‘It feels like magic’ | Rock & Roll Institute campers will get to play the Hard Rock Live in Rockford
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Brody Phillips had only been playing bass guitar for a few weeks when he joined the Rock & Roll Institute for a pair of sessions this summer. Now, the 15-year-old budding musician will get the chance to perform on a stage that is normally reserved for bands that have built their following for years.
Phillips, of Rockton, is among the Rock & Roll Institute campers that will culminate their upcoming winter session with a concert inside Hard Rock Live’s 1,600-seat venue. The nonprofit music education program boasts the motto of “start a band on Monday, play a show on Friday.” For the winter session that show will happen at 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 2 at Hard Rock, 7801 E. State St.
“It feels like magic. I’m not even supposed to be here,” Phillips said Thursday after an event announcing the partnership between Hard Rock and the Rock & Roll Institute. “Being on the stage and having all these people watching and appreciating you — and actually listening to what you have to say — for lack of a better word, it’s amazing.”
The institute is a nonprofit that helps campers ages 12 to 20 improve their skills and learn to express themselves through music. The organization was founded 21 years ago, and this will be the biggest venue its campers have played. It previously used the Sinnissippi Music Shell, Keith Country Day School and most recently District Bar & Grill. But the nonprofit was selling out shows at District with hundreds of people, and it needed more space for the friends, family and supporters that show up to watch campers perform, said Christina Valdez, president of the Rock & Roll Institute.
“This is huge. We’re talking about a stage that Billy Bob Thorton has stood on. We’re talking about a stage that Rick Nielsen has stood on,” Valdez said. “This is big time for these kids. For some of them this might be one of the few opportunities they have to do something like this.”
The weeklong camp coincides with winter break for students. Valdez said that the partnership with Hard Rock is giving campers’ dreams room to grow.
“Together, our young artists will rehearse, perform and learn the business of music in a world-class venue right here in Rockford, surrounded by the very spirit of rock and roll,” she said. “Imagine our students standing on a stage they have only dreamed of, their guitars feeding into the sound system, their songs echoing through the walls. That’s more than a venue change — it’s a statement. It says to every kid with a dream: You belong here.”
The partnership was announced Thursday at an event at Hard Rock Live with the Rockford Area Arts Council and Winnebago County Board Chairman Joe Chiarelli, as well as Hard Rock staff and Rock & Roll Institute campers and teachers.
“I’ve always dreamed of performing on a big stage, just looking out into the crowd and them looking back on me. It’s super heartwarming,” said Ollie Walker, 14, who plays electric guitar. “Although it’s slightly stressful, it’s way more fun. It’s so fun to play something you know and love, and just see other people sharing that inspiration.”
Walker has been involved with the institute for a few years now, and she said it was a great place for a beginner to learn the craft without judgement.
“When I first started I knew little to nothing about guitar,” she said. “I was never judged for not knowing what the right note was. I was never judged for doing anything wrong. Everyone was so thoughtful and they genuinely care about you. … You can make a family in seconds here. It’s awesome.”
Phillips said campers quickly bond and lift each other up.
“Everyone is always building up each other in ways that are inspiring,” he said. “Whenever I started Rock & Roll Institute, I had been playing bass for about a week, maybe a little under. I left with so much knowledge from that. It’s amazing for beginners.”
Chiarelli grew up around music thanks to his father, the late Vince Chiarelli, who ran Vincent Records and Vincent Chiarelli Music Publishing Company. Chiarelli said he would have loved to have this opportunity when he was a youth learning music.
“Who wouldn’t want to play rock and roll on this stage,” Chiarelli said. “You guys have the opportunity of your life. Winnebago County is the opportunity county, and Hard Rock is making this a reality for your opportunity.”
Aidan Alexander, 19, has been with the institute for several years now. The Belvidere resident’s main instrument is drums, but he also plays guitar, bagpipes, banjo, harmonica and saxophone.
“My hope is to be in the next big rock and roll band. The next big thing. I want to do anything it takes to get to that spot,” he said. “Ever since I was a kid I always wanted to do music. It was my thing, I never wanted to do anything else.”
Alexander, who drew inspiration from his piano playing grandmother, said music is a way to escape the issues of the world and focus on what makes you happy. He’s looking forward to the chance to perform at Hard Rock.
“I’m ready to get some people on their feet to be rocking,” he said.
Sign up | Rock & Roll Institute
Go to rocknrollinstitute.com to learn more information and sign up for the winter camp, which runs Dec. 29-Jan. 2.
You can contact the institute at info@rocknrollinstitute.com or 815-206-8557.
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas
