MONTREUIL SUMMER ROCKFEST 2024
Another beautiful celebration of creativity, collaboration and music at La Marbrerie this past Saturday for our Montreuil Summer Rockfest. Our 8 Montreuil bands took the stage with confidence and put on a great show for an adoring audience of friends and family.
Special thanks to Walter Rota for the photos! To see all the photos from the concert,
And if YOU are ready to rock with us in Montreuil next year, CLICK HERE to get started…
the black keys
A handful of our Paris and Montreuil students were invited by the Black Keys to attend their soundcheck at Le Zenith and meet the band. What an awesome experience for our students to get a “private” show and see the workings of a pro rock band.
Big thanks to Patrick Carney, Black Keys management and the amazing team at Le Zenith for giving our students an experience they will remember for a long time.
PSRS PARIS WINTER ROCKFEST
Our first ever two-day festival, featuring 34 kid and adult bands from PSRS Paris. Wow. Our stage at La Bellevilloise was buzzing and the crowd was ELECTRIC!
A huge THANK YOU to all of our families, friends and fans who packed the club for two straight days. And BIG LOVE to our students - your positivity, creativity and talents inspire us all.
Pics by the talented Theo Goupil
PSRS MONTREUIL WINTER ROCKFEST
Thanks to all of our students, families, friends and partners for helping make our Montreuil Winter Rockfest on Saturday a HUGE SUCCESS! Our 8 Montreuil bands rocked the stage at La Marbrerie and the crowd showed them overwhelming support and love (and applause).
We’re not even two years in and PSRS Montreuil is already creating a scene - big love to you all for the continued support and we can’t wait to see you again on June 8th for Summerfest!
PSRS PARIS WINTER ROCKFEST
JANUARY 27th and 28th at LA BELLEVILLOISE
A two day festival featuring 35 kid and adult bands from PSRS PARIS - this is going to be EPIC!
PSRS MONTREUIL WINTERFEST 2023
SUNDAY, JANUARY 20th at LA MARBRERIE
We’re so pleased to see PSRS Montreuil take off this year. This Winter Rockfest will be featuring 8 Montreuil bands who are READY TO ROCK!! Tickets can be purchased HERE
psrs Montreuil summerfest
Another amazing show at La Marbrerie in the books! Our first year in Montreuil has been a huge success and we have loved welcoming so many new students and families to the PSRS community. Thank you Montreuil for welcoming us with open arms - this is only the beginning of a beautiful journey.
Enjoy some great pics from our show. And if you’re ready to join us in Montreuil, head to our PSRS MONTREUIL webpage for more info!
PSRS goes to 11
Last week, we went to 11. And it was glorious.
Last Wednesday was all about US. Not just US at PSRS, but ALL of us. We were celebrating PSRS but more importantly, we were all celebrating the things that PSRS stands for. Our collective belief in: creative self-expression, in collaboration, in community, in the power of music to change lives, in self-confidence, in taking risks, in breaking the fucking rules.
Just like a band, PSRS is bigger than just one person and that’s how you get to 11 years. Then 20. And then 50. Every success, every innovation, every breakthrough in this world is the result of people working together. And it has been a pleasure working together with our students, families and partners for so many years.
We’ve seen a lot of beautiful moments in our studios and on our stages over the last 15 years in Brooklyn, Paris and now Montreuil. But the predominant lesson learned is that people are capable of so much more than they realize. Often our job at PSRS is to not only teach skills but also to create a safe environment for self-discovery and adjust a mindset so that what is already inside can be revealed.
Last week we opened up the stage to ALL for a rousing set of live rock and roll karaoke and you all delivered. What a night. Our faces still hurt from smiling so much, our voices are still cracked from all the cheering and our arms are still a bit sore from all the hugs.
Love to you all. See you at 22.
XX PSRS
toussaint atelier 2022
Yet another awesome song written and performed by our Toussaint Songwriting/Recording Atelier students!
These guys spent five days in the recording studio working together and alongside our very own Jean Gillet. In addition to writing and performing the song, they had the chance to explore production, arrangement and mixing techniques in the studio - so cool.
Mark your calendars: we’ll be offering another atelier during the April vacation!
Check out “HAUNT ME” below or at our PSRS RECORDS page.
PSRS sur france 2
PSRS featured on France 2’s Bel et Bien
PSRS Founder Jason Domnarski joined two PSRS Adult Band members (Veronique and Nathalie from FORGET ME NOT) for an interview with Bel et Bien on France 2, to discuss building self-confidence and rocking out chez PSRS.
FORGET ME NOT, one of our longest running PSRS Adult Bands, is a perfect example of what is possible when you trust yourself and just GO FOR IT.
It was a pleasure to share this experience with them.
Watch the show here (until April 19th):
www.france.tv/france-2/bel-et-bien/3147785-bel-bien.html
“Find your chorus” at Maurice ravel
Success at our most recent in-school event at Maurice Ravel!
We had the pleasure of bringing our “Find Your Chorus” event to the OIB International Section at Maurice Ravel last month and we had a blast. Together with 30 high school students, we explored the subjects of creativity, self-confidence and creation and talked about how we can positively engage with creativity, actually get creating and sharing our results with collaborators and an audience.
For the last half of the event, we all worked together to write an original chorus, with students joining us on stage to play guitar, write lyrics, and sing melodies.
This event was made extra special by the involvement of Maxys Turk and Louis Stephens, two former PSRS students AND former OIB students, who spoke to the students about their “post-high school” experience and helped us compose and record the song live on-stage.
We’re looking forward to getting back to Maurice Ravel for some follow up Songwriting Ateliers next month! In the meantime, enjoy their chorus “Complicated” below (written live on stage in one hour!)
If you’re interested in bringing our PSRS in-school events to your school, email paris@psrockschool.com for more information!
Out of work : the interview
PSRS Paris alums working hard, despite their name.
After spending almost 8 years at PSRS Paris, Louis Stephens and Maxys Turk have left our nest and are flying on their own, taking a year off before university to focus solely on composing, producing and releasing their own music. PSRS Founder Jason Domnarski sat down with them recently to learn more about their new project OUT OF WORK and how PSRS helped them get to where they are today.
Gentlemen, it’s always a pleasure. Let’s jump right in - what is Out of Work?
LS : Out of Work is the name of our production duo. The idea came to us as a joke based on our gap year plan. After the Bacc, we decided to take a year off to record an album instead of going straight to college. Although no one tried to stop us, many people joked about how crazy the idea was and how we would end up out of work. So we thought it would be funny to embrace that idea in our name. We’re working out of a recording studio that used to be an old mustard factory, so that’s pretty cool.
Awesome. I love it. So where are you guys headed next year?
MT : We are both going to study music production and business at Drexel University in Philadelphia in the US.
LS : The program is designed to prepare students for careers in music business, whether it be in production or performance or more commercial stuff like working at labels and handling contracts.
Sounds very exciting - and challenging! What are you guys most excited about learning or experiencing at university?
MT : I’m definitely looking forward to improving my production, songwriting and mixing skills. But more than anything, I want to meet and work with new people that are passionate about music - not only students but also pros in the industry. I’m looking forward to the challenge!
LS : The program is quite selective so we’ll be with many talented and creative musicians - I’m excited to grow and learn from these new friends and be immersed in a truly intense musical environment
“PSRS created the environment to allow me to keep growing and loving music and without them I would have never dreamt of applying to music school or releasing my own music.”
So the million dollar question - how do you think PSRS has prepared you for your next step?
LS : I owe so much to PSRS! French high schools leave very little room for extra-curricular activities. PSRS created the environment to allow me to keep growing and loving music and without them I would have never dreamt of applying to music school or releasing my own music.
MT : Everything I’m making these days is a result of PSRS. Being in PSRS bands and sharing my passion for music with others drove me to pursue a career in music. I doubt that I would have ever thought of recording or writing songs on my own if I hadn’t experienced the process at PSRS - I really owe a lot to the program!
Could you share some of your most memorable PSRS moments?
MT : Playing the Stereokids event at La Cigale was definitely a highlight - it was my first big performing experience outside our PSRS shows at La Bellevilloise and it was a moment I will remember forever. Also, when I flew to Brooklyn to attend the PSRS Songwriting and Recording Camp over there.
Oh yeah, I totally remember that Brooklyn recording camp - we wrote one of my favorite PSRS original songs, “It’s All Business”
LS : Yeah, the Stereokids gig blew my mind. Also the 2018 Summer Songwriting and Recording in Paris was awesome, when we wrote “Waiting” with our friend Ellie Mudie. But I think I’ll always remember my first and last PSRS concerts. For the first concert I played Another Brick in the Wall on bass and for my last concert I performed Go Your Own Way on guitar - two very special moments for me.
Watch Maxys and Louis perform “Tick Tick Boom” by the Hives, live from the Gibson headquarters in Paris:
So what artists or bands are inspiring you at the moment?
LS : I’ve been really inspired by the band GEESE, who are former PSRS Brooklyn students - I got to see them live a few weeks ago and they blew my mind. It was super inspiring to see how similar their backstory is to ours. Many of the band members were involved with PSRS and are barely a few years older than Maxys and I. But they have a real style and are incredibly genuine - they perfectly represent where I dream of being in a few years.
MT : I’m a big pop guy - Charlie XCX, Caroline Polacheck, etc…They resonate with me because the are all very “out there” in terms of ideas, but are able to translate those ideas into songs that appeal to a mainstream audience, without losing their edge. And they’re not just singers - they write their own songs and work with other artists. More than anything, their versatility as artists is what inspires me the most.
So what’s next for Out of Work and how can we follow your journey?
LS : Our first single, “Bad Love” was just released a few days ago and we're working on a full album that we’ll release in July 2022! Along the way, we’ll continue to release some singles.
MT : And everyone can follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Tik Tok at @outofworkofficial!
Amazing. Guys, thanks so much for taking the time to chat with me - I know this interview will be very inspiring for our younger students. We are very sorry to see you go but we are super excited to see what’s next for you both and we have total faith that no matter what happens, your passion, creativity and positivity will serve you VERY well in the future.
To learn more about Out of Work, visit their website at: www.outofwork.band
GEESE take over the world
Sometimes the hype machine gets it right.
Sometimes the hype machine gets it right. We could not be more proud of three PSRS Brooklyn Alumni who are currently making major waves with their band GEESE.
Max Bassin, Cameron Winter and Gus Green were regulars on our Brooklyn stages for many years and participated in several of our Summer Songwriting Sessions at Bunker Studios. The results were always awesome.
MAX had insane energy behind the kit and a rock solid tempo, even at 8.
CAMERON was our resident “songwriter extraordinaire”, penning amazing piano rock/pop songs, complete with mature lyrics and soaring vocals (the kid could/can sing).
GUS was obsessed with Radiohead and seemed to have a new guitar pedal each week, which inspired him to write super unique and interesting guitar riffs.
The three attended one of our Songwriting and Recording Camps in 2015 and their song “Cherry Skies” is still one of our favorite PSRS original songs OF ALL TIME.
Fast forward a few years and - together with members Foster Hudson and Dominic DiGesu - they formed GEESE and recorded an album in Max’s basement in Brooklyn. After releasing one song online, they picked up a manager and quickly signed with Partisan Records, but only after fielding offers from indie label heavyweights SubPop and 4AD. Insane.
Their full length album Projector drops today and is already getting amazing press, including a full profile in the New York Times and 4/5 stars from Rolling Stone and NME.
They are embarking on a world tour this month, with many shows already selling out, including their show in Paris on November 23rd at L’International. For more information on their tour, head HERE.
These guys definitely have it and we feel very lucky to have been able to help them on their musical journey. We’ll be watching from the sidelines - like proud parents - and can’t wait to see where their creativity takes them. Fly, Geese, Fly.
PRESS
New York Times : New York Has a New Band of Buzzy Post-Punk Teens : GEESE
Rolling Stone : Geese are Legit Indie-Rock Prodigies, Straight Out of High School
NME : Projector - One of the Year’s Most Thrilling Rock Debuts
new original songs!
Our latest batch of amazing original songs, recorded live in our studios at Basement.
In lieu of their winter concert this year, our Paris Performance bands hit the studio and had a chance to record their newest original songs. Having only a few weeks to prepare in-person didn’t stop them from writing and performing some amazing songs. We’re very proud of both our students and our teachers for bringing their best.
Feel free to stream and / or download the songs below or from the album page Enjoy!
psrs drum jam tracks
Together we can stop “groovelessness” once and for all.
IT’S SPRING BREAK! While we would love to be hanging at the MTV Beach House watching Radiohead, instead we’re hunkering down for what will hopefully be our last lockdown. But what a perfect time to practice!
Here at PSRS we firmly believe that RHYTHM IS KING. It doesn’t matter how many flashy licks or speedy scales you can play - if you can’t play them in time and groove with your band, it’s going to sound terrible. And how do we practice our rhythm when we’re alone, you may ask? Oh god, please don’t say the dreaded M word!
Don’t worry. We’re here to save you from that nightmare. Introducing our PSRS DRUM JAM TRACKS. Custom made drum tracks for you to practice/jam with, at a ton of different tempos. Our students use these to jam at home and they often serve as inspiration for an original song.
So grab your instrument, click on the image below and start jamming. You’ll be amazed at how much more fun (and productive) your practice sessions will become.
Love,
PSRS
PS : We all have that friend with no groove. Send them these tracks. Together, we can help make “groovelessness” a thing of the past.
red moon x gibson x ziggy marley
PSRS Paris band RED MOON teams up with GIBSON and ZIGGY MARLEY for a special video event.
RED MOON is at it again! Gibson approached us to be part of a fun promo project for Ziggy Marley and his new album. PSRS was one of 3 music schools in Europe selected to perform a cover version of Ziggy’s new song “Play With Sky”. The band only had two weeks to learn the song and develop their own arrangement. The original song (which you can check out here) is a reggae blues with guest star Ben Harper.
THE RED MOON / PSRS VERSION WAS DECIDEDLY MORE ROCK AND ROLL!
At the end of the project, the band got the chance to meet Ziggy on Zoom and ask him a few questions about his life in music!
Check out Red Moon performing Ziggy Marley’s “Play With Sky” below. As always, thanks to Mathieu for the awesome help with video editing!
all that was good in 2020
PSRS Founder Jason Domnarski reflects on the wildest year in PSRS history.
As we start this new year, I’m compelled to look back at what was surely the most unique and challenging year in our PSRS 13-year history. Like many of you, we were thrown into new waters and forced to ask big questions about the future of our business and the meaning of our mission:
How important is music during a global pandemic?
How can we foster community during confinement?
What is PSRS without the in-person band experience?
We rolled up our sleeves and got to work. With an amazing team of teachers in place, we launched new programs, found new ways to work and constantly adapted to an ever-changing set of government restrictions. Through it all, it helped us to stay focused on three priorities:
To continue to support, engage, inspire and challenge our students during confinement.
To take care of our people - our teachers and their families, our partners and all those who depend on PSRS.
To show solidarity with our PSRS families during this difficult time and to offer support and a positive presence in any way we can.
SO WHAT DID WE DO? A LOT.
In March, our band classes moved to the Zoomiverse and started composing songs virtually. Occasionally, a parent would feel inspired and things like this would happen.
Our teachers dusted off their camcorders and the PSRS PRACTICE ROOM was born.
We had a nice FAMILY JAM together
In June, our bands returned to the studio for just a few short weeks before they all performed LIVE FROM THE BASEMENT
Our Summer Songwriting and Recording Sessions went off without a hitch. Well, almost. The last day of camp (the big recording session) saw me running to the maternity hospital to welcome our new baby to the world.
We had to say goodbye to Tom Shemesh, one of our star PSRS Paris band coaches, BUT he’s off to Nice to launch PSRS RIVIERA!
We welcomed Renaud to the PSRS Paris team and we’re very proud to have another talented and supportive band coach on our roster.
Our friends at GIBSON selected us as one of 3 music schools in Europe to participate in a group performance of a new ZIGGY MARLEY song. The band did a great job (as you can see) and even had the chance to meet Ziggy (on Zoom) and ask him a few questions!
During the last confinement we called on some friends and launched a virtual version of our PSRS ARTIST SERIES. Our community had a chance to chat with some amazing artists and educators, all of whom gave us a unique insight into their creative processes and inspirations. JARVIS COCKER, NICOLAS GODIN (AIR), LUDWIG DAHLBERG (INDOCHINE), THIBAUT BARBILLON, RYAL, EMILY DANGER - what a roster! And in true PSRS fashion, let’s share the love.
Finally, this video happened.
Phew! It was a busy year. But none of it would have been possible without the support of our PSRS community and the tireless and creative energy of our teaching staff: Fabrice, Jean, Brett, Tom and Renaud. We’re starting 2021 with lots of energy and optimism and we are incredibly grateful to be able to spread the power of the band to Paris, Brooklyn and beyond. All the best in 2021, my friends, and we hope to see you in our studios soon.
Rock On.
Jason Domnarski - Founder, Park Slope Rock School