BLACK SABBATH
While the phrase “Heavy Metal” had been thrown about during the '60s, it took the arrival of Black Sabbath to fully realize the genre. Considered the pioneers of heavy metal, Black Sabbath are rock and roll legends. Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward created some of the heaviest music of the 1960s and '70s, and have influenced practically every metal band who have emerged in their wake, including Metallica, Slayer, System of a Down, Slipknot, and Soundgarden. After 50+ years, despite lineup changes (Ronnie James Dio as vocalist being the most notable), band names (including both the Polka Tuck Blues Band and Earth), and inter-band personality conflicts, Black Sabbath have still emerged as the first and most influential heavy metal band in rock history. Major musical concepts employed by Black Sabbath that the students will learn include alternate tunings, changes in tempo and feel, and improvisation. This show is sure to be incredibly fun for your student rocker, and will aid in their development to the next musical level.
LED ZEPPELIN
Led Zeppelin has been synonymous with being the innovators of the Hard Rock genre. Formed originally as a new version of the British Invasion group The Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin quickly took shape to become the most popular rock band in the world, filling arenas and selling millions of albums. The mastermind behind it all was Jimmy Page. As a studio musician, producer, and songwriter, Page recruited Robert Plant (vocals), John Paul Jones (bass), and John Bonham (drums), and began a decade-long journey of prolific songwriting. Songs like “Stairway to Heaven”, “Black Dog”, “Good Times Bad Times”, and “The Ocean” have become rock standards and rites of passage for aspiring musicians. Led Zeppelin’s blend of Hard Rock, Blues, and Folk has remained the primary inspiration for many of today’s rock bands. Any student participating in this show is sure to gain a wealth of musical knowledge and advancement. The Led Zeppelin show has challenges for every skill level - it will turn beginners into intermediates and will transform intermediate players into advanced rockers!
GRUNGE
Grunge is a rock music genre that emerged in Seattle in the late 1980s. Including elements of punk, metal, and pop, some of the most notable Grunge bands include: Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, and Soundgarden. These bands combined guitar distortion, anguished vocals, and angst-ridden lyrics to create a sound that helped bands like Nirvana skyrocket into mainstream success. This show will lean most heavily on Nirvana and bring in some of the other bands that made grunge so popular in the 90’s. Although grunge is known for its rawness, there are melodic elements in many solos, like the ones in Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun” or Pearl Jam’s “Alive.” Students can learn how to blend emotion with technique in these solos. Drummers will be challenged by the energy and intricacy of songs like Alice in Chains' “Would” and Nirvana’s “In Bloom.” Grunge drumming often involves both tight, rapid beats and slower, more deliberate fills, creating a dynamic and shifting rhythm. For guitar players, focusing on basic skills like power chords and open chord transitions can help beginners gain confidence, while intermediate players can delve into more complex rhythms and riffs. A big part of grunge is the feeling behind the music—lyrical themes of alienation, disillusionment, and emotional turmoil. This is reflected in both the vocal delivery and the instrumentation, making it a great genre for students to express themselves while learning. The grunge show is a solid show for all levels of playing and is packed with crowd-pleasing '90s anthems..
BEST OF THE 2000’S
The 2000s Show offers a huge variety of music that is sure to satiate any student’s 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 ‘retro’ sounds using modern technology and sensibilities, and 2) songwriting that draws from a huge diversity of genres and styles, making 21st-century ‘rock’ 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!
POP LEGENDS
Before there was Rock and Roll, there was Pop. Short for Popular, Pop music was whatever was popular at that moment. The Pop Legends show will celebrate the impact that acclaimed artists have made on the music industry. It will encompass a vast timeline of Pop Music ranging from the 60s through today, including artists such as Carol King, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, Madonna, Taylor Swift, Stevie Nicks, Michael Jackson, Amy Winehouse, Adele and many more. This show is a great challenge for “Rock” guitar players who want to work on new chord shapes and voicings. Bass players will be able to work on very challenging melodic parts in support of drummers who will learn limb independence on many of the parts. Vocalists’ skills will be pushed with the level of singing and performing required in this show, while keyboardists will be heavily represented in these well-known arrangements.
