The Wiggles delight tots at Gwinnett Center

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The Wiggles delight tots at Gwinnett Center

The Wiggles, Sunday, November 11, 2007, The Arena at Gwinnett Center (SOLD OUT)

Australian children's band The Wiggles delighted a sold-out Gwinnett Arena crowd of youngsters and parents Sunday afternoon in the first of two afternoon performances.

According to Business Review Weekly, The Wiggles were Australia's 'richest entertainers' for the year 2005, earning more than AC/DC and Nicole Kidman combined. In 2006, it was reported that they earned $50 million.

Anthony Field (Blue Wiggle) and Jeff Fatt (Purple Wiggle) had been members of the Cockroaches, a popular pub rock band with a number of Top 40 hits in Australia during the '80s. After the Cockroaches disbanded in 1988, Field enrolled at the Institute of Early Childhood Studies at Macquarie University in Sydney. There Field met Greg Page (replaced by Sam Moran as Yellow Wiggle) and Murray Cook, (Red Wiggle), both former musicians.

The group wanted to entertain children, using the concepts of early childhood education. They produced their first (self-titled) album in 1991, in which they reworked a few old Cockroaches tunes into children's songs, including new lyrics that became 'Do the Monkey' and 'Get Ready to Wiggle,' which inspired the new band's name.

The Wiggles adopted differently colored shirts for each member to enable their recognition by very young children, and they wear the Wiggles 'uniform' when appearing as The Wiggles in the media or in public. Each Wiggle also developed a distinct stage persona: Sam's was performing magic tricks; Murray's was playing the guitar; Jeff's was falling asleep; Anthony's was eating.

Anthony goes into the crowd to greet a young fan Sunday afternoon at The Wiggles' sold-out concert in Duluth. The Wiggles have a strict code of conduct, including a 'zero tolerance policy' toward drug use, drinking, smoking, or using bad language for any employee or crew member.

During 1990s, The Wiggles releasied multiple albums and home videos, and performed to growing audiences in Australia and New Zealand. They filmed their first television series with the Australian Broadcasting Corp. in 1993. The band gained popularity in the United States beginning in 1998 by piggybacking on the success of the TV program 'Barney & Friends.'

Johns Creek resident Allison Valdes brought 2-year old Jake and 5-year old Reagan to the show. Twentieth Century Fox produced a feature-length film, 'The Wiggles Movie,' which premiered in Australia in December 1997, and went on to become the fifth-highest grossing Australian film of 1998.

By the late '90s, The Wiggles had grown so successful in America and in the UK that for a few years they traveled separately, in two planes and on two buses, so that if disaster occurred, 'at least half of them would survive and carry on.' After it proved to be a logistical nightmare, they ended the practice, although on the current tour they travel in two buses between cities.

Cumming is home to the Robisons. From left are Colby (5), Randy, Landen (1), Claudia, and Nollen (3).

The Wiggles have performed 12 sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden and have been in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade twice. As of 2005, worldwide sales of their DVDs and videos exceeded 17 million and they had performed in for more than 1 million people across the globe.

The Wiggles' success in music and television has led to extensive merchandising of Wiggles-branded books, toys, clothing, and other products for children. In 2003, the group began franchising its concept to other countries, branching into Taiwan and Latin American markets with Mandarin- and Spanish-speaking Wiggles.

In September 2005, Australia's largest theme park, Dreamworld in Queensland, opened a 'Wiggles World' section. Six Flags theme parks in New Jersey and Chicago opened 'Wiggles World' areas in 2007, and the park in Lake George, N.Y., will open in the spring of 2008.

Yes, The Wiggles set list for Atlanta. By 2007, they employed 20 full-time workers in offices in Sydney and Dallas, as well as another 30 employees on their tours. Characters in the show include Wags the Dog, Dorothy the Dinosaur, Captain Feathersword and Henry the Octopus.

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Australian children's band The Wiggles delighted a sold-out Gwinnett Arena crowd of youngsters and parents Sunday afternoon in the first of two afternoon performances.

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