(PHOTOS) KWHS Rodstock 2025 puts student talent, positive vibes in spotlight

CASPER, Wyo. — Billy Joel’s song “Vienna” was considered a deep track by fans for years. Kicking off side two of his monster 1977 release “The Stranger,” it was one of the few songs on the album that didn’t become a hit single.

Nearly five decades later, two Kelly Walsh High School students performed it for a screaming crowd of fellow students on Wednesday during the annual “Rodstock” festival. Tessa Johnson and Brynn Stevens sat side by side in front of a digital piano, bringing alive a song that their generation has discovered in the streaming era for a crowd that sang along, erupted in cheers and waved their smartphone flashlights above their heads.

Before that, KW student Madison Hamm sang “Can’t Take My Eyes off You,” an even older song first recorded by Frankie Vallie quite possibly before most of their teachers were born. Just a bit later, Elliott Hoover brought them back to the present with a rousing and confident rendition of Chappell Roan’s irresistible “Pink Pony Club.”

Some performers seemed like pros, some hesitated or stumbled, but they all basked in the warm embrace and enthusiastic support of their classmates.

That’s the spirit of Rodstock, a daylong talent festival for both students and faculty that started in a teacher’s classroom and evolved into a spectacle and KWHS tradition.

“They’re so, so nice,” said KWHS senior Avery Lockwood, who performed three different times during the day, adding that the school has a culture of supporting the arts.

“I know in a lot of other schools, it’s kind of a social downgrade if you do any kind of musical stuff, but here it’s so accepted and people are very loving and supportive, so it’s really nice,” she said.

Student Tyler Bullock had performed exclusively James Bond songs at Rodstock in the past, but was encouraged to find something outside of that genre. He landed on a James Blunt song titled “Monsters,” which he confidently sang.

As he started to leave the stage, Duane Reimer, KW’s business and website teacher, stopped and encouraged him to look back at the crowd. Before him appeared a packed house of screaming, cheering students who seemingly could’ve gone on like this all afternoon. He paused to take it all in, and gently clapped to himself.

The festival was streamed live, and can be seen here.