Not only will the upcoming Children’s Showcase performance highlight Okanagan talent, the front talent of the family band is a child herself.
Oot n’ Oots, a Kelowna-based children’s rock and roll band, performs Sunday, Feb. 3, at 2 p.m. at Cleland Community Theatre in Penticton.
“We’ve talked about trying to bring more local entertainment and trying to bring in more groups from the Okanagan. We have a lot of people in the arts in the Okanagan. It’s an opportunity to inspire young people and show them this person lives here or this person is around your age and they can do it, so you can too,” said Melanie Walden, one of the Children’s Showcase board members.
Oot n’ Oots is fronted by 11-year-old vocalist Ruth Cipes. Her father, Ezra, plays guitar and provides vocals while uncles Ari (vocals, guitar) Gabe (vocals, bass) and Matthew (vocals, drums) are also in the band.
The group has released two albums with the second, Electric Jellyfish Boogaloo, being nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award and named on the Fids and Kamily Awards 2018 list of top 20 albums.
Walden hasn’t yet seen the lively group in person, but does watch videos with her own children.
“It’s a full-on family band. They’re just a lot of fun. I think what’s great is it’s rock and roll music. Often, children’s music isn’t so much fun for the parents, but this group is a lot of fun. There’s lots of jokes and laughs,” she said.
Related: Children’s Showcase asks: Can you help Santa save Christmas?
Tickets for The Oot n’ Oots are $12 and are available at Tumbleweed Gallery, Penticton Arts Council, Prague Café, Penticton Art Gallery, Oliver Veterinary Hospital, The Beanery Café, Summerland or online at Eventbrite. For more information call 250-492-7997 or go to www.childrensshowcase.ca.
To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.
<>