Rock Academy
Rock Academy’s Showband is an advanced touring group of young musicians between the ages of 12 and 18 who have been selected for their musical dedication, showmanship, love of performing, and ability to share the stage with professional musicians as they tour the world.
Sets range from an eclectic mix of rock, punk, high-energy funk, metal, and dance to psychedelic deep cuts. Whether earning a standing ovation from Blondie’s crowd or holding a room on their own, this band delivers a great show that always ends with audiences singing along to their favorite songs from past and present, while raving about the future of rock and roll.
“We’ve had a lot of bands open for us — Nirvana, the Grateful Dead, 10,000 Maniacs — and none of them were as much fun as the Rock Academy.”
— Brian Ritchie, Violent Femmes
ROCK ACADEMY GUEST STARS INCLUDE
Blondie (Opener) ✶ Violent Femmes (Opener & Accompaniment) ✶ Courtney Love (Backing Band) ✶ Jon Anderson (Yes) ✶ Scott Ian (Anthrax) ✶ John Sebastian (The Lovin’ Spoonful) ✶ Donald Fagan (Steely Dan) ✶ Melissa Auf der Maur (Hole) ✶ Aaron Freeman (Ween) ✶ Dr Know (Bad Brains) ✶ Darryl Jenifer (Bad Brains) ✶ Fred Armisen (SNL, Portlandia) ✶ Kate Pierson (The B-52s) ✶ Gail Ann Dorsey (David Bowie, Lenny Kravitz) ✶ Tommy Clufetos (Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne) ✶ Brendon Small (Metalocalypse) ✶ Tracy Bonham ✶ Jerry Marotta (Orleans, Peter Gabriel) ✶ June Millington (Fanny) ✶
“How can my daughter benefit from my work? How do women pass on our stories?”
Melissa Auf der Maur, speaking to a reporter on being inspired to write her memoir after playing with Rock Academy in a 2018 benefit honoring Courtney Love.