Louisville School of Rock NEWS

Courier-Journal Article About LSOR Student and Cancer Survivor Sean Banks

randav@bellsouth.net (Randy Davidson) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 18:10:00 +0000

Here's an article written by Ron Cooper for the Courier-Journal, about LSOR student Sean Banks, and the Rockin' For Kids concert.

About 10 years ago, Kosair Children's Hospital in Louisville helped Sean Banks beat cancer when he had only a 10 percent chance of survival.
Now Sean, a sophomore at Clarksville High School, is healthy and giving back to the hospital.
Kosair's Rockin' for Kids fundraiser on March 15 will feature Sean, 16, and his band, Two Til Midnight, as the headline entertainers. The event will benefit the hospital's music-therapy program.
"I feel almost obligated to the people who helped me in my darkest hour," said Sean, the band's drummer and lyricist. "I'm glad that I have some way to give back to Kosair."
Lynnie Meyer, executive director of the Kosair Children's Hospital Foundation, which is sponsoring the event, praised Sean's willingness to help.
"He cares so much and is committed so much to our mission," Meyer said. "He's an incredible young man."
Tina Bennett, the principal at Clarksville High, said Sean seems wise beyond his years.
"He has a positive aura about him, a very positive outlook on life," Bennett said.
Sean's mother, Kelly Banks, said that when he was stricken with cancer at age 3, he was determined to live life to the fullest — even when chemotherapy treatments sickened him.
"Sean told us, 'God told me that he's going to take away the cancer and not to be scared,' " she recalled him saying at that tender age. "He was bound and determined to beat cancer — and he did."
Sean spent six weeks as a patient at Kosair and then more than two years as an outpatient. He said that he was treated as a normal kid, not as a kid with a life-threatening disease. He'd ride his tricycle down the hallways between treatments.
"Kosair is almost like a second home to me," he said.
Sean's band is practicing at the Louisville School of Rock to prepare for Rockin' for Kids. School instructor Jeremy Reddick, who has worked with Sean since he was 10, said he's very impressed with the Clarksville youth.
"Sean's magnetic," Reddick said. "Once you put him on the stage, he's a golden boy. You can't help think that he's amazing."
Two Til Midnight will perform, among other songs, one that Sean wrote to recount his experiences conquering cancer. It's entitled "Subzero" and goes in part:
There are few who have the will to overcome
There are few who can make themselves run
The game is still on the line, don't give up now
We can make it to the end and achieve victory
Sean is grateful that he can pursue a career in music, and he said his long-term goal is to teach music to high school and college students and perform.
"I got a second chance," he said. "I think that's pretty amazing."
If you go
Rockin' for Kids
Where: Louisville Slugger Field, 401 E. Main St.
When: 2 to 6 p.m. March 15
Admission: $5
Information: (502) 629-8060
Donations: www.firstgiving.com/seanbanks

Bearno's By the Bridge Hosts Louisville School of Rock

randav@bellsouth.net (Randy Davidson) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:19:00 +0000

For those of us at the Louisville School of Rock, Bearno's By the Bridge has become like a second home. Located in downtown Louisville at 2nd and Main, Bearno's was the site of another great LSOR show and recital on Sunday December 14. A special thanks to the management and staff of Bearno's By the Bridge for hosting our Sunday shows this year... it's been a blast!
Our show on the 14th, featured scheduled performances by Third Void, Sam Feinstein, Spencer Hoskins, Matthew Held, and Parker Smith, and of course our own virtuoso, Jeremy Reddick , supporting LSOR students on guitar and drums.
Also rockin' out were The Black Flames, The Raging Rabid Monkeys, That Band, August Johnson, Sticks and Stones, Ground Zero, Audiophilia, Ragnarok, and Two Til Midnight.
New bands are forming for 2009. And our Performance Choir is now learning selections from the hit Broadway show, "Wicked". Call the Louisville School of Rock for more information about how YOU can be a part of the fun and excitement! Phone 266-5552.

Get back to ROCKIN' with the Weekend Warriors program at the Louisville School of Rock

randav@bellsouth.net (Randy Davidson) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 22:13:00 +0000

Okay, so you used to play in a band years ago, but you had to give it up for various reasons- family, job, etc. Well, it's never too late to get back into music. The Weekend Warriors program at the Louisville School of Rock is the perfect way to plug back in!
If you really miss playing music with other people, then join our Weekend Warriors at the LSOR. Many Warriors are in their 40's, and 50's, played in bands once upon a time, and are now having the time of their lives gettin' back in the groove!
As a Weekend Warrior, you'll be playing with musicians of a similar talent level and musical interests. The program is great fun and takes way all the hassles of organizing rehearsals and gigs. So, whether your instrument is guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, a vocalist, or whatever- the thrill of playing music with others is BACK! Join the Weekend Warriors program at the Louisville School of Rock at 2303 Watterson Trail. For more information, call (502) 266-5552.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS- Members of LSOR band WHAT'S UP Meet Joan Jett at Kentucky State Fair

randav@bellsouth.net (Randy Davidson) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:04:00 +0000

A recollection of a star-struck Joan Jett fan, who, by the amazing-ness of her bandmates and their family, got front-row seats and backstage passes to the Joan Jett concert at the Kentucky State Fair 2008:
The opening act was great, although a little strange. The band’s name was Spanky 9 or something like that, and they combined jazz and rock music. But the only reason I’m describing them is because after their third song, the security guys took us backstage. It was this little enclosure with its first side (if you can believe it) the back of the stage, and the other three trailers as the other sides. We met a couple of the managers, and stood in our little group, apart from the other people with backstage passes.
The agent, or whoever he was, was telling us that in a couple of seconds, he would “bring her out.” That struck me as odd because he talked about “bringing” her out like she was a prize puppy, or something. Anyway, he went inside one of the trailers and came out with Joan Jett following. She had her back turned towards me, so I didn’t really realize it was her until a hushed silence came over the group, and not even then until I recognized her black-on-black clothes.
She went over to some other group before she came to us, so Clare Hagan and I started singing “I Love Rock n’ Roll” while she played the shiny white guitar (I forget the brand) Leigh Ann had given us for her to sign. After a couple of minutes, she made our way over to us. It was the first time I’d met any celebrity, let alone somebody who performed on stage for thousands of people regularly, so I was kind of surprised at the amount of makeup she wore. But experience led me to realize almost right away that she would look amazing on stage. And she did.
We introduced each other, and made it clear that we (Clare, her sister Elise, and I) were in a band together, and she asked what we played. I think she meant what songs, but I stupidly pointed to Elise, Clare, and myself and rattled off, "“Bass, Lead Guitar, and Rhythm.” She then asked what songs we played, and we said, “I Love Rock n’ Roll” and “Because I’m Awesome,” which is a song by a band on Joan Jett’s record label, the Dollyrots.
So basically, that was our glorious meeting with Joan Jett. As we had anticipated, she did look awesome on stage, and she sounded great as well. I really liked her because usually, when you’ve been playing for twenty-five years or so, you don’t really put out a lot of new music. But the songs she played off her new Sinner album were just as good as classics like “I Hate Myself for Loving You” and “I Love Rock n’ Roll.” Her stage presence was great, and if she made any mistakes, you didn’t know about them.

The Rock Keeps Rollin' at the Louisville School of Rock

randav@bellsouth.net (Randy Davidson) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:08:00 +0000

Wow...what a summer its been here at the Louisville School of Rock- concerts, new teachers,new classes,new friends, new EXCITEMENT! And now we're gearing up for full slate of performances in September, featuring our bands performing all over the Louisville area.
And speaking of excitement, we were thrilled and honored to be back stage at the Joan Jett and Blackhearts concert at the Kentucky State Fair. Pictured with Joan Jett, are members of "What's Up", one our all-female bands here at the Louisville School of Rock. The girls are still on cloud nine after meeting the legendary rocker, Ms. Jett!!
Be sure and check the official LSOR website for more detailed info about Louisville's most innovative school of music instruction. Click here.

LSOR News AUDIO GREETING

randav@bellsouth.net (Randy Davidson) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 20:21:00 +0000

Please Click the arrow on the audio player below for a message from your friends at the Louisville School of Rock

The Louisville School of Rock SCHOOL HOUSE is GROWIN'!

randav@bellsouth.net (Randy Davidson) — Tue, 27 May 2008 20:45:00 +0000

We're growing...expanding...ROCKING! The Louisville School of Rock is getting more space for our student bands to rehearse and perform. We're moving upstairs to the main floor, so that will give us two entire floors of space with more practice studios and space for private music lessons.
We'll have a new, comfortable lobby for parents, a new front desk, a performance stage, and much, much more. Work is already underway, so check back often for news about our OPEN HOUSE.
Come grow with us! Enroll your child in the Louisville School of Rock program for music lessons and/or to play in a band. OR, if you're an adult who once played in a band, and you would like to get back to playing music with others, then ask about our "Weekend Warriors" program.
The Louisville School of Rock is growing. Watch for our new, improved school house to be rockin' soon!

School of Rock bands ROCK Bowman Field!!!

randav@bellsouth.net (Randy Davidson) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:56:00 +0000

Our two girl bands, "What's Up", and "Valorious" rocked out at Bowman Field on Saturday April 19, performing after the annual March of Dimes Walk-A-Thon. Even though the weather was cool, our girls served up some hot rock and roll for the walkers as they completed the event!
Also, look for "What's Up" again Wednesday of Derby Week at the Water Tower Boat Race Party on River Road at Zorn Avenue. They'll be performing along with "Road Rage", "Ground Zero", and "Whiplash".
The Louisville School of Rock is rockin' Louisville all Spring and Summer. Check back often for schedules of where we'll be next! And for more info about the Louisville School of Rock, click on the link to the official website over in the right hand column of this page.

Keep Rockin'!,
Your friends at the LSOR.

Louisville School of Rock ROCKS THE BLOCK!

randav@bellsouth.net (Randy Davidson) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 01:09:00 +0000

Bands from the Louisville School of Rock rocked City Block on Sunday March 16th. Performing inside Coyote's, one of the clubs at the City Block entertainment complex in downtown Louisville, the bands Road Rage, MOR, Valorious, and The Summers played for the benefit of the Music Therapy Program at Kosair Children's Hospital.
It was a great afternoon of fun and music, and the crowd was wowed by the talent of our four young bands who all played like seasoned professionals.
The Louisville School of Rock was honored and proud to participate in this benefit show for a great cause. Thanks to all who came out and made it happen. Special thanks to Janet Summers, the mom of the talented Summers band, for her organizational efforts in helping put this event together.

Weekend WARRIORS are JAMMIN'! at LSOR

randav@bellsouth.net (Randy Davidson) — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 15:38:00 +0000

Attention all you weekend warriors: The Louisville School of Rock invites YOU to JAM! If you're over 18 and want to get your groove on, then drop by and jam with us on Monday nights from 8 'til 9, Saturday afternoons from 4:30 to 5, or Wednesdays from Noon 'til 1 p.m.
Any instrument or voice welcome. We'll have a coach on hand to arrange things with charts, tabs, lyrics. Just plug into OUR amps, use our drums, mics, etc. It's only $10 per session, and it's a great way to meet new friends, make new connections, and have an all-around good time!
Whatever your instrument- guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, vocals, harmonica, or you can bring your horn and jam with like-minded souls who like to play rock, pop, country, blues, R&B...we've got the right beat for everyone!
So, come join us for the Weekend Warrior jam sessions presented by the Louisville School of Rock at 2303 Watterson Trail. (the "round" building with the copper roof) For more information call 266-5552.