Images: Play Date Sept. 22, 2016 at the Windmill Library

There are certain rules you have to follow when you run a website named after a Bouncing Souls song. Chief among them? Never missing a show by frontman Greg Attonito. Ever.

Thankfully, the punk rock musician made it easy on me, bringing Play Date, the award-winning “kindie rock” band he fronts with wife Shanti Wintergate, directly to my work. More shows should be walking distance from my desk, with the air conditioning turned way up high. And more couples should front bands together, especially when their playful energy matches cuteness levels usually reserved only for Mates of State.

The resulting show was one filled with boundless energy. Toddlers were dancing, running and leaping across the auditorium floor to songs like “Imagination,” “The Owl Song” and “We All Shine.” Basically, it was just like watching the crowd during a Bouncing Souls Punk Rock Bowling set, except with a lot more Sofia the First t-shirts and wayward boogers (ok, actually the same amount of boogers). The songs themselves sounded like quirkier versions of light Bouncing Souls favorites (think “The Pizza Song” smashed together with your favorite They Might be Giants track).

Since the target audience is kids, my feelings on the show mean much less than those in the under 3 set. But since these critics left the library with huge smiles, especially after dancing like a monster on “Dance Like a Monster,” it can only mean one thing – they loved them. Or they were hopped up on sugar. So two things, but I’m going with the former.

– Emily Matview | https://www.flickr.com/photos/holdfastnow/