Former Disney band making Findlay debut

FINDLAY — A children's rock band that gained notoriety in the early 2000s on Disney Jr. is performing at the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts August 17. The Imagination Movers are a children's music group made up of four friends from New Orleans — Rich Collins, Dave Poche, Scott "Smitty" Smith and Scott Durbin. Since 2002, the band has created music that speaks to kids, and from 2008 to 2011, their television show aired on Disney Channel under the band's name. The 76 episodes from the three seasons of "The Imagination Movers" can still be seen and watched on Disney+. Their music can still be played on Apple Music and other streaming platforms, including songs from the show, newer singles and albums, including a new album releasing on June 18. Though the show ended over a decade ago, the band has continued to excel in music. Their catalog of about 250 songs has been in the Top 10 of Billboard's Kids Albums Chart and the Movers have performed at Lollapalooza, all across Europe and at festivals. "In March, we did our first 18-and-over show," Durbin said. "That was a huge, full-circle event where we were playing to kids who watched us." Though the children who grew up watching their shows on air have all grown up, the band still continues playing for kids, including a new album releasing this month. "We're super excited," Durbin said. "We've been intentional about writing music, playing music and performing music live." Durbin, who is also a professor at the University of Louisiana — Lafayette, said the Movers play one or two weekends out of every month and at a lot of performing art centers. He said the band has a reputation at those centers and are known to come in and put on a great show. "When you think of a family show, you think of a narrative that's an extension of the television show," he said. "We're really an age and developmentally appropriate rock concert for families." Their live performances, he said, includes a Blink-182 cover and other songs that cater to older siblings, adults and their main demographic of 4-8-year-olds. He said the Movers go out into the audience and the show is a rare event that gives everybody at every age a chance to interact with them. "We do the flying toilet paper, everybody loves that. We do confetti and streamers, ginormous balloons, vortex cannons," he said. And, on Aug. 17, the band will make their debut in Findlay. The Imagination Movers will be at the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts, 200 W. Main Cross St., with tickets sold online at the imaginationmovers.com website.