World Cafe Live kicked off a new family-friendly weekly concert series -- "Peanut Butter and Jams" -- on Saturday.
Coordinators hope that the regular musical events will be a welcome diversion for parents while providing healthy entertainment for kids.
The series is intended to expose a wide audience to new music. Each week's concert will showcase a different genre of music, with the goal of entertaining all ages.
Ernie and Neal, a local musical act, performed at Saturday's kickoff. The duo specializes in children's rock music and calls its act "Music for the Young Mind."
Stephanie Mayers, World Cafe Live marketing coordinator and producer of the concert series, said that the debut "was a great success with a big turnout. Parents and kids both enjoyed dancing on the carpet."
The children -- most between the ages of 3 and 6 -- were provided with musical instruments and tap shoes and played along with the band. A lunch for kids and adults followed the concert.
For the duration of the series, World Cafe Live will partner with four local children's organizations -- the Please Touch Museum, Baby Loves Music, WXPN Kids Corner and Making Music Rockin' Rhythms. A different partner will present one show each month. This week's show was presented by the Please Touch Museum.
World Cafe Live, which is located at 3025 Walnut St., will host events besides the Saturday afternoon concerts to coincide with Peanut Butter and Jams. The first special event, scheduled for this Sunday, features Ralph's World, a "one-man musical universe" that performs kid-friendly music.
World Cafe Live is also planning a Kid Fest in October as a highlight of the Peanut Butter and Jams series. Details are yet to be released, but Mayers hopes that the event will attract a wide range of music fans.
Other artists to be featured during the series include Karl Mullen, Judy Pancoast and the Dirty Sock Funtime Band. Mayers said that the concerts are planned to be suitable for family outings, birthday parties or casual afternoon entertainment.
Mayers hopes that upcoming shows will prove as successful as the kickoff concert. World Cafe Live has performers booked through next February and plans to continue the series indefinitely.
