Caution- Free Range Children Event. Warning of the future?

Okay, I'm not young. Sure. Some things start to get up my craw a little more than others now...others I'm astonishingly accepting of (certainly more than when I was young.) I was a sort of hippie back "in the day", I had my share of "let it be" years... I understand the dilemmas of parents, and how they want communities to be age-inclusive. I even went to a great dance last night where kids danced right along with the adults ...and did handstands at intermission. That was fabulous.

But listen up folks, if you bring kids to an indoor concert for adults (as was the case at the Kyra and Tully concert at Sydenham United Church last night), and let them run around where not only the performers but the audience can also see and hear them, I think you're massively irresponsible and downright rude. And you're infringing upon my space as much as if I came to a kids concert and swore my head off or smoked cigarettes.

Also, if a concert is not billed as a fundraiser, I don't care how marvellous the cause is, I don't want a sermon beforehand. At intermission, perhaps, when one has the choice to sit or listen.

I'm thankful for all these creative young folks in Kingston. Really quite enjoyed the Fat Goose Craft Fair yesterday where mostly younger funky people displayed their wares...and half of the vendors seemed to be wearing snugglies... And I know a lot of them are in the music scene. I'm choosing to do as much as possible local shopping and entertainment-going to be "local arts supportive" this season. But if something is going to be a "Free Range" event for kiddies (and a fundraiser platform, I think there should be notification on the tickets or ads or pr.

I'm glad I got to see Kyra and Tully (who seem like very nice people with great taste in session musicians), but mostly enjoyed Bruce Cockburn - who showed everyone how passion, performing and lyric-writing skill can indeed all be combined for incredible results. And I'll look up the Water Keepers movement. But if I ever again wander into a sit-down adult concert with running kids present... I don't think I'll stay. I'd rather babysit the kids somewhere else- with a CD in the background.