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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.

We had familiarized ourselves with the Catch That Train! CD in the preceding week, prompting questions from Oliver about the show. Would Zanes actually be seated atop a locomotive, as depicted on the CD cover? What about the man and woman singing “the song in Spanish” (“Mariposa Olé”) – would they be there? Or was the man on that song that was Oliver’s favourite at that point actually Dan Zanes himself? These were questions neither Mimi nor I could answer, and we were amused by Oliver’s infectious sense of anticipation.

Disappointingly, “Mariposa Olé” was not on the set list (Zanes’ rendition of “Loch Lomond” has now knocked it from the #1 spot of most requested songs in the car), but there was plenty for Oliver to ponder as we arrived early to take our seats.

Like probably most other parents, I encountered a scene familiar from my youthful concert-going days (which I hope are not yet over): a light show already projected on the back wall, dry ice in the air, a handful of attendees down at the front, eyeing the band’s gear. The middle-aged dad in me was grateful that there was seating, so no tired feet by the end of the show, and absolutely no smoking.

In contrast, Oliver was mystified: What was all that steam? Why were there flowers moving on the wall? Why wasn’t there anyone on stage yet?

The venue offered “cinema seats,” which were hard plastic boosters for kids, but they were kept out of sight behind an entrance door. Mimi had spotted them in the lobby during our merch browsing, and after we had set them in the seats for Oliver and his friends, a few curious parents asked where we'd gotten them. Note to the Music Hall and all other similar venues: make them more visible.

O nce the performance began and Dan Zanes (guitar, mandolin) and his band members (variously switching between violin, saxophone, mandolin, guitar, accordion, trumpet, melodica and even spoons) were having a lively party on the stage, the questions ceased. Oliver and his friends sat in rapt attention, though without exuberance. They actually appeared more like a bunch of height-challenged critics, concentrating deeply and unemotionally on the performance. Even the sight of Zanes playing the guitar behind his head drew more puzzlement than admiration.

Oliver cranes his neck to get Dan Zanes' attention. Just after this picture was taken, the man in orange did notice Oliver and warmly accepted Oliver's assessment of the show. (photo by Mimi Choi)

Oliver took his critic’s sense of discernment one step further as he actively and physically discouraged me from applauding, then became fidgety and hungry, yet initially unwilling to eat our contraband banana bread. Dancing in the aisles was actively encouraged and, perhaps because the sugar in the banana bread had sufficiently kicked in, Oliver enthusiastically joined in as we became part of a train of parents and kids snaking its way down the aisle to the front and then around to the back. We passed one little girl apparently having a meltdown during our hoedown, but her wailing was muted by the sound of the band. Oliver was in a good mood by comparison, but he eventually reverted to critic mode when he was not willing to stick around for the encore. The encore, however, followed us into the lobby as the entire band, singing and playing ukuleles, performed “Sweet Rosyanne” before being mobbed to sign small T-shirts.

Again, Oliver got caught up in the festivities. “Thank you, Dan Zanes,” said Oliver to the tall man with shaggy greying hair and a bright orange jacket before we made our way out the door. I’m glad he got to experience the show as his first and enjoyed it on his own terms. It’s only a matter of time before he gets the dry ice, light show and instrument envy.