January 24, 2012, 9:30 am

Mr. Ben plays two shows on Tuesday mornings. We have been to the Milagros show several times, but this morning I decided it would be fun to go to the earlier show at Woodlawn Swap and Play instead. As an added bonus, my husband, Brian, was available to join us this morning. Brian does not get to go to many of the kid’s concerts and events with me because most of them occur while he is at work. Brian is, however, familiar with Mr. Ben’s music as Alex watches the videos on U-Tube regularly.

Woodlawn Swap and Play uses the upstairs ballroom at the Village Ballroom. The Swap and Play is a co-op where parents can bring their kids to play and bring their used kid toys and equipment to trade. A membership is not required to see the Mr. Ben show or to play during the following play session. Members get to watch the show free while non-members are asked to pay a $5 donation which goes to the artist (membership is $20 a month).

We followed the other parents and kids into the venue, which was very helpful since we were not sure where to go. There are a set of stairs to the side of the building that lead up to Woodlawn Swap and Play. The large ballroom provides lots of room for kids to dance and play. There were not many chairs, so those wanting to sit sat on the floor. There is a stage in front where Mr. Ben or other performers perform.

Last Sunday Mr. Ben performed a sold out show with Laura Veirs at the ballroom. It must have been crazy with 200+ parents and kids in the space. I’m not sure how many kids were there today, but there were a fair amount of people. The place is large, so it did not feel crowded. The kids were talkative though, and it was a bit challenging to hear the music at times. There are amplifiers available, but as the crowd was unexpected, Mr. Ben had not set them up.

It is interesting seeing what kind of a difference the venue has when you are watching a performer. This space definitely encourages kids to dance and play more than the other venues I have been to with its open set up. This is the perfect place for high energy kids, like many of the ones who enjoy playing at Inflatable Kingdom’s Open Play, to come see a show. I imagine a lot of the kids at the swap and play knew each other too since it is a place where they probably visit and play on a regular basis. Milagros, on the other hand, is a more intimate space to hear the music, and Eat Art Theater provides a very comfortable set up to see a show and eat a meal. Each space has its advantages, and I would encourage parents to try seeing shows at all three to see which space they prefer.

The show was short, just half an hour long. It was a fun show and the other kids seemed to have a great time dancing and playing. Alex wasn’t much for playing unfortunately. He gets shy around strangers; I’m afraid he takes after his mom in that respect. We left before the play time since Alex was ready to go home.

My husband enjoyed the show and I am glad he finally got to see one with us. As usual the first thing Alex wanted to do when he got home was get out his guitar and play along with Mr. Ben’s videos on the computer.

Woodlawn Swap and Play is located at 704 NE Dekum Street in Portland. Mr. Ben performs there weekly on Tuesday mornings at 9:30 am.

-HL

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