(Photo: John Halpern; courtesy of Two Tomatoes Records)

Small-screen pop star and mom Laurie Berkner is having a busy fall. The as-big-as-it-gets kids’ rocker—her music videos are ubiquitous thanks to Noggin—just released her first CD in six years, Rocketship Run. On September 21, Berkner and her band will play Avery Fisher Hall, along with horns, a percussionist, and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus. Meanwhile, her daughter Lucy, 4, has just begun school. It’s their mom-daughter game—a treasure hunt—that ties together the you-need-it-now album, Berkner says: “I used to sing this little song when Lucy would lose things and we’d go on a hunt—‘Let’s go find it!’ ” In general, Berkner has downplayed her music at home, explaining, “I don’t tend to leave the TV on when I come on. That feels weird to me—I’m her mom, not a character on television. I think that would be confusing. I have only shared a limited amount of my music with her because I want the focus on her.” This doesn’t always go smoothly at the playground. “Kids just start talking to me,” says Berkner, “It’s like, ‘Laurie Berkner! Watch me do this!’ ” No matter, Berkner adores being a New York parent: “I love how many other kids there are around. In our building, there’s such an easy connection—you run into someone in the elevator and say, ‘Come over!’ When it’s raining, there’s always somewhere to go or something to do. It makes things easier.” Even if parenthood means not always getting to take advantage of what the city has to offer. Which is why her parent-fans are thrilled she’s playing Lincoln Center. “It’s nice for me, too!” says Berkner, “I think, Isn’t this why I live in New York? And yet I don’t want to not be home at night.”

9/21, 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. The Laurie Berkner Band at Avery Fisher Hall, W. 65th St., nr. Broadway (212-721-6500 or lincolncenter.org); $25-$35.

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• Table of Contents: Sep 22, 2008 issue of New York | Subscribe!