Rawk U students to play their first concert in East Falls

Daniel Cullen says he was first inspired by hair metal bands like Poison and White Snake to learn guitar 25 years ago. Then he discovered bands like the Beatles, Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones – the stuff Cullen says has withstood the test of time.

After more than two decades and thousands of hours practicing guitar, Cullen’s Rawk U school on Midvale Ave. in East Falls aims to inspire local musicians by teaching them how to play classic rock albums, culminating in a live concert performance. The most recent Rawk U class will perform the Rolling Stones “Sticky Fingers” album in its entirety at the Java Ink Cafe in East Falls on Saturday, March 10.

“We’re a music school based on rock music,” Cullen says. “We go over some basics, but we always like to get them playing as soon as possible.”

For the $550 rock album-oriented class, students embark on an eight-week course followed by the live concert. Cullen says he has previously taught students how to play albums from Weezer and the Beatles. He also offers private lessons for $50 an hour.

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Evan Caplan is a lawyer at a Center City firm who learned guitar in college and continued his training via private lessons at Rawk U for about a year. He will perform at Saturday’s Rawk U concert – something he’s never done in front of a live audience.

“I was always drawn to the feminine beauty of the guitar, always interested in music theory,” Caplan says.

“The school is great for providing the opportunity for players to learn what it’s like to play in a band.”Students from Rawk U will perform the entire “Sticky Fingers” album at the Java Ink Cafe in East Falls at 7 p.m. on March 10. Visit www.rawku.com for more information.

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