Reaching for the Stars

On a scorching hot Sunday afternoon at Levitt Pavilion, 13 bands came out to play.

Only two were left standing—the eclectic, violin-laced rock rap of Grey Goo, and the pop stylings of Not Exactly Monday.

The afternoon, part of the 2015 “Rock4PEF” music event, produced by the Pasadena Educational Foundation, saw more than a dozen spirited one-tune performances from Exotic Encounter, Lagoonatix, Neveah, Picture Show, Cassette, ESH, PAXOON, The Other Guys, The P-RellVolution, the Red Dragonflies, and White Wall.

The event was hosted by Marko DeSantis of the band Sugarcult, with help from DJ Kidd.

Students from various middle and high schools throughout the Pasadena area made up the bands, with some acts featuring students as young as eight years old. (Grey Goo had two eight year-olds!)

Laura Connelly, chief booker at the Hollywood Bowl; composer Marty Davich, Daniel Brummel of Ozma, and Ray Briggs, music professor at Cal State Long Beach, judged the bands on showmanship, musicality and performance.

The two winning bands will help open the show October 4 at Levitt for Art Alexakis of the band Everclear.

According to the Rock4PEF website, Grey Goo is a newly formed band comprised of current and former Field Elementary School students, ” celebrating life and music before the nano-robot apocalypse.”

Members Romel and Max played together at the Battle of the Bands last year. Carlos has studied classical guitar since age 5 at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music. Liam has studied violin with Nonie Reesor since age 5, and will be joining the PYSO youth symphony orchestra in the fall; he has recently picked up the acoustic guitar and is enjoying a second instrument. Nandi has danced with the City Ballet of Los Angeles, and currently studies ballet under Star and Crystal Peterson, and is co-starring in the upcoming short film “Covered.”

Sophie began studying piano with Ben Salisbury at age 4 and loves composing music; at her first recital at age 5, she performed her original composition called “The Humpty Dumpty Funeral Song.”

Not Exactly Monday is made up of four longtime friends who have studied and played music both separately and together, since sixth grade. Inspired by a wide variety of music, the band plays covers from punk, alternative, singer-songwriter, and classic rock bands.

The Pasadena Educational Foundation is a non-profit organization helping to support music education in local public schools.

Pasadena Now is the official online media sponsor of the 2015 Rock4PEF event.

More information is available at www.pased.org.