Thursday, April 18, 2024
White Oak Music Hall
$153K fundraised - a new record for Law Rocks Houston!
Overall Winner, Judges’ Choice Award, and Hustle & Heart Award : Pro Hac Vice for Chance For Hope with legal talent from Akin; Enterprise Products Partners; The Friedkin Group; Harris County Law Library.
After an incredible inaugural show in Dallas at the end of February, and a record-breaking March weekend in Los Angeles, we packed our road cases and returned to Texas where the temperature was hot but the bands were even hotter! The Fourth Annual Law Rocks Houston brought the area’s legal community together for an epic night of music featuring musically talented legal pros who not only wowed the crowd, but set a new fundraising record for Law Rocks Houston. Seven bands took the stage at White Oak Music Hall, crushing classic tunes and raising a record-setting $153K for charity!
The show opened with Law Rocks newcomer, Rule 11 taking the stage one member at a time for a captivating rendition of “The Waiting” by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers that hooked the audience from the very start and gradually built as the band filled the stage. They expertly moved through a Millennial dream mashup of covers like Blind Melon’s “No Rain”, The Killers’ “When We Were Young”, and “Live Forever” by Oasis. Their tight rendition of The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven” gave each of the band’s instrumentalists a chance to shine. With a playful energy bouncing between the band members and crowd, it was clear the band enjoyed their time on stage - almost as much as we did!
Next up, Twenty 24 Souls made their Law Rocks debut with a setlist full of classics. The band kicked things off with a high-energy hit, getting everyone dancing to Blondie’s “Call Me”. The crowd went crazy for their cover of Heart’s “Crazy on You” which featured impressive lead vocals backed by bandmates whose infectious energy reverberated through the crowd. Other highlights included a feel-good rendition of Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” and a soulful guitar solo on Eric Clapton’s “Sweet Home Chicago”. Full of soul, this band more than lived up to its name.
Returning band DeSoto Rose hooked the audience within the first few notes of Fleetwood Mac’s “Rhiannon” and had the crowd singing along with their beautifully balanced harmonies. Adding some slick keys and a touch of tambourine, their setlist spanned country to classic rock, eighties pop and alt-rock, weaving in and out of genres with a practiced ease and engaging stage presence. From their take on “Personal Jesus” by Depeche Mode to “Country Roads” by John Denver, and The Cars’ “Just What I Needed”, the band gave us just what WE needed, and more.
When defending Law Rocks Houston champions Pro Hac Vice took the stage wearing sweatbands, we should have known they were serious about making us dance. They came prepared with inflatable props, a keytar, and a setlist full of surprises that kept the crowd in constant awe. From Van Halen’s “Panama” to Dr. Dre’s “Nothin’ but a ‘G’ Thang” to a noteworthy rendition of Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Getting Back Together”, the band had the crowd singing and dancing throughout their entire performance. As Montell Jordan said, “This is How We Do It” - and the way they did it earned them a clean sweep of the night’s awards.
One Bad Crash came to rock, and did just that! Slaying hairband hit after hit, the band’s electric energy and commanding stage presence were as explosive as “TNT”. Their cover of AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds” started at an 11 and never turned down. What’s better than a cover of Guns N’ Roses’ “Sweet Child O’ Mine”? One with a shredding guitar solo while wearing a Slash costume! One Bad Crash pulled all the stops and had us going off the rails on a “Crazy Train” - and we loved every minute of the ride.
The next band, On The Side, took the stage and never stopped playing once they started. Their flawless creative transitions between songs kept the vibe alive throughout their entire set, with the crowd eating it all up and singing along. Highlights included covers of “Call Me Al” by Paul Simon, “Carry on My Wayward Son” by Kansas, and “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears. For as perfectly in sync as the band members were, their impressive performance appeared effortless and like they were having an absolute blast - and we were, too! On The Side was more like a main dish, and we want more.
The Wheel Workers rounded out the night with a set full of sleeper hits that took us back in time. Band members played multiple instruments throughout their set, giving us a double-dose of keys and keeping the crowd dancing until the end - especially when they broke into “Situation” by Yazoo. “The One I Love” by REM closed out the night, and it was one we loved indeed.
Our Houston show has always been a vibe, and this year was no different. Every band put their own unique spin on the songs they performed, keeping us constantly in awe of the talent on stage. It was truly a night to remember and we can’t wait to come back again next year.
Law Rocks wouldn't exist without the support of all the bands and firms - major thanks to every participating band! A world of thanks to the White Oak team; the Rock Panel of Judges: Shawn Allen; Catterina; Shakeatha Davis; Marq Moody; and Dr. Ana Treviño-Godfrey; our host Alexander Ansari; and our nonprofit guests. The evening was made possible thanks to our tour sponsor Secretariat; top sponsors Locke Lord; and Akin; and the additional generous sponsors who helped make the night possible. We are thankful for each and every one of you!
The enthusiasm, drive, and energy of the Houston legal community is what led us to expand Law Rocks to Dallas this year. We are grateful to all of our Houston bands for continuing to bring the kind of talent and spirit to the stage that keeps us coming back for more year after year.
Thank you for another epic show, Houston. We’ll see y’all again next year!
Please consider making a contribution to support Law Rocks World Tour and ensure we keep rocking the globe for years to come!
Law Rocks is thrilled to be extending our Music Matters grant into 2024! This grant, established in 2023, is presented in each of our US tour cities to benefit a local organization that supports music education. We are pleased to present our 2024 Houston Music Matters grant to Prelude Music Foundation! PMF partners with schools in Houston to bring research-based music education to support the development of young children in underserved communities.
We applaud their mission to transform the lives and enhance the education of children in Houston through the power of music and are happy to spread the word about this organization. Click through to read our blog about Prelude Music Foundation, including an interview with Co-Founders Dr. Ana Treviño-Godfrey & Jonathan Godfrey.
We are proud the Fourth Annual Law Rocks Houston 2024 bands raised funds for the following organizations.
Miss the show? Just want to relive it? Sit back and enjoy each set!