At Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp, amateur musicians jam with their idols
Gene Simmons, left, and Bruce Kulick of KISS, right, coach a camper at a Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp in Las Vegas. Credit: Rockcamp.com
Long Island veterinarian Evan Blonder recently strapped on his guitar and rocked The Cutting Room in Manhattan with Rolling Stones bassist Darryl Jones.
His band, The AlphaKatz, “was really dialed into the music,” said Blonder, 61, who owns East Village Green Animal Hospital in Levittown and lives in Great Neck. “We were holding our own.”
Blonder sang and played with a band assembled as part of Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy Camp, four-day sessions that give amateur musicians the opportunity to learn from rock star “counselors.”
“They do master classes and jam rooms in person,” said the camp’s founder, David Fishof. “They perform each day with a different rock star, with a headliner.”
Camps have been held in Los Angeles, New York City, Las Vegas, Nashville, Florida, The Bahamas and the United Kingdom. A Long Island version is planned, for kids aged 11 to 17, next summer.
Recent guests have included Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and bassist Michael Anthony of Van Halen. Upcoming camps will feature The Police’s Stewart Copeland and Green Day’s Mike Dirnt.
“You grew up with posters of them on the walls,” said the camp’s musical director, Vixen lead guitarist Britt Lightning. “Now you’re in the same room playing these songs with the people who wrote and recorded them.”
Evan Blonder, left, with Rolling Stones bassist Darryl Jones during a Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp in July 2023. Credit: Rockcamp.com
Fishof said he started the camp 28 years ago after managing the Monkees and Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band.
“I realized how much fun we were having on the road with these rockers,” he said. “I said, ‘What if I can give this experience to a fan? They can live like a rock star for four days.’ ”
Fishof said about 6,000 people have attended the sessions, which typically include 60 to 70 campers. Women-only programs and junior camps are also available. Musicians are matched in bands based on their ability, from beginner to advanced.
In addition to Jones, Blonder said he also loved performing with and learning from guitarist and keyboard player Jimmy Vivino, who led the house band for the TBS late-night show “Conan” and is part of the Beatles tribute band The Fab Faux. He hopes to return for another camp session, this time with members of The Police in Los Angeles.
A junior rocker with Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Credit: Rockcamp.com
“I said, ‘Let’s get back together, go . . . to LA,’ ” he said of his band. “And we’ll play some Police music.”
COST
Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp rates start at $2,999 for the junior program, open to kids aged 11 to 17. Adult packages range in cost from $4,999 to $5,500.
MASTER CLASSES
Campers can attend classes on topics such as:
How to become a working musician
Rock and roll fashion
Stage presence
WHERE TO STAY
The camps are held in cities around the country. Discounted rates at local four-star hotels are offered, though participants are not required to stay there. The rock star counselors and guest stars stay at the same hotel, meaning campers “might run into them at the bar or in the lobby,” the camp said on its website.
LEARN MORE
For more information about Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp or to sign up, visit rockcamp.com.
“Rock Camp,” a documentary about the program, is available on Amazon Prime: bit.ly/3T0c8lY.
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