|
KEARNEY The world's most popular band with the preschool set, that is is coming to Kearney.
The Wiggles will perform their new "Pop Go the Wiggles Live!" show at the FirsTier Event Center on Tuesday.
The group, along with Captain Feathersword, Dorothy the Dinosaur, Henry the Octopus, Wags the Dog and all the Wiggly Dancers, will be leading the audience in songs such as "Move Like an Emu," "Romp Bomp a Stomp" and "The Monkey Dance."
Murray Cook (the red Wiggle), Jeff Fatt (purple) and Anthony Field (blue) formed the Wiggles nearly 17 years ago with Greg Page as the yellow Wiggle. Page had to retire two years ago for health reasons. He was replaced by Sam Moran, who had been touring with the group since 1998 and had portrayed the host in the "Dorothy the Dinosaur Show."
Field, Cook and Page met while studying early childhood education at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. According to their Web site, the trio began writing children's songs for one of their music projects. They eventually enlisted the help of Fatt, who had played with Field in the 1980s band the Cockroaches, and released their first Wiggles album in 1991.
The chose the name the Wiggles because "wiggling is what children do," Field said.
"And it's an inoffensive name," he said with a laugh. "It's easy to know we are for kids. We're not going to be confused with a heavy metal band."
Despite being together for nearly two decades, Field said the Australian-based group keeps things fresh with new songs and new characters.
The latest tour includes beautiful costumes, dancing and nursery-rhyme-based songs, Field said.
"We encourage interaction," he said of the group's live shows.
The Wiggles like for children to dance and sing along from their seats, he said.
According to a press release about the tour, the group encourages children to make signs and dress as their favorite Wiggles character, to bring roses for Dorothy the Dinosaur or bones for Wags the Dog, and yell "Wake up, Jeff!" when the purple Wiggle falls asleep on stage.
The Wiggles have enjoyed worldwide fame and have toured Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States, among other locations.
They first came to the United States about eight years ago, Field said.
"We absolutely love it," he said. "It's like a second home to us."
|
