with him.
Image © Clea-marie Thorne
Fans receive the full, live concert experience as the lights on The Tivoli stage spring to life and Bunny Racket make their guitar, drums and bass come alive with real rock sounds. The opening song is 'Forest Full Of Trees'. Some fans immediately dance and sing-along to this catchy tune while others are taking it all in for now.
King Bunny asks the crowd what makes a buzzing sound – it is insects of course and 'We're All Insects' has a few more tots, tykes and tweenies coming towards the front of the stage.
It's so great there is room for sitting, standing and most importantly dancing. As Bunny Racket continues to help the young fans rock out to 'Bedroom', 'We Are The Kids' and 'Rabbit In A Hat' we start to see more fans interact with the questions King Bunny asks them.
Some little punters are now up on the shoulders of adults shaking their arms towards the band in time to the music while more join on the floor to dance or are dancing on the outer. Some fans remain seated before the stage with eyes intent on the band and light show, their eyes wide taking in the spectacle before them.
Bunny Racket has such an infectious energy and interactive style that I can see how they are creating a new generation of live music addicts.
'Jingle Jangle Jaguar' has more seated punters coming out of their shy shells to dance with other littlies in front of the stage or at the back of the room – who cares where?! The fact they are getting into it and making unforgettable memories for themselves, especially the mini moshers at the barrier, is absolutely fantastic!
King Bunny encourages a howl-off between young fans and their mums, dads or other adult companions – no bias but I think the mums won. This is of course followed by the song 'Howl' and then by the desert rock vibes of 'Never Shake A Rattlesnake' – King Bunny makes sure we know NEVER to shake a rattlesnake!
Image © Clea-marie Thorne
I love how the songs are not just excellent entertainment but also teach the kids. King Bunny is now reminding us that a koala is not a bear. However, he does admit because they are small they probably don't mind being referred to as a bear.
A little fan nearby is excited as he knows their song 'Koala Bear' and that it must be next. It's a head-bangers delight, a real rock & roll revolt and this little human has great coordination and looks the part rocking out in his own moshpit space.
'Bounce', from their album 'Bunny Racket In Space', feeds the legs of the little dancers some more and keeps the mesmerised sitters engrossed in the performance.
A real fan favourite is evident when King Bunny asks us: "What is your favourite fruit?" The band members join in and yell out "bananas", "grapes", and "watermelon"! Now while we all know that 'Chicken Is Not A Fruit' thanks to Bunny Racket, however Bunny Racket has discovered that here in Brisbane, turkey just might be considered fruit. Haha! That is a joke between us all at the show of course!
The rocking bunnies blast out more rock and King Bunny keeps up the interactive moments coming out to the crowd a couple of times with his guitar and microphone and reading from a storybook to the children gathered at the stage.
Little eyes and ears watch and listen intently. King Bunny even lets his fans touch his special storybook as he reads from it. If you want to know what the story is about, you'll have to come to the next show to find out.
Image © Clea-marie Thorne
A highlight is this new song 'Rainbow Power'. If this is the first time that fans have heard it, the reaction tells me it is going to be a big banger for Bunny Racket and another for fans to add to their favourite playlist.
The rest of the set includes the one about the hairy elephant, a 'Woolly Mammoth' followed by 'We Want More' before finishing the set with 'Keep On Hopping'. This is Bunny Racket's brilliant take on Neil Young's 'Rockin' In The Free World' with the crowd dancing, singing and fist-pumping.
I even see a few horns raised around the place. This is such a happy sight to see young and older punters getting right into it to the very end before giving a huge applause to King Bunny and Bunny Racket.
Punters are now migrating slowly to the merch stand where King Bunny himself is giving personal service to his fans. Not only that, but young groupies are also getting an extra opportunity to get more photos with Bunny Racket!
This high-energy, family-friendly rock show is made possible by extremely talented and engaging musicians with the very best rock and roll poses. I love that it is not some boring, unskilled, ditty sing-alongs that adults must endure for the commercialised hype that draws their kids in (not all bad) but that Bunny Racket bring the real rock & roll dealio with nothing held back by way of showmanship or instrumental and vocal chops.
A Bunny Racket show gives young humans the real rock experience in an age-appropriate way that is enjoyable to anyone of any age. My shy little escort was overwhelmed in the best possible way and now wants to be a drummer, and by the time we got back to the car asked me if we could turn around and go back and see Bunny Racket again!
If you've been on the fence, hand on heart, Bunny Racket provides a fantastic opportunity for parents to introduce their children to the joy of real live music while getting a live music buzz themselves. Don't miss out on the fun – bring your family and experience the magic of Bunny Racket and rock out together.
More photos from the concert.
