PJ Olsson's Rock Camp 2010

Video #12 – Third Day – Rehearsals

Todd Brassard — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:42:34 +0000

Video #11 – The Beat with Milt Olsson

Todd Brassard — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:41:33 +0000

Video #09 – Marshall Law on 3 Part Harmony

Todd Brassard — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:20:02 +0000

Video #08 – Motor Boats and Faster Fingers

Todd Brassard — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:18:39 +0000

Video #07 – Meet the Band “Par42″

Todd Brassard — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:17:39 +0000

The Bands On Stage

Ray Bosley — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:46:59 +0000

A slideshow of PJ and the bands putting in some stage time at the Rozsa Center.

Vocal Lessons with Doc Olsson

Ray Bosley — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 01:37:29 +0000

Todd Brassard — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:50:46 +0000

Join us Saturday, August 7th, for the big Rock Camp final show!

Tickets On-Sale Now Here!

Show starts at 7:30PM!

Music from all genres — classic rock — heavy metal — pop — techno — dance music — from Led Zeppelin to Lady Gaga – its all in show!

With performances by — PJ Olsson — Hannah Bethel — Kenny Stall — Rock Camp Dancers and — DJ Rain!

Tickets On-Sale Now Here!

Video #06 – Meet the Bands “Dazed and Confused” and “The Returnables”

Todd Brassard — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:11:36 +0000

Photo: “Marshall Law” demos learning covers…

Ray Bosley — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 01:28:45 +0000

Photos: A few shots from Day 1

Ray Bosley — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 01:08:03 +0000

Video #05 – Meet the “Starlets”

Todd Brassard — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 11:54:25 +0000

Video #04: Meet the Bands “The Adventures of Darrell and Friends” and “The Murdering Promise”

Todd Brassard — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 03:36:52 +0000

My experiences as the new guy…

Kenny Stahl — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 01:44:00 +0000

Hello All,

Kenny Stahl here! I am the new guy to camp this year and I have to say that Day 1 was excellent. I will add that it was also very exhausting. Running from one room to the next every min. solving every issue I was able too, I felt truly like a sound tech.

I would like to personally thank all of the kids who are working with me to solve the problems and get each of the rooms rocking. Throughout the day I also disappeared multiple times for helping the Rozsa sound crew get the back-line set up on stage for our big show on August 7th. So if you can imagine me a 20 year old college student running from room to room (literally) for 8 hours you would have to assume that at the end of the day I was a “Noodle” as PJ would say.

I realized two great things though on Day 1 here at rock camp we have the greatest kids and the greatest helpers. I already feel a warmth in my heart and a feeling of belonging and we have only made it through 10% of the camp!

Last Thought:

This is great, I loved today and cannot wait until tomorrow!

~KS

A few pictures from Day 1:

Video #03: Mike Irish on Rock Camp at Rozsa

Todd Brassard — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 11:53:05 +0000

We ran into Mike Irish practicing in the band room. I asked him what he thought about the Rock Camp kids using the Rozsa Center for the Rock Camp.

Video #02: Rozsa Stage Tour

Todd Brassard — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 03:44:09 +0000

We took a quick tour of the stage on Monday and talked about how we wanted it configured. When asked what gear we wanted on stage, we said “everything”, the entire backline!

Here is a little video of PJ thinking outloud on how the stage is going to be set up for the final show on Saturday, August 7th.

Watch the Video:

Video #01: Rozsa Load-In & Set Up

Todd Brassard — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:41:50 +0000

(above Tim Ryan making short work of transporting an electronic drum kit that was donated to the Rock Camp by Michigan Tech)

The 2010 Rock Camp is getting under way. We spend the day loading our gear into the Rozsa Center and getting the numerous rehearsal rooms and practice spaces set up.

A big thanks to the boys of the Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity, a number of our friends, and a few camp kids and parents for joining in the heavy lifting. Everything is coming together nicely. Let’s get this camp Rocking.

Here are a few shots from our Rozsa load-in and set up….

PJ and Todd visit the Dirkside

Todd Brassard — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:48:19 +0000

PJ and I stopped by The Dirkside morning show at mix 93.5 wkmj to hang with radio personality Dirk Hembroff (also a great vocalist and musician) to talk about the “goings on” at the Rock Camp. Dirk was kind enough to record the show which you can listen to right here, right now.

Click below to listen…

Thanks to Dirk and the mix 93.5 crew for having us on by for a visit!

mix 93.5 wkmj

Press Release – Rozsa Hosts Rock Camp

Todd Brassard — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 03:24:25 +0000

Hancock, July 19, 2010: PJ Olsson’s Rock Camp and the Michigan Tech Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts are pleased to announce that the 2010 Rock Camp will be hosted at the Rozsa Center located on the campus of Michigan Tech.

“What a dream come true to give these kids the opportunity to learn and be inspired, while being surrounded by such a great facility. I am very excited with this collaboration between the Rock Camp and the Rozsa Center to create such a positive message for parents, kids and everyone in our community”, says PJ Olsson, Creative Captain of the Rock Camp.

“Rock Camp? Love it!”, says Susanna Brent, the Director of the Rozsa Center. “We are very excited to be working with community centric programs like PJ’s camp for kids. When it comes to introducing kids to the Arts you have to find what they are passionate about before immersing them in ballet or Shakespeare, you have to reach them genuinely and with no pretense. This program does that. Teaching young artists is essential to our survival and we are thrilled to be a part of a program that is really reaching kids in this way.”

Rock Camp campers will benefit from the band, choir, art and dressing rooms for workshops and rehearsals, enjoy meals and snacks in the mezzanine, and experience creative instruction and demonstrations in the beautiful glass lobby and on the main stage at the Rozsa. “I have always been in love with the lobby of the Rozsa as a beautiful venue for events”, says Todd Brassard, Program Director for the Rock Camp, “and I’m very thankful to the Rozsa Center and Michigan Tech for making this venue available to our campers.”

The Rozsa Center is an important component in our community’s quality of life. The Rozsa offers many events, but—perhaps more importantly —it offers opportunities for participation in arts programs such as the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra, art courses and workshops, theatre productions, Pine Mountain Music Festival and now PJ Olsson’s Rock Camp.” says Milt Olson, former Director of the KSO.

The Rozsa Center was built to provide the University community with a facility that could accommodate a wide range of artistic endeavors. From the most esoteric to the simplest entertainment, the facility was planned to meet the artistic interests and needs of the campus and the community. The Rozsa Center is dedicated to fostering a welcoming atmosphere to challenge minds, celebrate ideas, explore possibilities, and create a memorable experience through the arts.

For more information about the Rozsa Center, PJ Olsson and the Rock Camp visit pjsrockcamp.com.

Rock Camp @ Rozsa Center! Yes!!

Todd Brassard — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 03:09:46 +0000

It’s official! PJ Olsson’s Rock Camp 2010 will be hosted by the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts on the Michigan Technological University Campus.

Imagine two solid weeks of creative immersion in music for the Rock Camp kids in a visually beautiful, excellently-equipped, resource-rich, professional facility. What more could we ask for?

We asked much of Rozsa Director, Susanna Brent, and Rozsa Interim Production Manager, Kalen Larson and they delivered everything from professional gear to rehearsal space to the main stage. The Rock Camp kids will benefit greatly from the use of the band room, choir room, dressing rooms, mezzanine, the glass lobby, the mange stage and many other cool Rozsa spaces that are perfect for creative writing.

Our goal has always been to give our campers a realistic learning experience. Now, with the help of the Rozsa, we’ll be able to give them a real-world production environment as well. This is the real thing.

Finally, having the final show on the stage of the Rozsa is an amazing opportunity. Now all we have to do is figure out how to fill 1,100 seats on Saturday, August 7th.

- Todd