Inaugural Law Rocks Phoenix (2020)

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Thursday, January 9, 2020
Crescent Ballroom
$48K in total fundraising

Winner and Judges’ Choice Award: Retro-Active


The Inaugural Law Rocks Phoenix was an epic night, with five awesome bands rocking out for Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Centers. Law Rocks wouldn't exist without the support of all the bands and firms - major thanks to every participating band! Thanks also to the team at Crescent Ballroom, the emcees, and Rock Panel of Judges. None of this would be possible without our sponsors, making the show possible - thank you to General Dynamics Mission Systems; LK Global; Fennemore Craig; Ogletree Deakins; and Secretariat. Thank you, Phoenix! See you in 2021!

THE CHARITY

The Inaugural Law Rocks Phoenix was a special event benefiting Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Centers. The Rock Teen Center inspires teens (12-20) to grow through music, dance and art. They provide vocational training in sound and recording, lighting and staging, video production, as well as a computer lab and a cool, supervised facility for the teens to engage with their peers. In a time where public schools are cutting funding for empowering programs like music, dance and art, The Rock cultivates a love of the arts to inspire and challenge teens to embrace artistic excellence and reach their full potential.

THE BANDS

Featured
Crisis
Crisis

CRISIS brings together five experienced musicians with extensive backgrounds playing in Rock Bands throughout their careers. All five are successful businessmen and leaders in their community. The group’s focus is on playing danceable Rock and Roll with prominent vocals and harmonies. The band has used this influence in writing and recording original music as well. Original CRISIS music has been selected for several Rock and Roll Marathon promotional CD’s. CRISIS also had an original song - Stand Up!, selected for the soundtrack of the film "Smile till it Hurts", which was released at the 2009, Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.
Band members include:
Michael Dollin – Drums, percussion
Tim Greer – Lead Guitar, Vocals
Michael Norton – Drums, percussion
Tim Sprague – Bass, Vocals
Ross Wilson – Guitar, Lead Vocals

Desert Rangers
Desert Rangers

The Desert Rangers consist of four lifelong musicians who have played oldies, rock, blues and jazz in numerous bands across the country and around the globe. The Desert Rangers perform cover songs at various venues throughout the valley, including songs from BB King, Jimi Hendrix, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Eric Clapton, Elvis, John Mayer, Santana and Bobby Darin. The individual Rangers are mostly new to the Phoenix area and met at local Phoenix and Scottsdale jams. Matt Hoot, from Germany and who just became a U.S. citizen, plays guitar/vocals. Bill Ypsilanti, a semiconductor process engineer who was born and raised in the Bronx, plays saxophone/vocals. Randall Haake, who moved here from San Francisco and has performed in bands in California and Texas, plays bass guitar/vocals. Vikram Gosain, an international tax attorney/CPA who recently moved here from Connecticut, plays drums.

Jane Joyce
Jane Joyce

Jane Joyce is a singer, songwriter, engineer, and music producer that has played bass, guitar, and drums in several phoenix bands over the years. Early entering the scene Jane has written and published five novels which have become underground cult classics. Fighting the good fight in law, Jane is an accomplished and experience trial paralegal that has worked on many cases netting tens of millions of dollars for clients. Jane currently works in law, music, and real estate management and continues to write cutting edge music, with an emphasis now on providing high quality recording options to local talent.

The knobs
The knobs

The knobs have been playing together since 7 December 1941 (noonish), a day on which nothing else of particular note happened. The knobs are a collection of, let’s say, men, all of whom like playing Doors songs and none of whom are presently violating parole. Tom Salerno (drums) is a bankruptcy lawyer with an insatiable appetite for ketchup. Jordan Kroop (piano, organ, vocals) is a much younger bankruptcy lawyer who keeps a collection of Victorian-era riding crops for use in none of your damned business. Peter Swann (bass) is an appellate judge and a world-renowned expert on the second season of Punky Brewster. Jim Roberts (guitar) is an architect who dated Patty Hearst before that whole thing. His brother, Donny Roberts (lead guitar, harp), is a life-long professional musician, totally a ringer, and probably embarrassed just to be seen with Jordan. Together, they form a quintet with a reasonably good chance of getting some of the notes right.

Retro-Active
Retro-Active

Devon Engel – bass
Sean Hood – guitar
Mike Rissman – keyboards
Chuck Leyva – drums
Christi Sartin – vocals
Dave Cass - vocals

Retro-Active is a high energy rock & roll cover band playing in the Valley since 2006. Featuring dynamic male and female vocals (and three Valley lawyers!) Retro-Active set lists are full of the songs that make you jump out of your seat to dance and sing along. From Adele to Zeppelin, Journey to Van Halen, Guns n Roses to Velvet Revolver, Boston to Kansas and Toto, Styx to Stones, the Black Crowes to the White Stripes, Aerosmith to Jet, Blue Oyster Cult to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Heart to Paramore, Alien Ant Farm to Michael Jackson, the Cult to Kravitz, Boston to Bon Jovi, Jefferson Starship to Foreigner, Elle King to Prince, Scandal to Dramarama, Petty to Mellencamp, AC/DC to U2, The Killers to The Knack, Florence + The Machine to No Doubt, Def Leppard to Foo Fighters, Rihanna to Rage Against the Machine, Grace Potter to Greta Van Fleet, Ratt to the Doobie Brothers…you get the picture…

THE NONPROFIT

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The Inaugural Law Rocks Phoenix was a special event benefiting Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Centers. The Rock Teen Center inspires teens (12-20) to grow through music, dance and art. They provide vocational training in sound and recording, lighting and staging, video production, as well as a computer lab and a cool, supervised facility for the teens to engage with their peers. In a time where public schools are cutting funding for empowering programs like music, dance and art, The Rock cultivates a love of the arts to inspire and challenge teens to embrace artistic excellence and reach their full potential.

ROCK PANEL OF JUDGES

2020
Host - Mark Devine
Host - Mark Devine

You might remember him as the host of the “Tim & Mark” show on 93.3 KDKB where he co-hosted the morning show for 16 years. Mark is a husband of 28 years and a father of two! After KDKB, Mark started and ran a real estate business for a decade before deciding to return to radio. Now you can hear him every morning on the “Mark and NeanderPaul” Morning Show on 100.7 KSLX!

Host - Grant Woods
Host - Grant Woods

Grant is one of Arizona's premier attorneys. He graduated from Occidental College in 1976, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa (and selected their Alumnus of the Year in 2000), and is currently a member of the Occidental College Board of Trustees. He graduated from Arizona State University College of Law in 1979 and was named their Alumnus of the Year in 1999. He served as Arizona's Attorney General from 1991-1999 and was selected by his peers as the nation's top attorney general in 1995. He successfully argued before the United States Supreme Court in Lewis v. Casey, which was recently named one of the most important legal cases in Arizona history. He was one of the principal architects of the states' lawsuits against the tobacco companies and was a key negotiator in the resulting largest civil settlement in history and over $2Billion to Arizona health care so far. He was the first Chief of Staff to the late Senator John McCain and delivered the first eulogy at the beautiful services for Senator McCain.

Mr. Woods is the founder of the Mesa Boys & Girls Club, the Mesa Education Foundation and the Mesa Arts Academy, one of Arizona's first successful charter schools. He has won top awards from the American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, the Salvation Army, the Children’s Action Alliance and Chicanos Por La Causa.

As a songwriter, Mr. Woods’ songs have been recorded and performed by award winning artists such as Francine Reed, Walt Richardson, Blaine Long, Lawrence Zubia, and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and E Street Band member Nils Lofgren. His columns and articles have appeared in newspapers and magazines across the country and he has been recognized by the Associated Press as Arizona’s Top Radio Show Host. Mr. Woods has written two plays, “Dear Senator” and “The Things We Do,” which will have its West Coast premiere in Los Angeles in April, 2019.

He is married to former Channel 10 news anchor, Marlene Galan Woods. They have five children: Austin and Lauren, graduates of ASU, Cole, a graduate of Chapman College, Dylan and Ava.

Rock Judge - David Ellefson
Rock Judge - David Ellefson

Scottsdale, Arizona resident David Ellefson is the co-founding bassist for Thrash Metal Titans MEGADETH. In 2016, David and Megadeth enjoyed a Billboard chart topping hit with their 15th studio album Dystopia, culminating in a triumphant 2017 Grammy Award win for Best Metal Performance. Throughout the band’s 35 year storied career, Megadeth has been awarded numerous gold and platinum awards, 12 Grammy nominations and has sold over 30 million albums worldwide.

Ellefson is also an accomplished record producer, clinician, music business lecturer and entrepreneur presiding over a global brand including his own record label EMP Label Group and the relaunch of legendary COMBAT RECORDS, the seminal Metal record label that launched Megadeth’s career in 1985. He is also well known for creating his own boutique coffee brand Ellefson Coffee Co., which has launched into a fully international retail coffee line.

As an accomplished author, David’s canon of literary works include his music business self help guide “Making Music Your Business…A Guide for Young Musicians” (Hal Leonard) and his 2014 autobiography “My Life With Deth” (Howard Books/Simon & Schuster).
In 2019 Ellefson has been active as a solo artist, touring the world in support of his most recent album ELLEFSON’s “Sleeping Giants” and memoir “More Life With Deth” (Jawbone Press).

Find out more about David Ellefson here:
www.davidellefson.com
www.facebook.com/davidellefson
www.instagram.com/davidellefson
www.twitter.com/ellefsondavid
www.ellefsoncoffeeco.com
www.emplabelgroup.com
www.merchlive.com
www.megadeth.com

Rock Judge - Lawrence Zubia
Rock Judge - Lawrence Zubia

Lawrence Zubia is the lead singer in a legendary Tempe AZ Mill Avenue band – PISTOLEROS.

The Pistoleros have managed to carve out 25 years of great music & 7 full length albums. Their Major Label debut album (Hang On To Nothing) on Hollywood Records was met with critical acclaim. Currently they are signed to FERVOR RECORDS & have had several songs placed in TV & Film projects, including NCIS, FOX SPORTS, VH-1 HINDSIGHT, RIZOLLI & ISLES & many more.

Lawrence has song co-writes with some notable rock n Roll greats including Pat DiNizio/Smithereens, Doug Hopkins & Jesse Valenzuela/Gin Blossoms, Radney Foster/Foster & Lloyd & many more.

In addition to Lawrence’s front man duties in the PISTOLEROS, Lawrence plays around Phoenix as a solo acoustic act & with his side project band – Lawrence Zubia Band. Currently Lawrence is writing songs & working on ideas for the next record.

Rock Judge - Zeke Roeser
Rock Judge - Zeke Roeser

Zeke Roeser is 5'8" and 160lbs of diamond-hard rock 'n' roll. He is a trial lawyer and the principal of Roeser Law Firm, a personal injury practice in Washington, DC. He litigates primarily in DC and Maryland, and has successfully represented thousands of DC-area residents.

Mr. Roeser's interest in music and entertainment is hard-wired. He was born to an acting teacher and the founder and lead guitarist of a venerable, white-shoe classic rock band from New York City. He will not say which, but he will advise that he has attended 100+ Blue Oyster Cult concerts from the age of fetus through his present 40th year. He believes that life begins at rock 'n' roll.

Mr. Roeser is a member of the Trial Lawyers Association of Washington DC, the Maryland Association for Justice, and the secretive Federalist Society.

Rock Judge - Neal Smith
Rock Judge - Neal Smith

Legendary drummer and 2011 Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame inductee Neal Smith, songwriter and founding member of one of the most successful rock and roll acts to be seen and heard in the world: The Shock Rock Group Alice Cooper. The first band to introduce theatrics to the rock and roll stage, and the Band has sold over 25 million records worldwide. Neal has six gold and five platinum album awards to his credit. Neal has performed before millions of fans on extensive grand World Tours. In addition to the band called Alice Cooper, Neal has also played and/or recorded with such groups as The Billion Dollar Babies, The Plasmatics, Buck Dharma, Deadringer, Bouchard, Dunaway & Smith, Cinematik and his current killer solo project KillSmith.

PHOTOS

You can view all photos here!

VIDEO

Relive the entire concert!

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