October 28th Recap

Despite the rain aaaaaaaaaaaaallll day Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, it was sunny and on the warm side of cool Saturday. Over 150 people (big and small) gathered in the Trenthem's lush backyard to enjoy an afternoon of music, crafts, conversation, healthy snacks, and beer on tap. The kids came out full force in their costumes and took over the haunted playhouse, painted gourds and pumpkins, climbed trees, and did their best to destroy the new, improved banging wall.





The Wallendas put the rock in the romp...



Dr. Dave Evans, joined on stage by his very talented three-year-old grandson, gave the under ten set their first taste of old time blues.



Zack, the ducky half of Unknown Pleasures DJs, spun some fun tunes between bands...



And before we knew it, it was last call. Chess Club closed the show with a Pop Noir bang.



We can hardly wait for next Spring to start romping again. We hope to have more shows and more bands next year. Please let us know if you are in a band and want to play, if you have a big yard and want to host, what bands you'd like to see, and what kind of beer you like! Leave a comment here, or email us at memphisrocknromp@gmail.com.

For more pictures, visit our Flickr page.

And for a special treat, check out a You Tube video of Rock-n-Romp founder, Debbie Lee, at the DC Halloween show.

Looks like good weather...

October 28th Show

The October 28th show is the last one this year. If you haven't made it to one of our super-fun shows, this is your last chance!

Let the kids dress up, bring a *healthy* snack to share, and enjoy some great music!

Here's the line up:

The Wallendas - 2:15pm
Dr. David Evans - 3:15pm (solo)
Chess Club - 4:15pm

Unknown Pleasures DJs - all the quiet parts in between.

Evites/emails will be going out the week of October 9th. To add your name to the list email memphisrocknromp@gmail.com.

September 23 Recap

Planning outdoor events is stressful, especially in a place like Memphis where you never know what the weather will do. With the foreboding weather and the uncertainty of whether it would last, we found ourselves in almost the same exact position we were in on June 17th. But this time, we had a plan.

After staring out the window, checking the radar, and stressing for almost 36 hours, we decided 15 minutes prior to the start time to move the show indoors. We were incredibly lucky that our beloved board member and Sept 23 hostess, Wendy Trenthem, not only knows, but is related to, people in high places. Her dad, who happens to be part owner of the Strings & Things building, graciously offered to let us hold the show in the atrium should the weather turn bad. (Even though we rocked and romped for a bit despite the rain on June 17th, this time we really wanted to be able to do a full blown show regardless of the weather.)

Up until the very last second, I was arguing for holding the show outdoors. I just refused to accept the fact that the rain was coming. Wendy and her husband had spent months cleaning up their backyard (they even built a deck!) and I could just picture it full of sundrenched kids armed with slide whistles. I couldn't let go of the dream.

Chip, who had been studying the radar all morning, finally said to me, "The radar doesn't lie. It isn't magic; It's science." I was really disappointed that it was raining on my parade two times in a row, but my disappointment quickly dissipated once I walked into Strings & Things. It was big and airy, clean, free, covered, and all ours for the day. Moments after we started rearranging tables, rain started pounding on the roof. It was exactly 2:00pm.

By 2:30pm, we had everything cleared out and baby-proofed. Families started trickling in, and Jeffrey James and the Haul took the stage. The kids started gravitating to the instruments...and the tattoos...and all of the other fun stuff we had around.


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Before we knew it, there were 45 families in attendance, and kids were happily running all over the place. Unfortunately we couldn't serve beer at S&T, but it didn't seem to affect the mood at all thanks to Two Way Radio (Formerly known as Walkie Talkie and briefly as Side Walk Talk.) They had hula hoops...fancy instruments...and even a llama! (Their CD is titled "Residential Llama)

By the time Cory Branan was set to go on, the kids were amped up beyond belief. I saw him sweating a bit and he told one of the RnR organizers that he "hadn't been this nervous since David Letterman." (Or something like that.) But clearly the kids quickly accepted Cory as one of their own, and banded around him for the duration.

It was the perfect ending to a perfect (except for the weather!) day. We were all thrilled.

Mark your calendars for October 28th. It will be our last show of the season. We hope to have the bands finalized this week. Stay tuned for more details.

Come to Strings & Things!

We waited until the very last minute because we really really wanted to rock-n-romp outside, but we have decided to move indoors. Please join us!

Rain or Shine September 23rd

We are all excited to rock out this Saturday regardless of the weather. This show will go on RAIN OR SHINE! If it does happen to rain Saturday, we'll move over to a nice indoor alternative location at Strings & Things (1555 Madison Ave). An announcement will be made on the eVite, by email and on the blog by noon Saturday if the rain location becomes necessary. Please plan to join in the fun either way.... And, if you have questions on Saturday, you can call Stacey Greenberg at 336-7335.

September 23, 2006

Mark Your Calendars!

The next Rock-n-Romp is scheduled for Saturday, September 23rd! And remember, rain won't stop us from having a good time! We will try to give you plenty of notice and send reminders as we get closer. The awesome line up includes Cory Branan, Jeffrey James and the Haul , the band formerly known as Walkie Talkie, and DJ Key Lime. If you'd like to get on the guestlist shoot an email to memphisrocknromp@gmail.com.

Unfortunately Wayne Leloy of Native Son is moving to Seattle and will not be able to play like we had anticipated.

Rock-n-Romp T-shirts for Sale!

Rock-n-Romp is selling t-shirts to raise funds for future shows. It is VERY IMPORTANT that we sell these shirts! They are high quality and feature the very cool RnR logo. They are available in several colors in adult, youth, and infant sizes at Mothersville (800 S. Cooper, 272-0081) for $11. Please stop in and buy one (or two or three) to show your Rock-n-Romp support! (Mothersville is open 10am-5pm Tuesday-Saturday. They stay open until 7pm on Wednesdays.)

Rock-n-Romp t-shirts make great baby shower & birthday party gifts! They also make adults look really cool at the playground! By purchasing a t-shirt you will be supporting local music and providing a brighter future for your children! What are you waiting for? Go get one!

June 17 RnR Recap

We couldn't have asked for worse weather on June 17th, but we did not let the rain stop us from having a good time. (Well we did officially call off the event several times among ourselves but no one ever left!)

Although we didn't get the huge turnout that we were expecting, we did learn who was hard core about RnR and who wasn't! The kids for the most part were not phased in the slightest by the rain. In fact, I believe it made it even more fun for them--I mean how often do you get to just run around in the middle of a rainstorm? And thanks to the World Cup game and an already tapped keg, most of the band members had a relaxing afternoon in the Butlers' livingroom. I considered this event practice for my boys' future forays to Memphis in May where mud is par for the course.

As of now, our next event is scheduled for Saturday, September 23rd, so mark your calendars now! And remember, rain won't stop us from having a good time! We will try to give you plenty of notice and send reminders as we get closer. Our line-up as of now includes Cory Branan, Native Son, the band formerly known as Walkie Talkie, and DJ Key Lime. If you'd like to get on the guestlist shoot an email to memphisrocknromp@gmail.com.

Here's a few pictures from June 17th.


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Holly Cole was a really good sport and totally just hung out and waited for the rain to stop. However, a very emotional Robby Grant couldn't hide his tears of disappointment when the rain came down. The kids, oblivious to the adults' disappointment, ran about as though it was the best party ever. Most of the veterans from the first RnR started demanding tattoos, and Shiloh was happy to oblige.

Just when we'd pretty much called the whole thing off, a funny thing happened: People started showing up! Look! It's Kate Crowder from the band formerly known as Walkie Talkie) and her son Oliver! Once we had a nice little crowd, it only took Holly Cole about 5 seconds to strap on her guitar and start singing.

Then the kids wasted no time breaking in our new banging wall! The highlight of the afternoon, was Vending Machine's awesome set in which every song was dedicated to the kids.

We had a solid two hours of fun before the rain came back.

Rain or Shine Baby!

The bands are set up, the keg is chillin...come on over! We may get wet and muddy, but we'll still be rockin and rompin!

FAQs for People without Kids

Do I really have to have a kid to come to Rock-n-Romp?

Yes, and no.

The shows are designed specifically for parents who do not get to go out and hear live music as much as they did before having kids.

However, if you do not have a kid of your own, you can borrow one from a friend or family member. Go ahead, be the cool aunt or uncle!

If you can't borrow a kid, then why not volunteer? We can always use a little extra help and we'll even let you drink beer on the job! Email memphisrocknromp@gmail.com if you are interested in helping out.

June 17th Rock-n-Romp

The next Rock-n-Romp will be on Saturday, June 17th (the day before Father's Day) from 2-5pm!

This time please bring snacks to share and earplugs for your little ones!

Featured Bands

Vending Machine
Jeffrey James and the Haul
Holly Cole
Unknown Pleasures DJs

If you would like to be on the evite list, please send an email to memphisrocknromp@gmail.com.

April 1st RnR Recap

It was 75 degrees outside and sunny. A keg of Sierra Nevada was surrounded by ice. Sixty parents mingled, danced, and spread blankets on the grass. Sixty or more kids in face paint and multiple tattoos ran through the yard with various musical instruments. They rocked. They romped. There wasn't a cooler place to be on April 1st.

The first ever Memphis Rock-n-Romp was amazing. I'm still kind of in shock that we pulled it off without a hitch. (Okay, the police did show up--but for just a tiny second. And really, they couldn't have been nicer.)

I want to give Debbie Lee huge props for coming up with this concept and for letting us copy her!! Also I want to thank Robby Grant, Dan Harper, Mike & Kelli Smith, Chip Chockley, Wendy Trenthem, Shiloh Barnat, Colin Butler, Amy Lavere (& the Tramps), and Noise Choir for making RnR better than I ever imagined!

For those of you who came, tell us what you thought so that we can make the next RnR even better. For those of you who didn't, email us at memphisrocknromp@gmail.com to get on our mailing list. The next Rock-n-Romp is scheduled for June 17th.

Here's a peek at the event:

Shiloh, who is an absolute genius, brought face paint, tattoos, and bubbles for the kids. Every time I saw Dan's son, Gus, he had more face paint on. And every kid there had at least one tattoo.



Amy Lavere, actually Amy & the Tramps, played first. She started off by calling all the kids up to the front and asking them to moo so she could sing her song about a cow. She was really awesome and got the event off to a great start.



Noise Choir put out a mic for the kids to come up and play with them. I really enjoyed watching the faces that the lead guitarist made.



When the show was over, Theo and Satchel played the drums.



Here's the rest of the photos, so you can see for yourself what a great time we had!


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Introducing Memphis Rock-n-Romp

Originally the brainchild of Debbie Lee, Rock-n-Romp is a backyard party consisting of local bands and musicians playing cool music (not necessarily "kids' music") for cool parents and their kids! It’s all about exposing kids to live music (that doesn’t suck) in a kid-friendly way. The shows are during the day, low-volume, and there’s beer! RnR has been a popular Washington, DC-area Summer music series for four years running. Now, with Debbie's blessing, we're bringing Rock-n-Romp to Memphis.

Who are we? Stacey Greenberg, Robby Grant, Dan Harper (pictured here in 1976), Wendy Trenthem, Chip Chockley, Shiloh Barnat, and Mike & Kelli Smith.

The Memphis Rock-n-Romp shows will be in different backyards throughout Midtown. Each adult is asked to make a $5 donation at the door and bring a blanket, chairs, and/or snacks for the kids.

The first Rock-n-Romp is scheduled for Saturday, April 1st from 2:00pm to 5:00pm and is by invitation only. (This isn't because we are snobby, we just want to keep our first show small so we can work out the kinks. Also keep in mind, Rock-n-Romp is held in someone's backyard.)

The line up is:
Amy Lavere
Noise Choir
DJ Colin Butler

We plan to have at least two more shows between now and October. If you are a parent who would be interested in attending the next Memphis Rock-n-Romp or if you are in a band and are interested in playing, please leave a comment and I will contact you with more information.

FAQs for Parents

How do I get on the list?
Add your name to our Mail Chimp form to the left. You will receive an email with the Rock-n-Romp location a few weeks prior to each show. You can also become a fan on Facebook or subscribe to this blog.

Can I bring my newborn? My toddler? My pre-schooler? My tween? My teenager?
The shows are really designed for kids of all ages, although RnR is not an "all-ages" show. If you think your kids would enjoy this type of event, then by all means bring them! We do recommend bringing earplugs for our littlest rompers.

I don't have kids, but really want to come to a show. Can I?
You MUST be accompanied by a child to attend RnR. If you do not have kids of your own and want to attend, find a niece or a nephew to bring or offer to babysit for a good friend or neighbor. Or sign up to be a volunteer! We always need help. Email memphisrocknromp@gmail.com.

Where/When are the shows held?
Shows are held in different venues throughout the city on Saturday afternoons starting at 2-3pm (and generally running until around 5-6pm). Specific locations and times will be announced prior to each event.

What if it rains?
We will make every effort to go on with the show, rain or shine. We will email and post our back up plans on the blog and Facebook page prior to each show.

Who are you?
Rock-n-Romp was started by a cool mama in DC named Debbie Lee. Memphis Rock-n-Romp was originally brought to you by Kelli & Mike Smith, Chip Chockley, Dan Harper, Wendy Trenthem, Stacey Greenberg, Robby Grant, and Shiloh Barnat.


2011 board members include Stacey Greenberg, Chip Chockley, Marvin Stockwell, Kate & Corey Crowder, Caleb Sweazy, Launa Morris, and Aimee Lewis.



In 2012, we added Jeff Hulett, and Graham & Bianca Burks to the board.

What do parents need to know before attending a show with their kid(s)?
*Parents are expected to be present and to watch their children at all times.
*RnR is not responsible for any injuries sustained by a parent or child while on the premises; you play at your own risk.
*RnR cannot be held responsible for loss of/damage to any personal property while on the premises.
*Parents and children are expected to be kind to, and respectful of, all others present. It is also expected that everyone pick up after themselves, deposit trash in trash cans, and generally be good guests.
*Both parents and children should leave all potentially dangerous or hazardous items at home.
*Parents are asked to bring a blanket, chairs, and/or snacks for their kids. (You may also bring healthy snacks to share with everyone!)
*Central BBQ and Whole Foods will provide snacks free of charge.
*Smoking is not allowed in the immediate RnR space.
*Beer is free to adults of age. We ask that you drink responsibly. RnR reserves the right to "cut you off," call the cops, and/or never invite you to a RnR again if you fail to do so.
*A $5 donation per adult is requested, but not required. The $5 helps cover the cost of sound equipment, bands, insurance, etc. It is not to cover beer or food. We ask that you donate whether you plan to eat or drink.

Have a question that wasn't answered here? Leave a comment or email memphisrocknromp@gmail.com and we will happily respond.

FAQs for Bands

My band doesn't do kids' music. Can we still play?
YES! RnR isn't about kids' music; it's about exposing kids to good music in a kid-friendly environment. Musically speaking, RnR is more for the parents than it is for the kids, so we want bands that play grown up music, but at kid-friendly levels. We do ask that you keep the lyrics somewhat clean so that children do not go home and sing, "Don't get loud with me Bitch" when told to go to bed.

What kind of music/bands are you looking for?
We are interested in all styles of music and we are especially interested in bands composed of one or more parents. We only book bands that play original songs, however.

Do you pay bands to play?
Yes! RnR is non-profit, and any donations collected go directly toward paying our excellent musicians, materials/refreshments and other items purchased specifically for the purposes of putting on these shows. Bands are also welcome to sell merch before, during, and after their set.

Why should we play RnR?
RnR provides an opportunity to share your music with cool parents who don't get to go out to clubs very often and kids who think purple dinosaurs sing pretty good. Band members are encouraged to sell merchandise and invite their friends with kids to enjoy the show.

How long are sets?
Sets will range from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the number of bands playing.

Do we have to bring our own equipment?
Maybe, maybe not. The RnR committee can provide some equipment and will work with the individual bands to make sure all of their needs are covered. Bands may be asked to share equipment.

Who do we contact?
Stacey Greenberg: stacey at fertilegroundzine dot com.