School of Rock House Band
Downtown Hartford
September 10, 2026
School is back in session. School of Rock, that is.
The School of Rock’s house band turned the corner of Main Street and Asylum Street into an impromptu rock show yesterday, covering classics from A to Z — from Alicia Keys to Led Zeppelin.
The students, who attend the School of Rock location in West Hartford, are part of the school’s house band program. The audition-only group is for students 18 years and younger who have completed at least two years in the school’s performance program track. Owner Scott Rownin said that the kids are his “School of Rock ambassadors.”
He certainly chose well to represent the school. By the time I arrived at 5 p.m. sharp, the house band had already launched into an energetic rendition of Heart's "Barracuda." The show wasn’t restricted to rock classics. The kids also put on a great cover of Alicia Keys’ “If I Ain’t Got You.” I have to say, though, it’s quite the humbling feeling to hear a song you listened to in college included in the same set as Sting, Heart and Radiohead.
The house band didn’t only bring their skill, they also brought rock star attitude. They strutted, sauntered and hair-flipped their way through each song, invoking the rebellious spirit and style of past music greats. Watching the kids is a preview of the future, because you can look at them and see success coming their way. It’s also an interesting glimpse into the past, because you can see that the greats they emulate now were just like them once, kids learning from their idols.
They maintained that energy throughout the set in a difficult environment. Playing live is one thing, but playing the street is completely different. It requires the composure to deal with the unpredictable nature of performing for a spontaneous audience.
By that I mean: people are going to walk away mid-performance. Some will look and keep on going. Some may even dislike what they see. After all, School of Rock brought the music to them – it’s not like the public signed up by buying a ticket.
The kids actually thrived in front of the audience. A solid core of family and friends were present, and passersby sat down and joined the stationary crowd. People went about their business, but they slowed as they passed, admiring the kids’ talent. I saw one older man walking by, nodding his head. “Zeppelin!” he said enthusiastically as he recognized the song.
It became increasingly clear that the kids weren’t there for the audience, but for the music itself. They would be singing just as loud and shredding just as hard if there was no one around. Of course, they drew people to them because these kids are good. They’re not standing on a street corner humming Free Bird with an acoustic guitar; they’re performing Journey.
School of Rock brought the future of rock n' roll to the downtown Hartford traffic commute and did not disappoint. Jack Black couldn’t do half as well.
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