Mamma mia! Moms to rock the house
While many of her suburban contemporaries are content to be soccer moms, Patrice Moerman opts for a somewhat different designation. She's a mom who rocks.
The 55-year-old Bethesda mother of two — a daughter in college and a son at Whitman High School — who has been married to the same man for 30 years certainly has the soccer mom credentials.
But there's much more. Moerman is a multi-talented rock musician. As a songwriter of several years, she has produced more than 60 songs, and has one CD "Following a Dream" to her credit. The self-taught guitar and piano player performs both solo and with the band Hot Flash, and teaches both rock guitar and piano from her home and at Bach to Rock in Bethesda, where she claims to be "certainly the oldest person there, let alone female."
She is also the D.C. coordinator of Mamapalooza, a national organization that "supports women in the arts and especially mothers who play original rock, pop and blues music." On Sunday, from 5 to 10 p.m., Moerman and the Mamapalooza Festival will rock the Union Jack's British Pub in Bethesda.
Moerman says that "10 to 12 acts, mom musicians," are on the program, including Sally Pessin, Yvette Barnes, Esmirelda, Jean Bayou, Viqui Dill, Paula Monks, Katy Johnson, Debbie Bergeron, Lisa Lim and Sahffi. Special guest Jolene Ivey (Maryland House of Delegates) will speak.
Admission is free. Union Jack's is located at 4915 St. Elmo Ave. Call 301-652-2561. For information on Mamapalooza (Moms Who Rock!), visit www.mampalooza.com.