School of Rock Kids to Celebrate Woodstock 40th Anniversary

July 24, 2009 - PRLog -- 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 Minneapolis 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.

“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 FREE outdoor concert by the Minnehaha Falls in Minnehaha Park, Minneapolis
·   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)
·   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)
·   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)
·   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.
·   Lehigh Valley, PA-Riverside Amphitheater and Lehigh Valley Zoo (8/15-16/2009)
·   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)
·   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)
·   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)
·   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)
·   Outdoor concert featuring at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor Amphitheater featuring
house band, Woodstock Summer Campers, and guest musicians
·   Portland, OR-Oaks Park Amusement Park (8/15/2009)
·   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)
·   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)
·   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)
·   An outdoor tribute concert by the Rochester and St. Clair Shores Schools
·   Miami, FL-Coconut Grove’s Peacock Park (8/15/2009)
·   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)
·   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)
·   The San Francisco and San Mateo schools will participate in a week-long
festival on the Peninsula.
·   Long Valley, NJ-Local Park Tents (8/15/2009)
·   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

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The School of Rock is the premier performance-based after school music program for kids 8 - 18 years old. The curriculum consists of individual lessons, group rehearsals and live concerts in rock venues. Founded in 1998, there now 55+ schools in the U.S.