So they wanna be rock 'n' roll stars

No sooner did Mike Salvo stop singing - screaming, actually - than Kip Winger gave him a big smile. "We gotta give it to the vocalist," said the former frontman of the '80s hair metal band Winger. "This [expletive] can sing his [expletive] off." Welcome to Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp, where wannabe rock stars like Salvo get the chance to display their chops for real-live rockers like Winger, Gilby Clarke of Guns N' Roses, Elliot Easton of the Cars, Chris Slade of AC/DC, Aerosmith's Joey Kramer, and guitar ace Earl Slick, among others. Of course, the campers pay for the privilege. The daylong jam session, held yesterday at the Holiday Inn in Somerville, cost $2,000 per person. (Included in the price was the opportunity to open for Extreme last night at the Bank of America Pavilion.) "This is very cool," said Salvo, who lives in Wakefield and works as a sales manager. Winger was impressed with Salvo's note-perfect Steve Perry howl on "Any Way You Want It." There was at least one familiar face among the campers. Celts CEO Wyc Grousbeck was banging away on the drums as famed LA producer Mark Hudson walked the band through Steppenwolf's "Born to be Wild." Hudson, who's worked with everyone from Aerosmith to Ashlee Simpson, told us he gets a thrill working with amateurs. "Living on the edge and winning Grammys is great and it pays my alimony, but this makes me feel good," he said.

Laughs aplenty

The first Nantucket Comedy Festival, which kicked off Wednesday with a hilarious Women's Night highlighted by Amy Stiller's stand-up, continued last night with a roast of Stiller's mom and dad, Anne Meara and Jerry Stiller. The tribute was organized by Bobby and Peter Farrelly.

Ben Affleck probably isn't Barack Obama's first pick for veep, but he will speak at the Democratic National Convention with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. Word from the Denver Post is the two will discuss international relations. Their talk will be one of 10 public forums in which dignitaries, CEOs, and lawmakers hash out hot public policy topics like education, transportation, and technology. Other speakers include former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, former House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, Ted Turner, and NBC's Tom Brokaw

On the ride
John Kerry is showing his love for Ted Kennedy. Kerry will ride 110 miles with Tour de France champ Greg Lemond and US Olympic cyclist Frankie Andreu in Kennedy's honor in the 29th annual Pan-Massachusetts Challenge this weekend. Also raising money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, this time in honor of Ted Williams: Team 9, made up of Sox wives Stacey Lucchino, Dawn Timlin, Tiffany Ortiz, Kelli Pedroia, and newcomer Renee Lopez. Kathryn Nixon, wife of Trot, is even back in Boston for the ride. Sox CEO Larry Lucchino is expected to give the team a send-off from the Wellesley starting line Saturday morning. And don't be surprised to see some other famous hubbies waving signs, too. . . . In other Pan-Mass news, before getting on his bike for this weekend's challenge, former Bruin and current WAAF DJ Lyndon Byers stopped by the Jimmy Fund Clinic to meet patients, including Courtney McMurray of West Bridgewater. Byers is riding this weekend with former teammates Bob and Don Sweeney and Gary Doak.

Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph (inset), an original Dreamgirl, will be at Northeastern for the Roxbury Film Festival on Saturday to lead a discussion on health disparities in the black community and screen her short, "Secrets." Ralph, who recently traveled to South Africa to interview female patients, said she was drawn to the cause when one-third of the original "Dreamgirls" cast contracted HIV/AIDS. "Their suffering was really terrible," she said. "That's my memory. And that deadly silence." The star, who just celebrated her third wedding anniversary with Pennsylvania state Senator Vincent James Hughes, also has lighter duties. She stumps for Barack Obama. And she recently gave Flavor Flav's women a few lessons in self-respect. "People were calling me, saying 'How dare you go on that show?' she said, chuckling. "I said, 'Somebody's got to offer a little balance and sense.' "

"Rooters: The Birth of Red Sox Nation" had its theatrical premiere at the Woods Hole Film Festival this week, and producer Peter Nash (right) was there. A onetime rapper who was in the '90s hip-hop group 3rd Bass, Nash was part of a panel that included Gerald Boyd, nephew of "Queen of the Fenway" Lib Dooley, John "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald's grandson Tom Fitzgerald, and Ken Casey of the Dropkick Murphys.

Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi fortified for their weekend gigs in Hampton Beach and Cape Cod with a meal at Joe Milano's Union Oyster House. The pair were in with Sox VP Larry Cancro. . . . Sox players Dustin Pedroia and Jon Lester, former slugger Jim Rice, and ex-Bruin Derek Sanderson teed it up at the Bob Sullivan Memorial Golf Tournament at Pinehills yesterday. The tourney benefits Tim Morris, who was paralyzed in a car accident last year.

Mayor Tom Menino paid a visit this week to Camp Harbor View to launch the "Explore World Arts" program presented by the New Center for Arts and Culture. The special guests were Bamidele Dancers and Drummers.

Names can be reached at names@globe.com or at 617-929-8253.