Hardy: What to know about “Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp”
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - FEBRUARY 02: (L-R) Flea, Chad Smith, Anthony Kiedis, and Josh Klinghoffer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers perform during the Pepsi Super Bowl XLVIII Halftime Show at MetLife Stadium on February 2, 2014 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images)
Yesterday morning, we came across an announcement of something called ”Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp.” An advertisement, really. It’s billed as an opportunity to jam with Noodles of The Offspring, Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Nick Hexum of 311. Being at the camp also means you’ll perform live at the Whisky a Go Go in West Hollywood and at the Viper Room. Neat, huh?
Well, it is pretty cool. Especially if you’re a fan of any of the aforementioned “counselors,” or just want to play and sing with some people who really know what they’re doing, and presumably, can teach you how to do it yourself.
But what really happens at this camp? I dove in to rockcamp.com and found out:
1.) IT’S 4 DAYS LONG
The camp takes place from April 18 – 21. Now, that may sound like a too much time to indulge your inner delusional rock star, or not nearly long enough. To me, it sounds just about right. If anything, maybe a day too long.
2.) ALL ARE WELCOME
According to the website, the camp is “open to instrumentalists and vocalists of all skill and experience levels.” They’ll call to get a sense of your chops before camp starts, and even send you list of songs to start practicing.
3.) REALLY – ALL ARE WELCOME
If you can’t or don’t want to play or sing, you can be at a camp as part of the “Groupie package” (I am not making this up). You’ll get access to meet and greets, live performances, and daily lunches and snacks. Just don’t act like the new Band Aids in “Almost Famous” and eat all the steak.
4.) IT AIN’T CHEAP
At first glance, the cost doesn’t look so bad. “$599 deposit holds your spot!” But the actual price? $5599.00. And that doesn’t include the hotel. If you opt for the “Roadie Crew Package” the price drops to $2499.00. Which means you’ll be working for free – minus 2500 bucks.
So, if it’s your lifelong dream to jam with some actual rock and roll stars, go for it. But if I were you, I’d buddy up with Ernie Boch Jr. He’d either pay for both of you to go, or just have the camp at his house.
Nick Gemelli presents: The best (visual) moments from Toucher & Hardy
If you’re reading this article, I’m sure you know who I am and the show I work for. If you don’t, let me explain.
My name is Nick Gemelli, and I’m a producer for Toucher & Hardy on 98.5 The Sports Hub. This marks my 8th year as a member of 98.5 The Sports Hub, and to say it’s been a blast would be an understatement. The experience of working at the station and the opportunities it has provided have been amazing. I truly love working here.
One of these opportunities presented itself recently in September when BEASLEY MEDIA, the parent company of 98.5 The Sports Hub, made a huge investment in video streaming and production. At that point, the show was streaming on Twitch using tiny webcams, and it looked like complete garbage.
Fast forward to now: The quality of the video stream has greatly improved, and viewership has been consistently growing. It also gave us at The Sports Hub the opportunity to dive headfirst into the world of vertical videos on TikTok and Instagram.
I took this opportunity and ran with it. To give you an idea of how the show works, the easiest way to explain it is this: Dan O’Brien calls the shots, runs the board, books the guests, etc. Lockhart handles all the sound played on the show, creating 30-second promos, recording commercials, etc. My role encompasses anything video-related (YouTube/reels/TikTok, etc.), managing the social media accounts, podcasting the show, writing articles, street audio, and whatever else I may have forgotten.
To be totally honest, I think I’ve carved out a pretty good role for myself at the station, and I’m always looking out for more things to do.
So, why am I explaining all of this? Well, for one, I gotta hit that quota. But also, after a brief conversation with my boss today, it inspired me to highlight some of the videos you may have missed on the Toucher & Hardy Instagram account from the last couple of months.
And with that, enjoy!
Nick Gemelli, the wizard behind the scenes at Toucher & Hardy and a maestro on 985thesportshub.com, kicked off his radio escapade back in 2007 as an intern for Toucher & Rich on WBCN. After navigating through WFNX and the Boston Phoenix, he made a triumphant return to the show in 2016. Hailing from Marshfield but currently holding it down in Tewksbury, Nick’s radio journey is as dynamic as his Twitter feed. Nick writes about what happens on the Toucher & Hardy Show and Boston area lifestyle content.