For those who hope to rock: N.L. music students fundraising for trip to play Rio festival

The house band from the St. John's School of Rock needs help getting to Europe. 

Students of the program — which teaches kids music and how to play as a band — have been invited to play the Rock in Rio festival in Lisbon in June.  

But getting there costs a lot of money. The band has 11 members, ranging in age from 13 to 18. The band and their families are trying to raise $28,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to get them to their once-in-a-lifetime gig. 

"I'm still trying to wrap my head around it," said Nicole O'Brien, mother of one of the band's guitarists, 18-year-old Caleb O'Brien. 

Nicole O'Brien, who is leading the fundraising effort, said bands from each of the company's nearly 300 locations audition for the festival, and the St. John's students sent in their audition video in November. About three weeks ago the call came in — 16 groups were selected from North America, and O'Brien says the St. John's outfit is the only one from Canada.

"It was big news," said O'Brien. "Everyone was super-excited. I know all of the parents, I think I can speak for all of us, we were all shocked and the kids were just pumped."

The festival is headlined this year by the Foo Fighters, Black Eyed Peas, Duran Duran and Post Malone. 

Check out the St. John's School of Rock audition video:

Singer Jordyn Whittle, 14, said she has a lot of experience performing in front of live crowds already, and she doesn't get nervous easily. Jordyn said she was raised on bands like Motley Crue but is inspired by Amy Winehouse when she performs live. 

"It's just fun. You get to feel the people not being sad when you're doing it," she said.

Caleb O'Brien said he's nervous and excited about playing in front of the festival crowd but both are fairly normal feelings for him before hits the stage. He was raised on Pearl Jam, he said, but his biggest current inspiration is U.S. alt-country singer-songwriter Jason Isbell.

"He's a really good player and really entertaining to watch live. That's what I strive to do," he said.

Nicole O'Brien said the short notice and lofty fundraising goal is a challenge, but the plan is to have every member there as part of the show in June.

She said each student has to attend the gig with a guardian and there's a lot of planning to do before the band leaves St. John's.