Kids rockin' at musical camp
Youngsters write, play, sing on Hi-Tone stage
By Jody Callahan
Monday, June 18, 2012
The merchandise table held the first clue that this wasn't your typical rock show: They were selling baby clothes.
Then the first band took the stage, and there was the second clue: None of the performers was even out of middle school yet.
This was Rock 'N' Romp Camp, the culmination of a weeklong immersion in performing music for 50 area kids.
Sunday afternoon at Midtown's Hi-Tone Cafe, eight bands filled with young boys and girls got on stage to perform one song each.
They'd spent each morning of the previous week learning the rudiments of singing and playing guitar, bass, keyboards and drums.
In the afternoon, they grouped into bands to write and rehearse the songs they would perform.
And they clearly had a terrific time doing it, if the band names were anything to go by: Elvis Pretzels, Disco Dancing Demons and The Flamin' Skullz.
Or the song titles: "Woman of Mystery," "Metalhed" and "Complete Darkness."
Or the lyrics, like these from the Skullz: "I was found in the alley/Born in a trash can/I live alone/My best friend is the trash man."
"I learned how to play two bass lines in different songs," said 9-year-old Lucy Davis, singer in the Demons. "I learned to play the bass lines in 'Green Onions' and 'Eye of the Tiger.'"
This is the second year of rock camp, sponsored by the local Rock 'N' Romp group. Last year, 45 kids took part. This year, 100 kids from first through eighth grades signed up, necessitating two different weeks of camp.
Tuition for each kid was $200, which was used, in part, to pay local musicians to staff the camp.
The hope is that the kids will have enough fun that they'll keep playing and singing, maybe even forming their own bands in the years to come.
"The kids get a chance to play everything in a rock band," organizer Kate Crowder said. "We saw a giant increase in kids taking drum lessons or guitar lessons from these musicians. And some bands stayed together all year and practiced."
After the performances, organizers and parents cheered mightily as most of the kids walked off the stage with smiles.
Except Janie Matthews, keyboardist in the Elvis Pretzels (she also gave them their name), who was perhaps taking the performance a bit too seriously.
"It was just really awful. I don't know what happened. When I played the ending, no one stopped," the 10-year-old said, still hiding her face several minutes later. "We failed but we tried."
Then there was this from 7-year-old Ruby Elliotte, who rocked a "Hello Kitty" porkpie hat while playing keyboards in the Skullz.
What was the best part of your show, Ruby?
"My keyboard solo."
-- Jody Callahan: (901) 529-6531
Monday, June 18, 2012
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
May 19th Recap
Thanks to Rhodes College for hosting us on Saturday. I don't think we could have asked for a more lovely locale. We'd also like to thank the weather gods for the sunshine!
Give 365 was our show sponsor. We were really proud to partner with Give 365 because of all the great things its members are making possible in our community. The idea is simple. You give $365 – a dollar a day – to make our community better. You pool those daily dollars with others. Then you decide together which organizations you want to receive the money. That’s GiVE 365 in a nutshell. You can join today!
Per usual we had free barbeque and free snacks thanks to our season sponsors, Central BBQ and Whole Foods. We love our sponsors!
And for the first time ever, there was not a huge line for beer. What! We developed a new system using pitchers and it was most effective! We also had tons of volunteers which is always awesome.
As an added bonus, the Memphis Arts Collective came out and led a craft for the kids. They did it out of the kindness of their hearts because they are cool like that.
Once the kids were done with their masterpieces it was like early Father's Day!
The first band to play was Thunderpunch, which as you can see, is comprised of six awesome middle school girls. They were a little rough around the edges but cute as all get out. Give it a few more months and they'll be asked to play school dances all over town.
Second we had The Lion's Science. They were a cosmic blend of 60's pop and 70's psychedelia and fit in perfectly on the bill. Their showmanship and song craft were unique, inspiring and full of fun hooks.
Last but not least was Kaleidophonix. They took Rock-n-Romp to another level by combining crazy masks, hip hop beats and keytars. The kids just loved this fun and interactive trio.
It was another amazing afternoon of music and fun times. Thanks to all 600 of you who came out and made it possible!
Mark your calendars for our next show August 19 (SUNDAY!) at Minglewood Hall from 2-5pm. That's right, no romps in June or July. However, we are doing two weeks of Rock-n-Romp Camp in June. Each week will end with a showcase, and you are all invited to attend. (June 9th at Rozelle Elementary and June 17th at the Hi-Tone.) Also, we still have a few spots for the second week (June 11-15) if you want to sign your kids up! (Click here for more info and the application.)
To see the rest of Saturday's pictures by staff photographer, Chip Chockley, click here. Chip had to leave early, so our awesome volunteer, Allen Elliotte, took pictures too. To see the rest of his photos, click here. Finally, to add your photos to our Flickr pool, click here!
Give 365 was our show sponsor. We were really proud to partner with Give 365 because of all the great things its members are making possible in our community. The idea is simple. You give $365 – a dollar a day – to make our community better. You pool those daily dollars with others. Then you decide together which organizations you want to receive the money. That’s GiVE 365 in a nutshell. You can join today!
Per usual we had free barbeque and free snacks thanks to our season sponsors, Central BBQ and Whole Foods. We love our sponsors!
And for the first time ever, there was not a huge line for beer. What! We developed a new system using pitchers and it was most effective! We also had tons of volunteers which is always awesome.
As an added bonus, the Memphis Arts Collective came out and led a craft for the kids. They did it out of the kindness of their hearts because they are cool like that.
Once the kids were done with their masterpieces it was like early Father's Day!
The first band to play was Thunderpunch, which as you can see, is comprised of six awesome middle school girls. They were a little rough around the edges but cute as all get out. Give it a few more months and they'll be asked to play school dances all over town.
Second we had The Lion's Science. They were a cosmic blend of 60's pop and 70's psychedelia and fit in perfectly on the bill. Their showmanship and song craft were unique, inspiring and full of fun hooks.
Last but not least was Kaleidophonix. They took Rock-n-Romp to another level by combining crazy masks, hip hop beats and keytars. The kids just loved this fun and interactive trio.
It was another amazing afternoon of music and fun times. Thanks to all 600 of you who came out and made it possible!
Mark your calendars for our next show August 19 (SUNDAY!) at Minglewood Hall from 2-5pm. That's right, no romps in June or July. However, we are doing two weeks of Rock-n-Romp Camp in June. Each week will end with a showcase, and you are all invited to attend. (June 9th at Rozelle Elementary and June 17th at the Hi-Tone.) Also, we still have a few spots for the second week (June 11-15) if you want to sign your kids up! (Click here for more info and the application.)
To see the rest of Saturday's pictures by staff photographer, Chip Chockley, click here. Chip had to leave early, so our awesome volunteer, Allen Elliotte, took pictures too. To see the rest of his photos, click here. Finally, to add your photos to our Flickr pool, click here!
Thursday, May 03, 2012
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!
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!
Monday, April 23, 2012
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!
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!
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
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.
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.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
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
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
Monday, December 05, 2011
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.
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.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
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!
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!
Monday, November 07, 2011
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!
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!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
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.
Adults must be accompanied by children. $5 per adult; children are free.
Monday, September 26, 2011
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.
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.
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