May 19th Rock-n-Romp at Rhodes College 2-5pm

Join us at Rhodes College on May 19th from 2-5pm for an afternoon of rocking and romping. We'll have Kaliedophonix, Lions Science, and Thunderpunch.

Please enter the campus through the North Parkway entrance. Park near Buckman Hall. There will be a short walk to Oak Alley where we'll be set up.

As always we will have Central BBQ, snacks from Whole Foods and beer for the adults. As a special treat, Mama D's is bringing free popsicles! Please bring a blanket, a chair, and a SNACK to SHARE.

Rhodes has plenty of shade and grass for the kids to run around on. Air-conditioned restrooms are available in Buckman Hall.

The Memphis Arts Collective will be spearheading a kids' collage craft and representatives from Give 365 will be on hand to talk about their affordable philanthropy program.

Everything is FREE with the $5 donation requested of adults only. Adults must be accompanied by children.

We look forward to seeing you!

Rock-n-Romp Camp 2012

Rock-n-Romp Camp is back! This year there are TWO sessions, June 4-8 and June 11-15 at Rozelle Elementary in Midtown. Camp will run from 8:30am to 5:30pm M-F, plus there will be a showcase Saturday night, June 9, at Rozelle and Sunday afternoon, June 17 at the Hi-Tone Cafe for the second session. The camp is open to boys and girls in grades 1-8. The cost for the week is $200. Kids will be asked to bring a sack lunch, but we will provide snacks.

Click here for the camper application.  (Sorry, you have to print and fill it out by hand, this isn't a fillable .pdf.)  Get it in soon, before we're all full!

Click here for a peek at last year's camp!

April 14th Show Recap

It was a perfect day to kick off the 2012 Season of Rock-n-Romp.  (Our 7th! Dang!)  Temps around 80, breezy, bright and clear.  For the third year in a row, we opened our season at Mud Island.  Thanks to all the Mud Island folks for having us again. Record attendance at this show!

We debuted our new shirts-- American Apparel as always-- catch us at the next show if you'd like one.  All sizes for men, women, children, and we even have onesies!

First up we had Lady Trinity, a teen band with an impressive capacity to rock. The singer did a mean Billie Joe, and threw in some of his own style too.

Next up was a guy who has played in a bazillion great Memphis bands-- Mark Stuart. This time, though, rather than playing bass in a band, he played acoustic guitar and sang solo. Betcha didn't know he could do that, huh?

The last band of the day was Jerusalem and the Starbaskets, with a fun brand of indie fuzz-pop. (Sorry, staff photog Chip Chockley had to leave early, so no pics of these guys. Here's an iPhone pic from Allen Elliotte instead!  Thanks Allen!)

It being Mud Island, you know we had some fun sliding down the big hill:

And frolicking in the water:

And chowing on barbecue and snacks from our awesome sponsors, Central BBQ and Whole Foods:

It was an awesome day, and a great way to kick off the season! Thanks again to Mud Island for having us, and to Central BBQ and Whole Foods for the support.

As usual, thanks a ton to our volunteers for keeping things running smoothly. We couldn't do it without you guys!  Seeya at the next show, May 19th at Rhodes College!

Remember, you are always welcome to bring your own snacks and drinks to supplement the freebies offered at the show since they are in limited supply.

Check out the slideshow of RnR photographer Chip Chockley's pics here.

2012 Season

We are working hard to firm up our season schedule. For those of you who like to plan ahead, this is our tentative schedule:

April 14, Mud Island, 2-5pm

May 19, Rhodes College, 2-5pm

August 19 (Sunday), Minglewood, 2-5pm

September 29, Mid-South Corn Maze, 2-5pm

November 3, Overton Park, 2-5pm

December 8, Bridges, 2-5pm

December 3rd Recap

On Saturday, we held our last show of the 2011 season. It's been an amazing year for Rock-n-Romp!

We were back at 409 S. Main, which is one of our favorite indoor spots. This show, like our past holiday shows, was sponsored by Downtown Memphis Commission. (There wasn't a holiday parade to coincide with our show this year, but do check out DMC's Howliday Pet and Kids Parade next Saturday, 12/10. Should be lots of fun!)

The weather was so nice, we totally could have been outside! Some of our rambunctious boys made the most of our "stay on the sidewalk" rule.



The BEST thing about 409 S. Main is that it was once an art gallery, so it was perfect for our first ever Rock-n-Romp Photo Exhibit!



It was REALLY hard for us to narrow down hundreds of amazing photos to just 31 to display, but we were thrilled with how the show turned out! Thanks a bunch to Sophorn McRae for helping us get the show set up.  We are thinking about doing another exhibit in the next few weeks, so don't fret if you missed your chance to see it.  There are plenty of prints left for sale!  Contact us if you're interested.

Our first performer was Keia Johnson, who was the cutest, sweetest, most energetic performer ever. She brought along a really tight band too.



On the third floor we had movies, hula hoops, and sit-n-spins. Chloe has been practicing her moves all season!



Downstairs we also had a craft for the kids and a lovely spread from Central BBQ and Whole Foods. The kids could make cork reindeer or any crazy cork design of their own.



I don't know if it was the lovely weather, the marathon traffic, or the lack of a holiday parade this year, but it was definitely the smallest December show we've ever had! It was kind of nice though. It had a very cozy vibe, and everyone enjoyed having some room to spread out. This guy even managed a nap! (My youngest slept through the entirety of season two!)



Star & Micey was up second and they really got everyone on their feet. Beautiful harmonies and lots of energy. Even board members were seen dancing!



I think it's safe to say that these guys are popular with the ladies. Ladies of all ages!



I love it when our tweens have fun!



And I REALLY love it when local rock stars have babies and bring them to shows!



These two gals were my favorites of the day. Their moms said they had to get ready together and that a LOT of time went into their outfits.



Last up was Vending Machine, with Robby Grant, one of Rock-n-Romp's founding board members at the helm. I love that he turned his sweater into a Christmas Tree.

Heck, the whole band was festive!



I love Vending Machine's special Christmas songs. You can download them for $5 here! They are sure to make you smile. See?



Another great thing about their set was seeing Robby's son, Five, play along for a song or two. He came up to me after the show and said, "How long have we been doing Rock-n-Romp?" And I replied, "Long enough for you to go from running around to sitting in with the band!"



It was such a lovely afternoon. So nice to see plenty of old and new friends. Thanks as always to our sponsors, Whole Foods and Central BBQ, for keeping our bellies happy while we rock.  Please support these businesses-- they obviously care about the community.  Also thanks again to all our volunteers-- they really keep the shows running smoothly.

And most of all, thanks to YOU guys for coming out. Thanks for a really awesome 2011 season.  Can't wait for next year!

See a slideshow of show photos from staff photog Chip Chockley by clicking here.

December 3rd Rock-n-Romp!

Join us for the last Rock-n-Romp of the year! We are returning to our downtown digs with the cozy family bathrooms :)

We will have our usual free beer, Central BBQ, and snacks from Whole Foods; three awesome bands; and a craft/movie area for the kids. All for a $5 donation per adult! (Children are free. Adults must be accompanied by children.)

AND we are very excited to announce our first ever Rock-n-Romp photo exhibit! Chip Chockley will have the best of the best of his pictures for you to admire and/or purchase! All proceeds will go to Rock-n-Romp!


Remember the St. Jude marathon is the same day, so traffic may be a little backed up. Try heading downtown via Crump to avoid the blocked off streets! There is plenty of on-street parking and nearby lots on South Main.

There is no holiday parade this year, but the Downtown Memphis Commission has plenty for you to do after the show. There will be carolers on the trolleys and lots of pretty lights in Court Square!

Come on out!

November 5th Recap

The weather was absolutely perfect for last Saturday's Romp-- low 70s and sunny. This was RnR's 3rd time at the Levitt Shell, and we always have a great time there.

Arma Secreta played a show for us back when we still fit in backyards-- the 2007 season. This time around, they rocked even harder. They wowed the crowd with their mathematical precision, awesome changes, and memorable riffs.

Next up was the EPIC performance by the Wuvbirds. This is the new band which includes two RnR board members, Kate and Corey Crowder. This was a feast for the eyes and ears, featuring dance performances by 40 kids, costume changes, and props. This band was loads of fun, and Kate especially deserves a hand for organizing and directing the kids, in addition to her normal role of making sweet music.

This lady was simply stunned at the amount of fun happening onstage:

We also had a cool craft table for the kids to make their own Wuvbirds. Thanks to Melissa Farris for making this happen.

Last up was Rising Star Fife & Drum Band, which impressed us all with the simple instrumentation of a bass drum, snare, and a fife (which is a type of flute).

What a fun show!  Thanks to the Shell and to everybody who came out-- you guys never let us down!  Also, special thanks to our volunteers, who really make it happen:  Mary Cashiola, Elizabeth Cawein, Colleen Couch-Smith, Allen Elliotte, Anna Ellis, Melissa Farris, Fred & Cathy Freres, Monika Haynes, Allison Hennie, Corrine Hutchison, Grace Korzekwa, Jenifer Meeks, Anna Mullins, William Pearson, and Joanna & Talyon Swan.  Thanks as always to Central BBQ for their continued support, and to Trolley Stop Market for the delicious pizza.

Check out a slideshow of the photos by RnR photographer Chip Chockley by clicking here.  Feel free to add your own pics to the RnR Flickr pool here.

Next up we've got an awesome downtown holiday show on December 3rd, more details to come.  See you there!

November 5th Rock-n-Romp at the Shell 2-5pm

Join us at the Levitt Shell for another amazing afternoon of music and fun! Arma Secreta, Wuvbirds, and the Rising Star Fife & Drum Band will be playing (in that order) and per usual we will have free beer, Central BBQ, and snacks from Whole Foods. We will also have some big ol' pizzas from the Trolley Stop Market! Supplies are limited so please bring a snack to share as well as a blanket or a chair. Little ones may need earplugs. Speaking of little ones, we will have a craft area set up for them to make some super cool bird puppets.

Adults must be accompanied by children. $5 per adult; children are free.

September 24th Recap

On Saturday we woke up to amazing sunshine and perfect temperatures. Clouds began to gather around 1:00pm and we had a minute of panic, but after a ten minute sprinkling we were back to sunshine and happiness.

Our show was at the Mid-South Maze which I think we can all agree, totally rocks. (My only complaint is that it isn't in Midtown!) While everyone loves the maze itself, it is the jumping pillow that holds the rock-n-rompers attention.

First up were the Vignettes-- a newish band composed of two totally rockin' women.

I loved them and was totally reminded of Sleater-Kinney.

It didn't take them long to win over a hoard of new fans, with this cutie pie clearly sliding into #1 Fan status.

While the Vignettes played, the non-dancing rompers descended upon the Grizzlies inflatables in droves.

A few of us watched in disbelief, and then horror, and then relief as they slowly deflated with a pack of kids inside. No one was hurt, but a handful were shook up. (Another handful was shouting, "Do it again!") Seems there was an issue with overloading the generators. To solve it, the Grizz had to keep one permanently deflated, but the remaining slide still provided hours of fun.

Speaking of generators, YoLo totally saved the day on Saturday. Not only did they give out free yogurt, they helped us power up the stage! Turns out our new, improved set up was a teeny tiny bit too far away from the Maze's power source.

Had it not been for YoLo's generator, I don't think we could have handled having Pezz on stage! Despite the sound issues, they still completely and 100% rocked our faces off.

It was really fun to see our emcee and hardworking board member, Marvin Stockwell, get to show us his rock star side. And check out RnR regular, Graham Burks, on drums!

Pezz clearly had some fans in the crowd too!

Also in case you missed it, all babies are now required to wear awesome hats to Rock-n-Romp.

Speaking of hats, Chip Googe, of Punching Nicholas, put on his solo hat for Saturday's show after the band's lead singer suddenly lost his voice and was unable to play. We really appreciate him stepping up.

Despite the various hiccups that occurred during Saturday's show, I saw plenty of smiles.

A HUGE thank you to our host, the Mid-South Maze, our generous sponsors--Central BBQ, YoLo, Whole Foods, and the Trolley Stop Market, our top notch volunteers, and our fun loving participants for a great afternoon! We hope to see you all at the Levitt Shell on November 5th from 2-5pm. The Wuvbirds, Arma Secreta, and the Rising Star Fife & Drum Band will be performing.

To view all of the pictures by Chip Chockley, our staff photographer, click here. Add yours to our Flickr pool here.

September 24th at the Mid-South Maze, 3-6pm

Come Rock-n-Romp with us at the Mid-South Maze on September 24th from 3-6pm. We'll have Pezz, Punching Nicholas, and the Vignettes 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. PLUS we will have delicious free pizza from the Trolley Stop Market and yogurt compliments of YoLo. (Please be considerate of others when partaking of the free food. We do run out!)



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 you 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 28th Show Recap

It's funny, due to scheduling stuff, we found out a while back that this show would have to be on a Sunday-- not Saturday, as every other show has been for six seasons. At a RnR board meeting, we all wondered if you guys would show up on a Sunday.

Uh, you did.  As in, the biggest turnout we've ever had.

Minglewood Hall turned out to be a fun venue for us-- lots of room, and a really nice stage for the bands.  We had Indie Memphis along for this show.  In between bands, they showed some of the best short films from the Chicago International Children's Film Festival, which the kids really loved.

First up was Side Street Steppers.  These guys showcased their old-timey folk/roots music to the delight of many kids who had never heard their style before.

Next up was Dandelion and the Raindrops, which is the product of Music for Aardvarks mastermind Joe Murphy. We don't feature "kid music" very often, but when we do, we like to it be cool enough to appeal to adults too.  These guys did just that.  Lots of booty shakin'.

Finally, we returned to our rock roots with El Dorado and the Ruckus, who brought the house down. To you folks who left early-- you missed quite a show by those guys.

We also had the kind folks from Grace St. Luke's out to lead the kids in a bunch of cool crafts.

And, we had the cool Yolo truck parked outside, handing out free and delicious yogurt.

Thanks once again to the awesome Central BBQ folks.  Your delicious 'cue always makes Rock-n-Romp a good place to be.  (And happy birthday to barbecue heiress Charlotte, who celebrated her 6th birthday with us at the RnR!)  Also thanks to Whole Foods for keeping us stocked with tasty snacks.

Check out the full slideshow of pics from this show by RnR photographer Chip Chockley by clicking here.

Seeya guys on September 24th at the Midsouth Maze.  Should be a fun show-- last year we all had a blast there.