At School of Rock Johns Creek, we don't teach music to put on shows - we put on shows to teach music. Students are assigned songs selected to develop them as musicians, and work on them in private lessons with their instructors, as well as in weekly rehearsals with groups made up of their peers. The season culminates with a performance at our seasonal showcase, where they can show you everything they've been working on throughout the season!

See the end of this article for important dates, and ways to sign up for the new season!

the Ramones

Tuesday 6:30pm-8:30pm 

The Ramones invented what is now commonly known as Punk. Hailing from Forest Hills, Queens, the Ramones invented a style of music that distilled Rock and Roll into its potent essence: short songs with fast tempos delivered in a rapid-fire blast that le the audience catching their breath. The Ramonesʼ influence cannot be overstated. In the mid 70s at the height of Arena Rock, the Ramones took Rock and Roll back to basics using tight, catchy, minimalist arrangements. Along the way they inspired thousands of bands and created one of the most recognizable sounds in Rock and Roll. Alongside Black Sabbath, they are one of the rare bands that defined a new genre. The Ramones are Punk pioneers, providing a fun and educational show for young or inexperienced students to cut their teeth in while giving more advanced students the opportunity to develop their stage presence while delving into some incredibly innovative songs that brought Punk Rock to the forefront of the music industry.

Best Of The 2000s

Tuesday 6:30pm-8:30pm

The 2000s Show offers a huge variety of music that is sure to satiate any studentʼs musical appetite. The 2000s has produced more and more artists whose music blends and defies genres, and draws from a greater variety of influences than was available at any previous point in history. At the same time, more traditional bands and artists, including some who started making music in the twentieth century, have adapted to the changing times and continued to thrive. Though it is impossible to place the varied music of the 2000s into one definable style or category, certain themes emerge: 1) an interest in and revival of ʻretroʼ sounds using modern technology and sensibilities, and 2) songwriting that draws from a huge diversity of genres and styles, making 21st-century ʻrockʼ bands even harder to pin down to one style alone. Examples of blockbuster artists that might be in the setlist include Foo Fighters, RHCP, Evanescence, Fall Out Boy, The Killers, Arctic Monkeys, Paramore, White Stripes, Adele, The Strokes, Jet, System of a Down, The Darkness, Tool, and many others. This is a perfect show for students of all ages and experience levels and will offer many opportunities to perform across all genres!

Metallica

Wednesday 6:30pm-8:30pm

The biggest metal band of all-time, Metallica rose to prominence in the 1980s as leaders of the “Thrash Metal” scene, pairing heavy, aggressive guitar riffs with fast, driving rhythms, all punctuated by vocalist James Hetfieldʼs signature snarl. Their albums Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets are widely regarded as two of the best Metal albums ever recorded. The band found crossover success in the early ʻ90s with ambitiously well-craed songs like Enter Sandman, Nothing Else Matters, and Sad But True, leading to Grammy wins and mainstream recognition. Metallica was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009, and the bandʼs influence permeates all of the Metal that has come to follow. A must-do show for any aspiring shredders!

Songwriting

Thursday 5:30pm-7:00pm

School of Rockʼs Songwriting Program is designed to teach intermediate and advanced students the fundamentals of songwriting, arranging, and performance in an interactive group-class setting. Through exercises, activities, and hands-on experiential training, students will learn to articulate and express creative ideas, overcome writerʼs block, analyze songwriting techniques, collaborate with others, and accept constructive criticism, all while writing, arranging, and performing their own original songs!

Stevie Wonder

Saturday 12:30pm-2:30pm

The term “musical genius” gets thrown around oen, but in the case of Stevie Wonder it is 100% warranted. Stevie Wonderʼs career began in 1961 when he was signed to Motownʼs Tamla label at the age of just 11 years old. At 13, he scored his first number-one hit with “Fingertips,” becoming the youngest artist to ever top the Billboard chart. During the 1960s, Stevie racked up numerous hits including “Signed, Sealed, Delivered Iʼm Yours” and “For Once In My Life.” The 70s was the most prolific decade for Stevie, where he won 10 Grammy Awards for songs like “Superstition” and “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life.” With hundreds of millions of record sales and a lifetime of achievements, awards, and honors, Stevie Wonderʼs legacy continues even today to be that of a musical genius and a Pop icon. This is a challenging show that will bring out the best of any student. Great for all instruments but especially great for keyboardists and rhythm sections. With elements of Soul, Funk, Rock, and Pop, the music of Stevie Wonder offers unique educational opportunities!

Arena Rock

saturday 2:30pm-4:30pm

Arena Rock is virtually impossible to indelibly encapsulate into an absolute genre or band list. However, the Arena Rock Show at School of Rock can be definitively stamped as a conglomeration of catchy music that is meant to be turned up loud with the windows down, filled with hard-hitting parts that feel good to air-guitar or air-drum along with at home. As FM radio developed into the mainstream music medium in the '70s, bands began performing at larger venues in order to accommodate their huge fanbases. One can subjectively argue that any artist who has achieved superstardom to the extent of performing in arenas and stadiums could be included. To that end, this show may include acts ranging from Journey, Styx, REO Speedwagon, and Kansas to Meat Loaf, Foreigner, Toto, Pat Benatar and Cheap Trick. No matter the bands, the songs of the Arena Rock show are the true stars, and anyone whoʼs had the joy to sing along with this music in its intended environment will surely agree. Guitarists will have challenging parts lurking around every corner. Keyboard players will be showcased heavily throughout. Vocalists will be challenged with belting leads and rich harmonies. Drummers will learn the true meaning of bombastic, showy performances. Bass players will be exposed to melodic bass lines which compliment their 6-string counterparts. This is a great show for all instruments!