The Rock Camp Experience was originally founded as Rock Camp for Dads in 2009 with one resounding principal: to re-ignite the musical passion of adult men and women — of all abilities — and nurture the confidence with their instrument in order to perform in front of a live audience.
Owner-operated, The RCX has grown into a supportive, non-judgmental community of amateur musicians whose diverse musical interests have garnered regional and national attention. The Rock Camp Experience is not a Fantasy Camp intended for those wishing to check off their bucket list, nor is it a music school aimed at perfecting your instrument, The RCX is a welcoming Rock & Roll environment designed to build confidence, foster lifelong relationships, and most importantly bring out the joyous inner Rocker in all of us!
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“Rock Camp has been an AMAZING experience! I've played at all three levels (101-301) and had a great time at each camp. It's nice to have such accessible studio space. Rock Camp has it all at their studio! I show up with just a guitar or drumsticks, and Rock Camp has the rest. The instructors are experienced, knowledgeable, and fun! They each have their own style and it's been nice getting to know them. You can tell they LOVE what they do! I'd recommend Rock Camp to any player, at any level. You will learn! You will see what it takes to form a band! Most Importantly... You will have FUN!”
— Neal M.
"As my husband said when he started, 'It’s something we can do together!' and we sure have. RCX provides such a great infrastructure so that all you have to do is plug in and play. They have created such a welcoming space so you can get past the fear of performing and get to the fun of rocking.
- David P.
"What a great way to renew your rock & roll dreams. So much fun and so many great people! Can't wait for my next camp."
- Rob B.
"Rock Camp has changed our lives. Many years ago my husband joined Rock Camp. I would admire all the people who had the courage to play and/or sing. It was so great to watch people grow their skills month to month. One day my husband encouraged me to join as well. It was the best decision I have ever made. I had no experience at all. I now play bass and sing. THANK YOU, Rock Camp, from the bottom of my heart. My husband and I now play together and we have a huge community of friends that I can’t wait to see each month"
- Michelle O.
David Schlaifer—the newest, oldest partner in The Rock Camp Experience—is on hand to help pave the way for the future of the brand and will answer any and all questions that come his way. Customer service is number one in his book and he’s convinced everything looks better when set at right angles. David has had a string of hits in the advertising, manufacturing and real estate business and now is turning his attention to his true love….Rock-n-Roll! Being a diehard Moody Blues fan, he’s ever “In Search of The Lost Chord” and struggles to remember all the chords on the guitar, but persevere he does.
Jesse Miller has been a behind-the-scenes guy at Rock Camp since 2011. Jesse handles our customer service, website maintenance, social media, online data management, copy writing and research. He is here to answer endless emails, schedule rehearsals and take your plastic for camps and swag! You can usually see him operating the camera at our monthly gigs, so drop by and say hello—or even better, buy him a beer! Jesse has also been playing in the Minneapolis music scene for over 20 years, currently playing guitar and bass in such local indie rock bands as Awkward Bodies, Mine, Life Skills, The Dusty Tractors and The Curiously Strong Peppermints.
Johnny Holiday is long time veteran instructor at RCX and is not only immersed in the local music scene as a guitarist, but also balances that out with a rich family life as a husband and father to two awesome daughters. Johnny got his first guitar in 1978; studied with Jeff Loven from 1984-88; attended Music Tech (now McNally Smith) from 1989-90 and graduated receiving 1990′s “Guitarist of the Year” award. Since the mid 80′s Johnny has been in many bands and spent much of that time sharpening his skills in rehearsal rooms, recording studios and stages of all sizes. In 2007 Johnny got the gig as the guitarist for Atlantic recording artist Hericane Alice, which took Johnny around the country, sharing the stage with bands such as Warrant, LA Guns, Dokken, Lynch Mob, Winger, The Sweet, Kix, Jackyl, Skid Row, Trixter and Vince Neil. Johnny is also the guitarist and musical director for Chase and Ovation- A Salute to the music of Prince.
Nathan Kinney has a storied career as a songwriter, guitarist, producer, and teacher in the Twin Cities music community. He has spent years playing and touring in many bands, including Debbie Does Malice, And We Danced, Calling All Heroes, and Chasing Elroy. He also spent a couple of years as the Production Manager at Polarity Haus Media, working on many audio and visual projects for other artists in the studio. He is a graduate of McNally Smith College of Music, with a degree in audio engineering. He joined the Rock Camp family in 2011, and started a family of his own in early 2018 with the birth of his twins. Nathan’s passion for music is undeniable and contagious. He performs and coaches on guitar, bass, percussion, and piano when he’s not facilitating the camps at RCX. He relocated to the twin cities in 2004, from his hometown of Flint, Michigan.