All Rise...

Judge David Johnson had a nasty case of the Doodlebops last month.

The Charge

"We're the Doodlebops!"

The Case

The Doodlebops are ready to rock you like you'll never forget. Whip out your lighters, jump in the mosh pit and get ready to get down with the biggest, costumed children's act starring ambiguous humanoid species to ever rock your toddler's bedroom TV.

Doodlebops: Live in Concert is the kid-friendly musical trio's first release of their stage performances and it's pretty much what you'd expect—lots and lots of hyper children jumping up and down and screaming until their still-developing larynx ruptures while their parent and/or guardian sits, stunned at the surreal display before them.

Okay, it's a hack thing to do I suppose, picking on the Doodlebops. But it's so darn tempting. Maybe it's their freakish outfits, the pancake make-up jobs, the plastic hair, the swollen felt fingers and the outrageous on-stage gesticulations. Or perhaps it's simple jealousy, springing from the knowledge that these three people are ludicrously wealthy and probably set fire to their Maseratis for fun. Regardless of my snarky tone, there's no denying that the Doodlebops are one of the biggest family acts around, and nightmares be damned! their young audience just loves them.

If you've watched any of the Doodlebop TV show compilations—as I have—you'll recognize what you see on this disc. On the show, following every Doodlebop adventure, the 'Bops head over to a venue and proceed to rock out. I used to think this was a tacked-on element of the show, but no, these guys really pack the joints with kids looking to rock along to bubblegum-pop tunes promoting social development and moral lesson-learning that the Doodlebops traffic in.

Live in Concert features nearly an hour of stage antics, all taped before a live studio audience with the 'Bops unleashing 25 of their tunes on the gleeful audience. (By the way, for the uninitiated, that would be Rooney Doodle on guitar, Deedee Doodle on keyboards and Moe Doodle on drums). On the back end of the disc is a goofy "backstage pass" documentary and some sing-alongs.

There you go parents, grab this disc and bask in the energetic weirdness that will surely enthrall the runt of your litter. And if the prospect of the Doodlebops playing in an endless loop for the next three weeks isn't enough to drive up your heart rate, know this and tremble—a kazoo is included in the package!

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