Vaboomer -- Baby Boomer Views & News

Woodstock for the Next Generation

The Next Generation of Peace and Love

...ENDORSED BY WOODSTOCK VENTURES-
THE PAUL GREEN SCHOOL OF ROCK MUSIC
TO PLAY WOODSTOCK TRIBUTE CONCERTS...
PASSING THE TORCH TO A NEW GENERATION
School of Rock Kids to Celebrate 40th Anniversary
with

40 Coast-to-Coast Events

Commemorations of 40th Anniversary

July 14, 2008 - Forty years after music filled the air at Woodstock, a new generation of musicians is stepping up to pay tribute. In honor of the landmark 40th anniversary of the most famous event in rock history, kids from The Paul Green School of Rock Music are taking the stage at 40 Woodstock tributes in festivals from New York City
to Miami and Chicago to San Diego-all during the anniversary weekend (August 15th).

Officially sanctioned by Woodstock Ventures' Michael Lang, Joel Rosenman and Jennifer Roberts, the 40 concert events will feature local kids from School of Rock branches around the country and will serve to pass the torch to a new generation of rockers, spreading the message of peace, love and rock 'n roll. The School of Rock kids will also be featured in the upcoming 2-hour documentary Woodstock: Now & Then set for broadcast in August on VH1 and The History Channel.

Bringing Woodstock to the Next Generation

"It's really about bringing Woodstock to the next generation," said Woodstock founder Michael Lang. "Roots are important, musical and cultural, and 40 years after the Festival, we're thrilled to have kids from the Paul Green School of Rock join us
as the youngest part of the Anniversary celebration."
School of Rock founder Paul Green expressed his excitement as well, "At the School
of Rock, we believe that music and its enjoyment should not be limited by when it
was created. We are truly honored to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Woodstock,
a monumental musical and cultural event."
In the 40 family-friendly School of Rock Woodstock tribute events, the sounds of
rock 'n roll will ring out across the country-only this time played by fresh-faced
kids decked in tie-dye, long hair and love beads. Highlights include the following
(see bottom of release for details on all shows):
· An 8-hour rock-fest at the National Mall, Washington, D.C.
· An all-day outdoor concert on the streets of the Theatre District, New York
City
· A performance in Cleveland at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Woodstock 40th
Anniversary weekend
· A "green-themed" rock show on the solar-powered stage at Sustainable Waves,
Austin Founded in 1998, the Paul Green School of Rock Music (http://www.schoolofrock.com)was the subject of the documentary Rock School and is often cited as the inspiration
for the Jack Black film, School of Rock. Considered the original and premier
performance-based rock music school, the School of Rock was built on Green's philosophy that the best way to learn to play music is by actually doing it. The School's program supplements weekly private lessons with group band practice in a highly challenging yet supportive environment.

Some highlights of the School of Rock/Woodstock tribute events include:
· Boston, MA-Boston Common, City Hall Plaza (8/15/2009)o The Paul Green School of Rock Boston will perform several sets throughout the day, interspersed with a plethora of local Boston bands at the Center for Arts at
the Armory in Somerville, MA.
· Wilmington, DE; Fort Washington, PA; Buck's County, PA; Downingtown, PA-Bellevue
State Park Band Shell (8/15/2009)
o A tribute show at Bellevue State Park, DE by School of Rock branches from Bucks
County, Ft. Washington, Downingtown and Wilmington.· Chicago, IL-Wells Park (8/15/2009)
o The Chicago SOR show band as well as "baby bands" within the school will perform
covers of Woodstock music. Held in conjunction with the Chicago Park District.
· St. Paul, MN; Eden Prairie, MN-Minnehaha Falls Band Shell (8/15/2009)
o The School of Rock show band Road Crew will perform songs from the actual Woodstock
set list, along with bands from both the schools' summer camps.
· Lehigh Valley, PA-Riverside Amphitheater and Lehigh Valley Zoo (8/15-16/2009)
o Aug 15th - The Easton School of Rock Bank Street Band will play an outdoor
Woodstock Show at the Amphitheater at Riverside Park in Easton, PA.
Aug 16th - The Easton School of Rock Bank Street Band will take part in a
weekend long Hoofstock Woodstock-themed fundraising event at the Lehigh
Valley Zoo in Schnecksville, PA.
· Princeton, NJ-Great Adventure (8/15/2009)
· Kansas City-Knucklehead's (8/15/2009)
o The School of Rock KC House Band will play an all-day outdoor benefit for KKFI-FM, Kansas City's Public Radio Station, along with other established local bands.
· Bergen County, NJ-Mexicali & Bergen Community (8/15/2009)
· Denver, CO- Oaks Park Amusement park (8/15/2009)
o The Regional ALL-STARS from Denver will be joining forces with their rock and
roll comrades from Seattle, Salt Lake and Portland for two weeks of touring,
culminating
in a Woodstock Tribute event on August 15th, at the Oaks Park Amusement park in
Portland, Oregon on the Comcast Main Stage from 3-7pm.
· Charlotte, NC-Symphony Park in Southpark (8/15/2009)
o Our Charlotte show band will play an opening and closing set around a
series of local bands doing a Woodstock tribute at Symphony Park - non profit and
activist booths will be set up throughout festival grounds
· Baltimore, MD-Baltimore's Inner Harbor Amphitheatre (8/15/2009)
o Outdoor concert featuring at Baltimore's Inner Harbor Amphitheater featuring
house band, Woodstock Summer Campers, and guest musicians
· Austin, TX-Sustainable Waves Facility (8/15/2009)
o A tribute concert at the Sustainable Waves grounds
· Portland, OR-Oaks Park Amusement Park (8/15/2009)
o A free outdoor concert on the Comcast stage of Oaks Park amusement park.
· San Diego, CA-Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center (8/15/2009)
o The San Diego branch of SOR teams up with the Kroc Center to create a
mini-Woodstock family-friendly event
· Sandy, UT-The Canyons, Park City, Utah (8/15/2009)
· Westchester, NY-Bedford Memorial Park (8/15/2009)
o A free Woodstock Tribute Concert held outdoors at the Bedford Memorial Park.
· Rochester and St. Claire Shores, MI-Rochester, MI and St. Clair Shores, MI
(8/15/2009)
o An outdoor tribute concert by the Rochester and St. Clair Shores Schools
· Miami, FL-Coconut Grove's Peacock Park (8/15/2009)
o An all-day music festival in Coconut Grove's Peacock Park.
· Cherry Hill, NJ-Barclay Farm Park
· North Palm Beach, FL-Abacoa Band Shell (8/14&15/2009)
o Kids from the School will play along with kids from the summer camp program;
kids from camp will help play on the first night and on the second night will be
kids from the School of Rock program.
· Bay Area, CA- San Francisco and San Mateo at the Peninsula Festival (8/15-23/2009)
o The San Francisco and San Mateo schools will participate in a week-long
festival on the Peninsula.
· Cleveland, OH- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Woodstock 40th Anniversary (8/22/09)
o The Rocky River School of Rock (Cleveland) will be performing as part of the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Woodstock 40th Anniversary Weekend.
· Long Valley, NJ-Local Park Tents (8/15/2009)
o An all day School of Rock cook-out at the Long Valley Public Park, featuring
the Adult SOR & the Street Team performing Woodstock songs.
###
About The Paul Green School of Rock Music
The Paul Green School of Rock Music is the original and premier performance-based
rock music school in the country for kids. Founded on Green's original program
of weekly, individualized instruction sessions augmented by rigorous group rehearsals,
the Paul Green School of Rock has perfected a method that effectively motivates
students to practice. Founded in 1998, the Paul Green School of Rock Music was the
subject of the documentary Rock School and served as the apparent inspiration for
the Jack Black hit comedy, School of Rock. The students from School of Rock have
performed in front of two million people in shows coast to coast, including both
community-based concerts and their national touring group, the School of Rock
All-Stars.
Past venues range from The Whiskey, B.B. King's and Carnegie Hall to festivals such
as Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits and Zappanale. The School of Rock All-Stars
have performed with Alice Cooper, Eddie Vedder, Ann Wilson, Peter Frampton and Perry
Farrell and have served as the back-up touring band for Jon Anderson of Yes. For
further information, please visit: http://www.schoolofrock.com

Mandala Day Concert at Radio City Music Hall on July 18th--Stellar Lineup

If You Are in NYC on July 18th--Celebrate Mandela Day

 

STEVIE WONDER, ALICIA KEYS, WILL.I.AM, T-PAIN, JESSE CLEGG, GLORIA GAYNOR

 AND EMCEE WHOOPI GOLDBERG TO JOIN THE MANDELA DAY CONCERT LINEUP

Additional performers will join Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon, Forest Whitaker, Aretha Franklin, Wyclef Jean, Queen Latifah, Dave Stewart, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, Josh Groban, Angelique Kidjo, Baaba Maal, Jesse McCartney, Zucchero, the Soweto Gospel Choir and a host of African artists to help kick-off the first Mandela Day Celebration

Tickets On Sale Now through Ticketmaster.com

 June 16, 2009 (New York, NY) - 46664 and the Nelson Mandela Foundation today announced that Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Will.i.am, T-Pain, Gloria Gaynor and musician Jesse Clegg will join the lineup of artists performing at the Mandela Day concert celebration on July 18th. Whoopi Goldberg will serve as emcee for the event, which also marks Nelson Mandela's 91st birthday. The concert originally announced for Madison Square Garden will now be held at historic Radio City Music Hall.

(more...)

Presby Gardens i.r.is Riot and Z100's Zootopia '09

Fabulous Flowers and Maniac Music

I've been to two riots recently: one last Saturday with mostly kid appealing pop stars and one this Saturday with soul healing irises. Each had their own appeal.

If you are into Jesse McCartney, Kelly Clarksonor the Black Eyes Peas, last Saturday's Z100's Zootopia 09 was your brain busting choice. If you're into flowers, now is the time for the annual world class iris display at the Presby Iris Gardens http://www.presbyirisgardens.org/

Well, I liked them both. Especially since at the concert,

I got to pretend that I was 14 going along with my 14 year old.

We shrieked, waved our hands in the air and generally behaved like teens--well she is! I was just pretending.
It was a laugh riot.

Back stage in the press room sitting in row two, we saw all these teen idols close up. I put my money on Kelly--who looked like a real person and someone I'd like to get to know.

Hunger and Singing

My kid asked the only thoughtful question at the " press conference"among the typical silly ones--"what is your favorite candy?" --when she speared Soulj Boy for his diamond bling. "With all the poverty and hunger in the current economic climate, why are you spending your money on all those diamonds?" His teen answer was, "I made it, I can spend it how I like". She frowned.

He tried to recover by saying that he is usually in the south at this time hosting a philanthropic event that he sponsers for kids. In stead  he was here in NJ where part of the proceeds of the concert were to go to City Harvest, a feeding program in NYChttp://www.cityharvest.org/. She still thinks his costuming is inappropriate. And he might take heed of the current zeitgeist and remake his image.

Talent and Style

There was no question in my mind that all these performer, others of whom included All-American Rejects, Flo Rider, and Ciara, are really talented. Have their own musical styles--some of which I like and others I don't, and they are packed with energy and drive, and charisma. So there we were, my 14 year old and I, 50 years older than she, jumping and waving along with the screaming arena full of teens.

It is hard to measure the staying power of any of these performers. Jessie McCartney might forge a serious  acting career and Fergie might break out on her own as  a solo artist. I don't see the others lasting for decades.

But then there is Kelly Clarkson, who I had vaguely heard of --the teen natter in the background of my life. Indeed, when one question was asked in the press room shows you where my head is--who are you voting for? I was stumped--what election was being referred to...DUH! They were talking about American Idol!!

Ok, Clarkson is indeed a major talent, seems to be a real person, and reminded me vocally of Joan Armatrading http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Armatrading who has sung across genres and whose somewhat gravely voice sends shivers up and down my spine. Clarkson's transition to more rock gives her a range of vocal expression that is richer and less candy-coated. She has more color in her voice.

And somehow, she was almost the only singer who we could hear. the volume was so LOUD, most of the time that you could not hear the singers. Well, that is the point, I think, you are to experience the effect and not really hear if these people can sing or not--whatever their style. Clarkson can sing.

So all this was heeps of fun and keeps me connected to my kid. And I hope, I didn't embarrass her too much. I'd do it again...but with ear plugs this time.

I Am in an i.r.is State

The beauty of the Presby Iris gardens is in stark contrast to the Zootopia riot. Here the riot is in color and quietude--of one's soul and spirit. The irises bring me and others into an i.r.is state an I am state in tune with the purple fragrance of the flowers, their swaths of rainbow color and the peaceful strolling of hundreds, who stoop periodically to sniff or snap a shot. I just like to sit nearby and look at all the beauty. Takes me into the I.R.Is state. while the concert shook me up, the flowers settle me down--deep down into my core--into an is state where, I r one in isness of the flower hearts.

In China, the iris is the symbol of dancing early summer, hope and valor. Ancient Greeks  associated irises with Juno and power. In France it is the Fleur de Lis and the symbol of royalty. Breathing in and becoming in an Is state with this rainbow riot of flowers, brings in all the power of spring and the valor needed to begin anew. .

I'll take my kid by to look at the irises this spring before it is too late. She can enter my world, as I did hers. Both are renewals of their own kind. And as Martha would say...that 's a good thing.