EAST LANSING, Mich. --  After summer camp and six weeks of practice during the fall semester, Michigan State University Community Music School students capped off School of Rock with a live performance at the Small Planet on Chandler Road in East Lansing.

On Oct. 23, four student bands consisting of Lansing-area teens performed alongside the Outer Vibe, the advising band for CMS School of Rock. Also featured that night were local bands Catalina Wine Mixer and Res Publica.

During the concert, each student band was able to play for a live crowd and experience what it's like to be a rock star, which ultimately is the goal of many of the School of Rock students according to band members of The Knock Outs.

School of Rock began as a student camp for area teens last summer, taught by members of the Outer Vibe. Because of its success, band members again offered the program for six weeks during the fall semester, and plan to continue School of Rock in the spring. From School of Rock, four student bands were born: Long After Dark, Broken Silence, Sit Down & Dance and The Knock Outs.

"We have four bands: 24 students, six students per band," said Lisa Kacos, a member of the Outer Vibe and co-director of School of Rock. "While some bands are practicing, the other bands are learning about things like songwriting, marketing their band, promotion and what do to for a show because they're selling tickets to the show.
 
"They're learning everything about being a band, not just writing songs, not just playing music. That's a big part of it but it's not everything."

Most of the students would not have met if it weren't for the School of Rock. Courtney Myers, member of the student band, Long After Dark, said her group met during the summer session and continued to meet in the fall. Myers, along with other members of her band, hopes to continue playing together and to return to School of Rock in future sessions.

For more information about School of Rock spring semester sessions, visit www.cms.msu.edu after Nov. 9, e-mail commusic@msu.edu or call (517) 355-7661.

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