September 25th Recap

We had PERFECT weather this past Saturday for the Rock-n-Romp at the Mid-South Maze. Such a refreshing change from the last two shows, which have been ridiculously hot. The Maze folks were wonderfully accommodating, and the venue ending up being perfectly suited for our thing.

Lots of our folks tried out the Maze, which was perplexing fun.  The kids also spent lots of time on the "jumping pillow"-- which was just about the coolest inflatable we'd ever seen. I got plenty of pics of the kids on the thing, but I wanted to share these two, of RnR board members Caleb Sweazy and Marvin Stockwell:

Hey, like we always say, RnR is for the adults just as much as it is for the kids!

First up was Holly Cole and the Memphis Dawls.  This newer incarnation of Holly's music was beautiful.

Next up was Cotton & Coal, which featured RnR's own Caleb Sweazy:

This little lady thought Caleb was a hottie.

Batting cleanup was Devil Train, with their sweet brand of gypsy jam bluegrass.  I definitely saw some fingers on fire.

After the show, the RnR Board got together for a group pic on the pillow (our first group shot since the very first show, 4 years ago!)  Thanks to the lovely and talented Sophorn McRae for shooting these.

 Thanks again to our sponsors, Whole Foods and Central BBQ, for providing us with snacks, barbecue, and cups. Their support continues to provide you folks with an amazing bang for your (five) bucks.  And thanks to all you loyal RnR'ers-- and all the new faces too-- for coming out to the show. Check out the full slideshow of pics from this show here.  Feel free to add your pics to our Flickr pool here.  And if you see a pic of your beautiful child or your rockin' band and would like a print, drop me a line, or check out my photography website here.  Seeya guys at the next show, November 6th at the Metal Museum!

September 25th Rock-n-Romp, 3-6pm

Come Rock-n-Romp with us at the Mid-South Maze on September 25th from 3-6pm. We'll have Devil Train, Cotton & Coal, and the Memphis Dawls playing. $5 Adults/kids free. Adults MUST be accompanied by children.

As always there will be free beer, Central BBQ and snacks from Whole Foods. Yeehaw!


The Mid-South Maze will give the following discounts: Maze admission-$4/adult and $2/kid, 5 and under free. The Jumping Pillow will be $2/person and you can jump all you want. Identify yourself as a Rock-n-Romper when paying and they will give them the appropriate discount.

The Maze takes about an hour, so we ask that you come early or stay late. The Jumping Pillow is adjacent to the bands, so kids can enjoy it during the show. (It is supervised.)

As always bring a blanket or a chair, a snack to share, and earplugs for the little ones. We look forward to seeing you!

For directions, click here.

August 21st Show Recap

It was another scorcher on Saturday for our show at the Levitt Shell.  We still had over 500 folks come out, which was awesome.  Thanks for the dedication, Rockers and Rompers!  It was amusing to see how much of the crowd congregated around the bits of shade on either side.

The past several shows we've included teen band.  The Doorknobs kicked this show off with a bang:

These guys were very talented, and brought a nice contingent of supporters to the show.

Next up was Speakerboxx.  Rock-n-Romp was rocked in a way it has never been rocked before.

Speakerboxx's frontman, Corey Sanders, left it all out on the stage.  Literally.  Dude totally collapsed in the back as soon as he walked off the stage.  Dedication.  I spent the next several minutes trying to find my face because it had been rocked off by their fierce mix of energetic rap and rock. Corey did this:

And everybody did this:

The next band, the Parkington Sisters from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, were lovely in every way. Their haunting mix of sophisticated folk, enchanting vocal harmonies, and gorgeous strings put a spell over us all.

Even though it was crazy hot, the kids managed to stay cool with all sorts of sprinklers and water slides:

A big thanks to the Levitt Shell for having us again. Also thanks to the Memphis Grizzlies for bringing their big inflatable slide, and to this show's special sponsor, the Memphis Music Foundation.  Check the MMF out-- they do great things for music in this city.  Thanks again to this season's other sponsors, Whole Foods and Central BBQ.  Also thanks again to our wonderful volunteers, who make life bearable for the RnR Board, and who make the shows run that much more smoothly.  Pshew, I'm all thanked out.

Oops, no I'm not.  Most of all, thanks to YOU folks for coming out.  We're always flattered by the support we get.  See you guys in September 25th for a cooooooooooler show at the Mid-South Maze!

Check out the full slideshow of pics from this show here.  Feel free to add your pics to our Flickr pool here.  And if you see a pic of your beautiful child or your rockin' band and would like a print, drop me a line, or check out my photography website here.

August 21st Rock-n-Romp at the Levitt Shell

A special thanks to all of our sponsors! We'll have sprinklers and a water slide for everyone to cool off, free beer and Central BBQ. Bring a blanket and a snack to share. $5 suggested donation for adults; kids free.

June 19th Recap

HOT!

The heat was butt-whooping, but it didn't stop everyone from having a rockin' time at this past Saturday's RnR. Thanks to Mud Island for graciously hosting us.

First up was The Junkman, in town for the week from Vermont.  He tours the country teaching kids how to build percussion instruments using found items, and then how to play cool rhythms.  We were glad to have him in Memphis this week for a camp at the Junkyard Museum, and also at the Rock-n-Romp.

This stuff put our old "banging wall" to shame.

Next up was Al Kapone, with a full band.  He was friggin' awesome.  The band was tight, and Al brought it, Memphis-style.

He also brought along with him Young AJ and... MUCK STICKY!  We got even more than we expected.

After another jam session with the Junkman, Goner Records' Magic Kids brought their brand of quirky magic pop to the stage.  These guys play really catchy, interesting stuff.

There were other things which occupied the kids-- like sliding down this huge bluff:

...and cooling off in the big fountain pond.  Because of the heat, this was a very popular activity.

Thanks again to our sponsors-- Central BBQ for the deliciously awesome barbecue, and Whole Foods for the fruit and Pirate Booty snacks.

And thanks to all our volunteers this time--Fabianna & Lee, Michele, Alicia, Mary, Katie, Nicole, Ceciley, Joanna & Talyon, and Katie & Bailey.  You guys rule, and you improved the quality of life for the RnR Board.


Thanks to everyone for braving the heat, and to everyone who didn't, we forgive you!  See you guys August 21st at the Levitt Shell!

See the whole slideshow of Chip Chockley's pics here.  And feel free to add your own RnR pics to our Flickr pool here.

June 19th RnR at Mud Island

We are so excited about our next Rock-n-Romp at Mud Island! We'll be in the grove by the concession stand and fountains on the south end of the Island. Put the kids in their bathing suits, bring your blankets and lawn chairs, a snack to share, and prepare yourselves for a great afternoon of music!


Al Kapone will be playing with his band, The Magic Kids will be bringing the fun, and between sets The Junkman will be leading "Junk Jams" with parents and kids using instruments made from recycled materials.

Central BBQ will be serving free BBQ, parking on the north end of the Island is free (enter from Harbor Town), and we'll have free beer to boot. Adults please donate $5 (or more!); kids are free.

All that we ask is that you keep an eye on your own kids and enjoy the show. We provide a kid-friendly environment, but not baby/kid-sitting. You are responsible for yourself and your kids. Thanks!

Flipside Memphis

The talented folks from Live from Memphis came to the last Rock-n-Romp and made us this awesome video!



Stay tuned...we'll be announcing the line up for the June 19th show at Mud Island soon!

April 24th Recap

On Saturday, we planned to hold the show outside at the Dixon's lovely South Lawn. However, the weather gods had some serious thunderstorms they needed to work out.

So...we relocated to the lovely Hughes Pavillion, which actually turned out to be the perfect indoor/outdoor venue. The band and food were safely located inside and we had plenty of room to stretch out on the grass and run around ouside once the sun came out for good. Thanks to the 600+ people who didn't let a morning of crazy weather stop them from rockin and rRompin with us!

Central BBQ, who has graciously donated reusable cups in the past, upped the ante this season and brought along FREE BBQ for everyone! (FYI--They do a kids eat free on Mondays and Tuesdays at the Summer location!) We seriously love Central BBQ!

Mmmm...BBQ

Our first band was The Motions, which was composed of some youngsters from Mississippi. They were really awesome. The teen bands we've booked have been really impressive and The Motions were no exception!

And if you were at the show, you might have noticed this fella. Brad Phelan from Live from Memphis was on hand filming a Flipside Memphis video featuring Rock-n-Romp! Sweet.

Whole Foods, our other rockin' sponsor, also sent along some goodies. Meredith and her friend were especially fond of the crackin' duckies.

Next up was Glorie, an all instrumental band composed of some of Memphis' finest musicians. Pictured here is Jonathan Kirkscey, who we usually see on the cello, but not surprisingly he can also rock the vibraphone! (Not pictured was Jeff Hulett, who has now played just about every season of Rock-n-Romp in four or five different bands!)

The Dixon's staff put together several crafts for the kids, all of which were a big hit. I saw lots of handmade magnets and flowers floating through the crowd.

Last but definitely not least, we had Hope Clayburn and the Soul Scrimmage. They were really fun!

People could help but dance!

It was an absolutely fantastic afternoon. Thanks to everyone who helped us pull off another great afternoon! Mark your calendars for June 19th at Mud Island!

See the whole slideshow of Chip Chockley's pics here.  And feel free to add your own pics to the Flickr Rock-n-Romp pool here.

Come on over to the Dixon!

We're setting up inside the Hughes Pavillion. There's plenty of outdoor space adjacent to it for romping once the rain clears. Bring your blankets and chairs and a snack to share!

Rain or Shine!

This Saturday's weather forecast doesn't look so hot.  (Right now, at least.  Things could change.)  Don't let that stop you from coming out for our show, though-- we have a nice indoor backup space at the Dixon in case it's really rainy.  This show has a really cool lineup, so don't let Mother Nature discourage you from catching it!

Also, to answer a question we've gotten lately-- yes, you must have a kid with you to attend.  (It doesn't necessarily have to be your kid, though-- grab your neighbor's kids and come on down!)  It's been our rule from day one, and it's one of the main things that allows us to describe our events as "live music in a kid-friendly environment."  No offense to anyone, but there are plenty of places to see great live music in Memphis without kids.  Kids are what makes our thing special.

Seeya Saturday!

April 24th Rock-n-Romp at the Dixon

Bring a blanket or chair, and a snack to share. Entry into the Dixon will be free, ditto on parking, but we do ask that each adult make a donation of $5 to help support future shows. We'll have free beer, free Central BBQ, and free treats from Whole Foods as well. We'll also have new t-shirts for sale ($10) with our awesome new robot logo!

For more info on the bands, click the links below the poster.


Glorie
Hope Clayburn
The Motions

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January 16th Recap

I think it's pretty safe to say that our second indoor show ever was a smashing success. How nice to have rain in the forecast and not have to worry about it! The staff at the Center for Southern Folklore was really nice and they went out of their way to make sure we felt right at home. With a bar, huge bathrooms, all the tables and chairs we could dream of, and an actual mop and trash guy, we felt absolutely spoiled!

We had no trouble keeping our rompy vibe despite being inside.



Our special guests, the Slomski Brothers, got things started with their modern vaudeville routine. I loved the suits, the fact that their mic stand had cup holders, and the cool sound of that crazy drum. I have a feeling we'll be seeing more of these guys in the future.




Next up, we had the Kindergarten Circus, who came from Murfreesboro to play. They were all in their late teens, and this was one of their first live shows. They were awesome and really rocked it.





Once the Circus ended, the Slomski Brothers did another short set. Gustafer Yellowgold was up next and before we could even try and get all the kids settled in front of the stage, we noticed they were all already settled there waiting for Gustafer to get started. It was both awesome and freaky. I think Gustafer's visual aids drew them in.



Morgan Taylor, the man behind Gustafer, did a great job engaging the kids, who were absolutely riveted for his entire 45 minute set.



It was such a treat to have Morgan, his awesome wife, Rachel, and their adorable son, Harvey, in attendance. How awesome is it that a young family gets to make a living making good music? And go on tour?



The Yazoo Shakes closed out the Romp with their high energy performance. I loved seeing three women in one band, playing horns and strings. They were super fun.





And check this out--the kids stuck their heads under the quilt curtain in order to get a better look at the drummer!



When all the music stopped and the 500+ people who came to rock said goodbye, the hardworking, all volunteer staff of Memphis Rock-n-Romp stayed another 45 minutes to clean up. We asked people to recycle their Central BBQ cups, which they did a great job of, but we unexpectedly had a lot of bottles and cans too, which ended up in the trash. Check out our commitment to recycling! Sadly, this isn't an uncommon scene after the show--us digging through the trash. Hopefully next year we can devise a better system.



A final thank you to everyone who made this show so incredible! We could not have done it without the enthusiastic support of the Center City Commission and the generous donations from Central BBQ, The Hunt Phelan, Whole Foods, Bluefin, and The Rendezvous. And an extra special thank you to all of our volunteers!

Allen Elliotte was our substitute photographer and is responsible for all of the lovely photos you see here. View the whole set here. Add yours to our Rock-n-Romp Memphis Flickr pool.

We have a really exciting 2010 season coming up, so stay tuned for details. Our first show will be April 24th at the Dixon Gallery & Gardens. Mark your calendars!