Local Rock school Students gives performace

The young people from the Big Sandy Rock School played a show at Pep's on Friday evening. The students were divided into two groups based on age groups and played a mix of covers and original music. Chris Myers, who runs the school, explained that the show was one of two public performances they do every year. "I split the Rock School into two different sessions or semesters. Normally, I would try to get this done before Christmas for this winter semester, but everything kind of got pushed back because of cold weather, Josh's availability, and my availability. This is kind of our winter showcase..." He went on to explain that there will be another public performance in the spring. The main goal is to "...showcase what the kids have been working on."

The Rock School was followed on stage by the Lucky Valentines and the Odd Fellows. "I like to round out the shows, because they (the students) have limited material. So I like to bring in some other acts to be able to kind of round it out and make it a full evening of music."

The show opened with 6 grade-school-age students who performed mainly cover songs. Chris pointed out that the students were far more comfortable playing live than in past years. He also praised the individual above-and-beyond type effort of several of the younger students. "Lexi Jones, one of the grade school students, certainly goes and puts in extra effort. She's really come a long way. Same with Liam Simpson. You know they're really working to get better."

I spoke with Lexi, who explained that this was her second show with the school. Her favorite instrument is the drums, though mainly because it was the newest one she's taken on. She went on to explain that, "The best part is being together as a band and learning how to communicate with each other without talking."

I also checked in with Henry Merrill and Levon Myers, who were hanging out waiting for the show to start. The pair explained that they both rotated instruments for different songs. Both play drums, guitar, keyboard, and bass at different times during the show. Both boys identify "Can I Kick It" and "Start Me Up" as their favorite songs to play in the set of seven songs they would be performing.

The older group Rock School pupils includes 2 young men: Austin Hagen and Matthew Bendig. Whereas the younger students did cover songs, the older boys took the opportunity to present their own original music. Austin explained, "Matthew has got two of his own songs and I turn around and play three of my own." Austin explained that he was proud of the improvement in his songwriting ability during his time with the Rock School. "This year, I think I'm a lot more confident than last year. Last year, I didn't really like my songs. But I got my three songs this year tied down and they are a lot tighter."

Matthew was enthusiastic talking about the opportunity to perform at Pep's that evening: "It's gonna be really fun. We've been prepping for a while. It's going to be great. Austin's got three songs. I've got two. It's just been really fun to actually be able to get out and play my music, instead of just working on it on my own, and then just in the studio." Matthew played guitar throughout the set, switching between rhythm and lead. Austin also played the guitar, but switched to drums during some of the tunes.

Chris Myers explained that the real joy of the evening, for him, was getting to see the kids on stage. "It's fun being a part of that, watching them progress, not just as musicians but as people. Watching them grow up a little bit and become more confident in their abilities. It's a really great experience. It kind of makes me wish I would have maybe thought a little bit more about music education when I was younger." He went on to talk about how his father and Rusty Danreuther had invested time into him as a young musician. "It's a way to pass that on to the next generation. And help them acquire some of those skills. It's super rewarding and a great experience to be a part of that."

Chris also expressed gratitude to Josh and Pep's for supporting the school and providing space for the kids to play. "Josh and the entire staff are great. They've always been super supportive of music in the community and especially us... It's been a really fantastic experience to be able to turn the local bar and grill into a music club for one night. I think it gives the kids a goal to look forward to. You've got to buckle down and get the songs figured out, because we're going to play them in front of people, versus just coming to a class and never be able to show off what you're learning or how you're progressing. Josh has always been very supportive of doing this."

Young people can join the Rock School by reaching out to him or his father, Larry at AgriPrarie Insurance. They can also show up for the sessions at the Odd Fellows building on Main Street. The High School students meet at 5:30 on Monday evenings. Grade School kids practice on Thursdays at 5:30.