YO GABBA GABBA LIVE! Coming to the Fabulous Fox Theatre in St. Louis! Interview with DJ Lance Rock (Lance Robertson)

Kia Motors presents Yo Gabba Gabba Live! It’s Time to Dance! at the Fabulous Fox Theatre for two performances on Saturday, September 17th at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Tickets are on sale now and are $39.50, $34.50, and $29.50. A limited number of VIP packages are also available. All prices are subject to change. Purchase tickets at the Fox Box Office or by calling 314/534-1111. Order tickets online at www.metrotix.com.

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Lance Robertson is known by most as ‘DJ Lance Rock,’ the host of the wildly popular kid’s show Yo Gabba Gabba! But lesser known is that Lance is actually from St. Louis. I was able to have a brief chat with Robertson about St. Louis, the upcoming tour, and how much fun the Yo Gabba Gabba! gang is expecting to have in St. Louis on September 17th at the Fabulous Fox!

Kevin: Since you are from St. Louis, I have to ask “the question” – what high school did you go to?

Lance Robertson: Hazelwood East

Kevin: Were you involved in acting in high school, or music?

Lance Robertson: I was in a couple of plays.

Kevin: Were you ever interested in acting or television before becoming a part of “Yo Gabba Gabba!” ?

Lance Roberson: Not really. I’ve always been interested in music.

Kevin: How did you get involved with the creators of “Yo Gabba Gabba!” ?

Lance Robertson: I was in a band called The Ray Makers with Christopher Curtis, who is also from St. Louis. We had a show on an internet radio station, and through that discovered a band we liked called Majestic. Christopher noticed they were from Orange County, so I called them up and spoke to the lead singer, Scott Schultz, about doing some shows together. Fast forward a few years later, and Scott contacted me and asked if I would be interested in hosting a kid’s tv show. I wasn’t, but I think Scott is an amazing person, and our bands got along, so I agreed to meet with him. Through Scott, I met Christian Jacobs, who is MC Bat Commander in the Aquabats. Everything seemed to come together, and the rest, is history.

Kevin: Did you have much input in the creation of your character DJ Lance Rock? How much of Lance Robertson would you say is in the character?

Lance Robertson: I would say it was a collaborative effort. Originally, they wanted the character to have a bit of a Willy Wonka vibe, ala Gene Wilder, but I said that would be difficult to dance in, so I suggested another type of costume, and we all worked together on it. I brought the “ROCK” belt from my own collection. I’d say there’s about 30% of me in the character. I wish there was more, but unfortunately, I’m not able to fly.

Kevin: Do you work on the creative side of the show, and developing the episodes?

Lance Robertson: I work in the music department and have written songs. Unfortunately, I haven’t written a lot in the past year, since I’ve been on tour so much. I co-wrote an episode for the upcoming season.

Kevin: How long is “Yo Gabba Gabba!” on the road? Have you gone on tour before, and how does this show differ from the previous ones?

Lance Robertson: We’ll be on the road a little over 3 months. This will be my fifth time going out with Yo Gabba. The new show differs in the fact that there will be more flying.

Kevin: Are you excited to be coming back to St. Louis with the show next month? How often do you return to St. Louis?

Lance Robertson: I’m looking forward to returning to St. Louis, even though it’s for such a short period of time. I return as often as I can.

Kevin: What is your most fun memory from working on “Yo Gabba Gabba!” ?

Lance Robertson: Hopefully I haven’t had it yet, but August 24, 2011 was pretty magical.

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Kia Motors presents Yo Gabba Gabba Live! It’s Time to Dance! at the Fabulous Fox Theatre for two performances on Saturday, September 17th at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Tickets are on sale now and are $39.50, $34.50, and $29.50. A limited number of VIP packages are also available. All prices are subject to change. Purchase tickets at the Fox Box Office or by calling 314/534-1111. Order tickets online at www.metrotix.com.