YES, the awesome prog rock band, seems to be in a constant state of flux, always on the look-out for a new lead singer. (did they ever really think Jon Andersen was replaceable?) Up your kids chances of being asked to join the band by helping them make this cool synthesizer. (& it wouldn't hurt if they could carry a tune...)

David Erik Nelson will be holding a fun and informative how-to session at Maker Faire Detroit today. "Your First Synthesizer, a Weird Little Noise Toy You Can Build Tonight" is scheduled for Sunday, July 29, in Maker Faire Zone I, at The Make Live Stage, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Maker Faire is a two day extravaganza, at The Henry Ford Museum, of all things inventive and creative. Makers bring their inventions, ideas, and tinkerings and exhibit them during the festival. The event itself is a carnivalesque atmosphere of tech, craft, design, art, and engineers.

Mr. Nelson is the author of the book, "Snip, Burn, Solder, Shred: Seriously Geeky Stuff You Can Make With Your Kids," an invaluable resource of innovative fun for anyone with kids. 

The latest bunting to hit the scene, 'The Aoki,' is a collab of traditional design mixed with fresh style. Created with your little musician in mind- it's never too early to kick a new flava in their ears...

Today Skrillex & friends are launching a Canadian concert tour by rail. Tonight is Toronto, then the Full Flex Express will hit other cities, performing at music festivals at each stop. Similar to Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue in terms of the musical carnival experience, this should prove to be equally entertaining. Skrillex invited some friends to roll with him to guarantee that the celebration never stops.

Since you weren't invited- you may want to make your own train, then you can maybe pretend you are some EDM superstar, off to perform in front of thousands.
Next week, we'll make the musicians out of clothepins... you can create one in your likeness if you want to perpetuate the dream.

Ingredients:
Plastic Juice Bottle
Long cardboard roll of some sort [aluminum foil tube works best]
Toothpaste Box
Cardboard
Knife/Scissors
Paints & Brushes
Glue Gun
String
Random Junk: Raid recycling & use whatever you find around the house

For the Papier Mache:
Newspaper: shredded into an array of different size strips
Paste: to create, mix ½ cup h2o with ½ cup flour

To begin: Shape the bottle into a train by cutting the center out & folding the 'label' into a podium. Children should not help with this part-  the emergency room almost got a visit; I used an exceedingly sharp knife.

Attach the cardboard rolls onto the body of the bottle using hot glue. Add a smaller roll above each long tube. Cut openings in long roll: these are the windows. Using the toothpaste box or similar,* fashion the front of the train into a three dimensional diamond. Fold & glue part of the same box to create the top of the podium. This is when trouble set in, so I just spray-painted paper & taped it on.

Papier mache all* surfaces, leaving a little circle in front for the headlight. Let it dry. Now paint it. Add fabric backed by cardboard for the seat. Cut to fit proper dimensions & secure in place. Add strings to recreate cables- beads were used for the RCAs. Film canisters were painted & placed on the front of the train. Makit & Bakit beads were used as the headlte.

*Please Note: Attempting to depict the front of the train accurately drove me insane- so I resorted to photoshopping a vintage toy train as the front.

This is the first in a series of musical papier mache recreations.

Shot the amazing Stevie Nicks tonight! This is one musician I was beyond excited to photograph & watch perform. It was spectacular.

Hamtramck Disneyland is a glorious display of carnival and culture, converging upon a backyard on Klinger Street. Dmytro Szylak began creating his folk art extravaganza atop his garage in 1992 with a picture of Elvis, some propellers, and those wondrous plastic painted ponies. He added some references to air travel, his Ukranian roots, and everyday kitsch, and by the time 1999 rolled around, the towering masterpiece was complete.

Mr. Szylak can be found on certain days, tinkering with the unfortunate off-kilter doll head or replacing a burnt-out bulb. If you are lucky, he will turn on the mechanical circuits he devised, and the twinkling music of Ukraine fills the air. At night, do a drive-by to check out the Hamtramck version of the Main Street Electrical Parade.

Location:
12087 Klinger Street
(the alley located between Sobiski & Klinger)
Hamtramck, MI 48211