“It was a natural choice,” says Westerbrook. The band previously played a show for teens in the Ayers Room. There were black lights overhead, and everyone painted themselves with black light reactive paint, making the show a kind of radioactive nite-lite. “Everyone came up to the stage and they danced the entire time,” she continued. When Westerbrook decided to do a story hour about music, the Beach Party (!) guys seemed like the perfect choice: young, full of energy and willing to try anything. When storytime starts, the band hands out inflatable guitars, maracas and shakers to the kids, who almost immediately start jamming while the guys read stories like Punk Barn, about farm animals getting a rock show together in the eponymous barn. “’Let’s do this!’ says the cow,” read Turner to the kids, turning the book to reveal a cow that’s ready to rock. The band manages to keep their faces straight during most of the reading, but they chuckle a bit at the kids’ antics. At one point, a little boy takes his shaker and walks back and forth across the stage area, smiling at the crowd. While Cowen reads from Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes, Blaskowski spots a little girl eyeing a maraca near the band. He hops up from his seat with his guitar, picks it up and offers it to the little girl, who shrinks back a moment, then rushes up and takes it. Her smile is huge. Beach Party recruits their fans early.
“Doing this kind of thing, it just makes me feel good,” said Turner. Their contribution to the library hasn’t gone unnoticed; according to Westerbrook, the inclusion of the library’s Teen section, filled with manga, anime and video games, has doubled the circulation in the youth departments. Youth involvement is growing quickly thanks to Westerbrook’s big ideas and her consultation with an advisory board made of Anniston teenagers. “For tickets to the Beach Party (!) show, [teens] had to read or volunteer to work here at the library,” said Westerbrook.“It was an incentive to get involved here at the library and find out about all the great stuff we have here.” As Storytime wraps up, the kids and their parents all clap and Westerbrook hands out snacks before everyone heads back down to the children’s section. Cowen says that the kids are easily the friendliest audience the band has seen. “This is probably the best show we’ve ever had,” joked Blaskowski. • Get in touch with the Anniston Public Library to find o ut the weekly Tuesday Storytime events at 256-237-8501. You can check out Beach Party (!) at beachpartyrock.com, and listen to and purchase their new album Vestavia at http:// beachpartymusic.bandcamp.com/
INSIGHT
September 2013
15