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Dan Zanes has lots of friends onstage and off (photo by Mimi Choi)

“I think Dane Zans is having a snack with his friends.” Until Oliver saw Dan Zanes perform, he had difficulty remembering his name. We think he kept thinking about our cat, Zane.

We were at the Music Hall in Toronto for Oliver’s first ever concert: Dan Zanes and Friends. But to his puzzlement, there was no one on stage yet.

Dan Zanes with some band members: they've had their energy boosters.

I didn’t give children’s music much thought before Oliver was born, aside from nursery rhymes and songs associated with Sesame Street. After his birth, I became aware of a sentiment among other parents that music intended for kids was often sugary, mind-numbing and irritating to adults. I would say, though, that I haven’t experienced it in that way. Maybe I have a higher tolerance level for music others find mindless. We’ve been cautious about what we’ve exposed Oliver to and he also demonstrated some unexpected tastes.