Summerfest Partners With National School Of Rock Program To Bring Aspiring Musicians From Around The Country To Summerfest

MILWAUKEE, June 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Every aspiring musician's dream is to perform live on a huge stage in front of thousands of people. Better yet, at a music festival that brings together the industry's hottest stars. This summer, School of Rock, the national leader in performance-based music education, is giving hundreds of students a chance to play their hearts out on stage in Milwaukee at what is recognized as "The World's Largest Music Festival." Young musicians from around the country will have their chance to shine by competing in a School of Rock "Battle of the Bands" at Summerfest.

Thirty (30) bands comprised of over 200 student performers will compete in the GEMBA competition at Summerfest on June 29 and 30. The School of Rock student performers that will descend on Summerfest hail from fifteen (15) states including Texas, Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Tennessee, Florida, Nebraska, California, Oregon, Washington, Ohio, Kansas and Delaware. They will be joined by over 300 friends and family members to cheer them on as they compete for the top honor.

"These School of Rock students will be coming from 21 markets in the U.S. and are extremely talented artists," said John Boler, Chief Marketing Officer at Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. "We are thrilled to give them the opportunity to showcase their skills on Summerfest's major concert stages to a diverse set of music fans."

The performances will be judged by well-known musicians; tentatively scheduled are Slim Jim Phantom (The Stray Cats), Earl Slick (David Bowie), Jim Peterik (Survivor, Ides of March), Bruce Kulick (Kiss), Metal Mike (Rob Halford), Eric Bloom (Blue Oyster Cult), Nathan Willett and Matt Maust (Cold War Kids). The competition will take place on Saturday, June 29 and Sunday, June 30th at the Harley-Davidson Roadhouse, Uline Warehouse, and U.S. Cellular Connection Stage. The top bands will then battle in the finals at the BMO Harris Pavilion on Sunday, June 30.

"It is wonderful to be able to offer our students the most inspirational experiences in performance-based music education, and we are honored to be partnering with Summerfest to make this "Battle of the Bands" a reality," said School of Rock CEO, Chris Catalano. "I am looking forward to the excitement and energy our students will bring to these wonderful stages."

The competition will give students the opportunity to show off their skills for a chance to be named the best band in the land in front of thousands of concert-goers. School of Rock creates a supportive and motivating environment that inspires its' students to rock on stage and in life. By hosting the "Battle of the Bands" event called GEMBA, a Japanese word for the "real place," students will have the ability to share their talents with a real live festival audience.  

Visit Summerfest.com and download the mobile app presented by Boston Store for iOS and Android to make your own custom Summerfest lineup including the School of Rock performances!

About Summerfest

Summerfest 2013 will take place June 26 - 30 and July 2 - 7, from noon until midnight and will be closed Monday, July 1. Following its 1968 debut, Summerfest has evolved into what is now recognized as "The World's Largest Music Festival" and Milwaukee's cornerstone summer celebration, bringing the music industry's hottest stars, emerging talent and local favorites along with approximately 900,000 people from Milwaukee and around the world together each year for an unforgettable live music experience. During the festival, the spotlight shines on over 800 acts, over 1,000 performances, 11 stages, delectable food and beverages and interactive activities, all in a world-class festival setting. Patrons can also enjoy Miller Lite, the Official Beer of Summerfest. For more details, visit Summerfest.com, Facebook.com/summerfest or Twitter: @Summerfest.

About School of Rock

School of Rock is an ingenious concept that gets kids and adults rocking out and performing with their peers. With more than 100 locations in seven countries, the franchise proves that rock & roll is alive and kickin'. For more information about the franchise opportunity, please visit http://franchising.schoolofrock.com/.  

Media Contacts:

Lauren Barbian, Fishman PR & Marketing, 847-945-1300 x270, [email protected]

Jess Meiller, Summerfest, 414-273-2680, [email protected]

SOURCE School of Rock