Best All-Ages Shows

When we say a show is all-ages we don't mean "intended for people who are just shy of 21." We mean all ages -- as in toddlers to fogies. At several Reading Reptile shows, the sparkling, college-age performers in Pewep in the Formats sang and danced in unison -- and in costume -- in front of sleepy 6-year-olds, punk teens, twentysomething hipsters and a bunch of moms and dads. The merch table was lovingly helmed by lead singer Ashley Miller's mom. In the darkened children's bookstore, words that got Lenny Bruce in trouble were uttered, and punk kids with colored hair boogied along. The band sounded like a barbershop quartet gone loopy and -- with its matching outfits and fast, rhythmic clapping -- looked like a drill team influenced by Prince. Always eager performers, the members of this band also rang in the New Year at the now-defunct all ages club Spitfire, where they hit the stage with their mouths full of glowsticks and spit them into the crowd. Everyone cheered and cheered. We look forward to seeing more from these ageless wonders.