Toe Jam Puppet Band facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Toe Jam Puppet Band
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| Origin | New Bedford, Massachusetts |
| Genres | Children's music |
| Years active | 2001 - present |
| Associated acts | Quinn Sullivan |
| Members | Tom Poitras Vinny Lovegrove Chris Waters Brian Cass Amy Marsden Mike Almond Jeff Angeley Jeff Gobush Meghan Barnes Samuel Young |
The Toe Jam Puppet Band is a fun group that creates entertainment for children. They are from New Bedford, Massachusetts. This band performs many shows each week across New England. They even play every Monday at the Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford. In 2007, they performed 270 times in places like Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, and New York City.
The band started in 2001. The co-founders are Tom Poitras and Vinny Lovegrove. Tom used to sing in a punk rock band called The Gluons. He began writing songs for his baby son. Then he met Vinny, who had been entertaining people with his Miracle Fish Puppet Theater since 1994. Together, they formed the Toe Jam Puppet Band.
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About the Toe Jam Puppet Band
The Toe Jam Puppet Band is known for its lively shows. They combine music, puppets, and lots of audience participation. This means kids get to be a big part of the show! Every performance is unique because the children's ideas help guide what happens next.
Their Music and Albums
The band has released several albums filled with songs for kids. Their very first CD was simply called First CD. It was quite popular, selling over 1000 copies. They followed up with Toe Jam Dance Party in 2003. Later, in 2008, they released their third album, Toe Jam in Outer Space. These albums feature their original songs that get kids moving and singing along.
Helping the Community
The Toe Jam Puppet Band also helps out in their community. They received a special grant to support their Creative Arts Playgroup. A grant is like a gift of money given for a specific project. This grant came from the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (MSPCC). This group helps protect children.
The money made from their first CD also went to the MSPCC. This shows how the band uses their music to support good causes for kids.
What People Say About Them
Newspapers and critics have praised the Toe Jam Puppet Band. The Boston Globe newspaper said they are "blazing a path" in family entertainment. This means they are doing something new and exciting. WickedLocal, another news source, mentioned that the band offers "hands-on children’s entertainment that grown-ups can actually enjoy." The Providence Journal highlighted that "The kids' involvement steers each show." This means the children's ideas make every show different and special.
