FOOD

Paul Stanley of KISS (right) and Rock Camper Pistol Crockett

DOCUMENTARY Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy

The documentary Rock Camp takes us inside the event that lets regular people live out their superstar fantasies

For anyone who’s ever lip-synced to their favorite song in the bathroom mirror or busted out the air guitar during a Jimmy Page solo when no one was looking, Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy Camp might be your kind of jam. It’s an annual four-day getaway that lets “campers” rub shoulders with actual rock stars, sitting in on master classes and Q&As, and forming bands with seasoned musicians and performing on real venue stages.

The fantasy camp is now the subject of a new documentary called Rock Camp, which explores the ins and outs of the experience and introduces us to a select group of campers from all walks of life and skill levels. It also features interviews with a roster of big names: the Who’s Roger Daltrey, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of KISS, Slash, Nancy Wilson, Alice Cooper and members of Judas Priest, Jane’s Addiction, Whitesnake and more.

At the center of it all is David Fishof, a longtime music booker, tour manager and sports agent who was instrumental in reuniting the Monkees and forming Ringo Starr’s hugely popular All Starr Band. Fishof founded Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy Camp in 1997 and has overseen it

BY NATHAN WEINBENDER

ever since, and he spoke to the Inlander about the release of Rock Camp, the state of live music during COVID-19 and whether rock stars are actually as wild as we think they are. Responses have been edited for clarity.

INLANDER: Because you’ve worked with so many famous musicians over the years, are you always fielding questions about what certain rock stars are like in person?

DAVID FISHOF: People always seem to ask me, “What’s this one like? What’s that one like?” When I was [managing] the All Starr Band with all those musicians, that was when the phone rang every day, because everybody in the industry wanted to know how they got along. Everyone said it could never happen — that you could put all these superstars in one band and tour.

We like to think of the rock star lifestyle as being pretty debaucherous, but am I wrong in thinking it’s probably a lot more mundane behind the scenes?

You’re wrong. [laughs] But when the Monkees were touring, they had their wives and their kids on the road. When Ringo was touring, most of them were in 12-step programs. The craziness happened years ago. Personally, I always ran to my room. I don’t drink, I never got really involved in that, so it became mundane. But you hear stories about Mötley Crüe on the road. To alleviate all that boredom, they would do crazy things.

Rock Camp has been put on hold because of the pandemic, though I know you’ve been hosting Zoom master classes with artists. What’s it like not having that regular get-together?

I’ve been trying to think for many years, how do I take my business online? In June, I came up with this idea of [reproducing] those master classes that we do at Rock Camp, where people get to sit around and talk to the rock stars. We’ve done 150 of these master classes since June. What I love about them is that the artists are doing these classes and they’re not promoting their tours, they’re not promoting their records. ...continued on page 45

JANUARY 28, 2021 INLANDER 31

MORE EVENTS

The Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness is celebrating its 16th anniversary by hosting one of the largest outdoor recreation film festivals in the U.S. This year’s virtual version of the Wild and Scenic Film Festival comprises nine films featuring the wild, public lands of the West. To commemorate the night, the Sandpoint-based nonprofit is partnering with Utara Brewing Company to supply an optional meal, beer and ticket bundle ($42+). Food and beer will need to be picked up at Utara on the night of the festival. In addition to the films, raffle tickets can be purchased for a chance to win outdoor gear, and filmmakers including Sandpoint’s own Erik Daarstad are available for a Q&A. This year’s Wild and Scenic Film Festival streams on Jan. 30 and is available for 24 hours. — SPENCER BROWN Wild and Scenic Film Festival • Sat, Jan. 30 at 6:30 pm • $15 • Streaming online; details at scotchmanpeaks.org/event/ wild-and-scenic-film-festival/

GET LISTED!

Submit events online at Inlander.com/getlisted or email relevant details to getlisted@inlander.com. We need the details one week prior to our publication date. Boise-based artists Kate Walker and Caroline Earley are featured in Eastern Washington University Gallery of Art’s next presentation, Intersections. Walker creates with painting, performance and video, often collaborating with community members to address contemporary social issues, while Earley’s ceramic works highlight relations between form and function. Both artists infuse humor within their artistic works to bring light to issues related to social justice, the environment and the importance of societal interconnection. Walker and Earley’s common focus on formal abstraction is achieved through their visual collaboration of both color and geometric shape. In addition to the main show featuring the artists’ individual works, EWU is also displaying their collaborative piece, Intersexions (pictured). The artists give an online lecture via Zoom on Feb. 18. — NATALIE RIETH Visit Inlander.com for complete listings of

FILM WINDOW TO THE WILD

WILD AND SCENIC FILM FESTIVAL ILLUSTRATION

VISUAL ARTS CROSSING PATHS

local events.

THEATER COFFEE BREAK

It’s not clear when live theater will return, but several local collectives have found workarounds with virtual productions and recordings. Sandpoint’s own Panida Theater has gotten into the spirit, and they’re now presenting theater via Zoom (or, as they’re describing it, Zoom Reader’s Theater) with the short comedy Coffee Shop. The production features a cast of local actors — Scott Johnson, Tim Martin, Andrew Sorg, Alex Cope, Steve Neuder and Panida Executive Director Patricia Walker — playing a collection of quirky characters all gathering in a cafe and having humorous conversations and asides. The production was written and directed by Teresa Pesce and sponsored by Evan Brothers Coffee, and future episodes should be on the horizon. — NATHAN WEINBENDER