San Mateo School of Rock – San Mateo, California

by Beverly Paterson in Concert Reviews

San Mateo School of Rock – The San Mateo County Fair (August 22, 2009)

 When rock and roll reared its raunchy head in the fifties, the majority of folks believed the music was just a fad. But how wrong they were. The beat goes on and on and on. Generation after generation, kids are strapping on guitars, picking up drum sticks, screaming into microphones and forming bands. And that brings us to School of Rock, which was established in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1998. More than a decade later, the school thrives, with operations dotted all over the country now. What the school does is teach kids, ages ranging anywhere from six to eighteen, to needless to say, play rock music. Each student, of course, has different goals, but before embarking on their individual paths, they get together in groups, duly billed School of Rock, and play live. The San Mateo, California institution is clearly doing their job right, as the performance I witnessed was utterly fantastic.

The theme of the gig was Woodstock, and although that’s rather commonplace since the celebration of the festival’s forty year anniversary is everywhere these days, how refreshing it was to see such young kids put their own stamp on selected songs from the event. Remember when we were kids, discovering rock music for the first time and how exciting it was? Well, that’s the kind of enthusiasm the School of Rock students project. Fun was the name of the game, and it was certainly obvious these kids loved what they were doing. They weren’t the least bit nervous or self-conscious. They were very natural, animated and brimming with vim and vigor. The chemistry between the musicians, marked by tight jamming and strong harmonies, was quite amazing. Ten Years After’s “Goin’ Home,” The Band’s “The Weight” and Mountain’s “Max Yasgur’s Farm” were among the tunes offered, along with Jimi Hendrix’s “Fire” and “Purple Haze” and The Who’s “My Generation,” “Pinball Wizard” and “I Can’t Explain.” Rock star moves and grooves were present, but there was absolutely nothing calculated or contrived about these moments of flashiness. The vibe was real and raw. San Mateo School of Rock rocks!