KyleRiabko.com

Riabko starts May 23, replacing Jonathan Groff, who originated the role in the show, which is based on Frank Wedekind’s classic drama. It has music by Duncan Sheik and book and lyrics by Steven Sater.

The performer steps into the musical three days after Alexandra Socha takes over the role of Wendla (the object of Melchior’s passion) from Lea Michele, another original cast member.

"I actually saw the musical well before I considered being a part of it and loved it so much," Riabko said.

"The reason Spring Awakening appeals to me is the reason I think it appeals to every young person," Riabko added. "I am not that far away from all of the events in the show. Not only do I remember those exact issues, but I am kind of living through them at the same time as well."

"The hardest part for me was thinking before I got here: ‘I’ve got all this stuff to do and I’ve got to fit in — not only on stage but backstage, too," he explained. "Melchior is a leader in the play and because of that, I think that people look up to Jonathan as a person.

"I thought, ‘Oh, I’m this skinny little kid from Canada and they’re all going to look down on me.’ But honestly, every cast person and every stage manager has been so open and accepting. They have been excited for the change. It’s been so easy to fit in."

Kyle starts Friday, May 23rd and tickets are available for purchase on the offical Spring Awakening website.

Bruiser: My Motivator

kyle — Sat, 17 May 2008 16:39:17 +0000

I thought that you guys might like to see what it’s like to prepare for a Broadway show. I hired a guy to help me. And he’s doing a bang-up job. Love, Kyle

Song for Amanda: The EP - Out Now!

reality — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 19:51:15 +0000

Kyle Riabko is in love with Amanda Bynes. Yes… Amanda Bynes. The same Amanda Bynes from cinematic classics like "Sydney White" and "She’s The Man".

Problem is, he’s never officially met Amanda! He’s tried everything to get in touch with her, but his little princess won’t even give him the time of day!

His desperation has come to a boil! He’s just released his long-awaited "Song for Amanda: The EP" featuring three all-new tracks, one of which is "Song for Amanda" — a song written for and dedicated to Amanda Bynes. The new EP is on iTunes now!

And today he’s launched a special website, SongForAmanda.com, featuring a video message with a performance of the song. He’s also asking fans to help him find Amanda through a unique YouTube contest. He’s so serious about getting in touch with Amanda he’s even willing to give up one of his precious signed guitars!

Get "Song for Amanda: The EP" today on iTunes! Then visit SongForAmanda.com to help Kyle get his song to Amanda!

Hello from SXSW 2008!! Yay!

kyle — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:02:28 +0000

We just arrived in Austin, Texas for the annual hipster conference that we’ve all grown to love. The Sixers fit right in!

Boots and I are hiding in a hotel room, because tight jeans scare him. The streets are riddled with them. You can never be too safe.

We made this video for you. Enjoy.

Listen to a new Trevor Jackson song!

reality — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 20:09:35 +0000


Trevor Jackson is Kyle Riabko & Brian "Boots" Factor. This iconic photograph was shot by Annie Leibovitz.*

For those of you who don’t know, Kyle Riabko and Boots Factor (of Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers) have formed a group called Trevor Jackson.

Trevor Jackson has spent the past month in the studio recording an album! Listen now to an exclusive rough-mix of one the new tracks titled "Down With That".

For more of Trevor Jackson’s music, blogs, and photos, check them out on MySpace and Facebook.

*Not really.

Kyle Performs “Signs” with Suzie McNeil. Watch now!

reality — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 19:56:49 +0000

At the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame ceremony on March 1st, Kyle Riabko performed Les Emmerson’s "Signs" with the amazing Suzie McNeil.

New Spring Tour!

reality — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 19:58:47 +0000


Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers with Kyle Riabko.	Hanson - Isaac, Taylor, & Zac.

Kyle Riabko is thrilled to announce new Spring dates!

Kyle will again be joining his friends Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers this Spring — kicking off the tour on March 13th with several free shows as part of the South by Southwest (SXSW) Music & Media festival in Austin, TX.

Starting April 9th, the Sixers along with Kyle, will be joining Hanson on The Walk Tour 2008.

Check out all the dates & buy tickets in the Live section.

Life As A Big Brother

kyle — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 23:21:59 +0000

There’s a lot people know about me. Like the fact that I had an on-again/off-again relationship with Raven-Symone in the late 80’s. Or that I once referred to Nicholas Sparks as "the only author that can bring a man to tears by reading the title alone". Or that I came fairly close to completing a Rubik’s Cube last year.

But there is one thing that a lot of people do not know.

I am a big brother. (Not like a member of the Big Brother program, but like actually a big brother.)

Today I felt the urge to share a quick note about why being a big brother has helped shape me as a human being. It is so easy to grow out of big-brother-dom, forgetting the effect you and this genetically similar human had on each other. My little brother is now a grown man of seventeen years and it scares the hell out me. How did this little baby boy that I once used to push around and punch turn into a muscular little tank that can beat me in an arm wrestle? It baffles my mind. But as my big-brother-ness becomes less necessary, I’ll still hold on to the color and excitement it brings.

When Benjamin was born, I was a wee leprechaun of two-and-a-half years. I could poop in the toilet and I had a pretty good handle on velcro-ing my shoes, but that was about it. Little Benjy changed that. I quickly realized that this little baby boy was my creature to mold. To shape into a super-human with the power to think, speak, and act like his older influence. Over the years, this realization emerged in the form of outdoor training sessions (where I timed Benjamin as he did push-ups and ran laps around the backyard), mind tests (where I challenged him to create new inventions out of old asthma puffers and water jugs), and entertainment classes (where I forced him to be the guest on my radio show and didn’t let him say much). These were all important activities, not only for Benjamin’s well-being but for my understanding of life. I learned how to work with a partner in crime. And that when you abuse your situation, it always stings you back.

There was a lengthy period of time when everything Benjamin did seemed to annoy me to no end.

"WHY DOES HE HAFTA COPY EV’RYTHING I DO!?" I would scream to my mother.

"Because he loves you, and he looks up to you." She would calmly reply.

I vividly remember one incident at the lunch table when Benjamin asked for pickles on his sandwhich after he noticed I was enjoying mine. I stormed out of the room– tears running down my cheeks and yelling to the heavens: "He doesn’t even LIKE pickles!"

This is a big moment in big-brother-land. The time and attention you spend on your little man seems to turn against you. That cute little baby has turned into a walking, talking, mirror-image of yourself. And it isn’t easy to accept this natural occurance. You don’t want to be mimicked! You want to hang out with new friends and learn about their way of living. You want to leap from infant to young man, but there is this whiny little baby version of you popping up everywhere you turn!

The best part of being a big brother came when I realized that what I used to find annoying was exceptionally flattering. The words of my mother echoed a little deeper as my understanding of the world grew broader and I realized that little Benjamin was copying me because… I was cool! He wanted to eat those pickles because he thought they might bring him a little closer to the grown-up world his brother sauntered through. This was a pivotal discovery for me because, even though I was still learning my times tables, I had come to understand the feeling of affecting someone else. Of having a purpose in life - that purpose being to nurture the growth of a friend. This is a wonderful thing.

When I started to tour a lot, and then when I moved across the country, my connection with my brother may have become less frequent– but it has never weakened. Brothers are like old war buddies. We’ve been though it all together and though we don’t talk every day, it doesn’t mean that feeling isn’t still there. He is his own person now (ironically and thankfully a much different person than me) but I like to think that he still does a few things because he thinks "this is probably what Kyle would do."

If you’re a big brother, I hope you realize what a privilege it is. You should thank your parents for shacking up one more time, and giving you that little buddy.

And now the truth.

The reason I felt like writing this today is because I saw this video. And I think it may be the best thing EVER posted on the internet:

Art by Shea

reality — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 21:34:57 +0000

Why You Should Never Date Someone Bigger Than You

Shea is a good friend of Kyle’s and an artist that every once in a while creates art that represents Kyle’s songs. Her latest, titled "Why You Should Never Date Someone Bigger Than You", is inspired by Kyle’s Slow Down Mary. An exclusive version of this track is available for you to listen to right now in our music player.