For Moon Valjean, introducing his kids to rock music is an essential part of their upbringing. The longtime Greek Fire frontman and Goldfinger guitarist frequently exposes his children to his own music, as well as the music that was important to him during his childhood. But finding live music to bond over is more difficult, as family-friendly rock shows are few and far between.
So when he and Ludo keyboardist Tim Convy came up with the idea for Can You Feel the Punk Tonight: A Punk Rock Celebration of the Music of Disney in 2023, he knew it was something he wanted to continue.
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“I wish that I had something like this when my kids were younger,” Valjean says. “It’s exactly what they want. It’s gonna blend something that they already know and are familiar with, and I can have them home at a reasonable time and not have them out in the middle of the night.”
Can You Feel the Punk Tonight was held at Delmar Hall later that same year. Now, the show is returning for its second installment, this time at The Pageant on Saturday, May 11. Parents and their kids can expect punk-inflected renditions of Disney songs performed by The Punk Rock Machine, a supergroup featuring Valjean, Convy, and members of other local bands.
Convy says one of the group’s goals with the show is to provide a source of entertainment that’s “kid-friendly,” rather than “kid-centric.”
“There’s so much entertainment that’s like, ‘Oh, it’s family entertainment,’ but it’s for the kids and the parents just tolerate it, because it’s something to do,” Convy says. “But we had so many parents coming up to us (last year), and thanking us for something to bring their kids to that they enjoyed and had a great time at.”
The setlist will feature a wide range of Disney songs, from older movies like Mary Poppins to more recent hits like Encanto. Throughout the show, the band will also be joined by 20-30 people dressed up as various Disney characters, interacting with the crowd from on and off the stage.
“We want it to look like Disney threw up all over The Pageant,” Valjean says. “And that’s exactly what happens.”
Can You Feel the Punk Tonight will be held at The Pageant on Saturday, May 11, with a 3 p.m. matinee show and an 8 p.m. evening show. Tickets for either show can be purchased online.
