Thursday, November 21, 2024
Gramps
$109K fundraised - a new record for Law Rocks Miami!
Overall Winner and Hustle & Heart Award: The Meltones for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami with legal talent from Greenberg Traurig
Judges’ Choice Award: Sin Red for Young Musicians Unite with legal talent from SMGQ Law; The Higgins Law Firm
Music Matters Grant Beneficiary: Young Musicians Unite
Four bands of legal pros rocked - and fundraised - their faces off at the 3rd Annual Law Rocks Miami! Our new Miami venue, Gramps in Wynwood, provided a funky outdoor setting for a Law Rocks that was uniquely Miami and so much fun. As usual for our Miami tour date, the crowd arrived on the late side but came to party. But it wasn’t all hot pizza and cold drinks - all four bands doubled their fundraising goals, enabling us to break our Miami record at a whopping $110K raised!
Young musicians from Miami Beach Rock Ensemble tore up the stage with a blazing set of rock classics. From the first note of Journey’s “Separate Ways”, the talented teens electrified the crowd, continuing a tradition of rock excellence that dates back to 1972. Four talented singers belted their hearts out while the lead guitarist shredded to wild applause. From the propulsive beat of “Barracuda” to their heartfelt rendition of “With A Little Help From My Friends”, complete with harmonies and soulful vocals, these special guests started the night off with a bang.
The first competing band of the night, Fauxly, came all the way from Chicago to rock their second date on the Law Rocks 2024 tour! Consisting entirely of Foley & Lardner attorneys, the quartet took us into the 90s with a tight set of alternative and rock favorites, starting with an outstanding cover of “Song 2” by Blur. Perfectly embodying the attitude of their cohesive playlist, the crowd rocked along as the band took on favorites such as “Sugar, We’re Going Down” by Fall Out Boy and “Everlong” by Foo Fighters. A standout was likely the band’s hard-rocking version of Nirvana’s classic, “Smells Like Teen Spirit”.
In their Law Rocks debut, newcomers Born Again Baldwins nearly blew the roof off Gramps with a high-energy set of innovative rock / rap mashups. From their first number, a mashup of “99 Problems” by Jay-Z and AC/DC’s “Back in Black”, the Baldwins brought a fresh spin to beloved classics. Everyone was having a blast while the charismatic front man led the band through unexpected combinations such as “Take the Money and Run” + “Sweet Home Alabama” + “Nuthin’ but a G Thang” - definitely a Law Rocks first. The crowd ate it up, singing and swaying along to the band’s take on Oasis’ “Wonderwall” with The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Hypnotize” sprinkled in.
Reigning champs The Meltones came in hot with the driving beat and confident lyrics of “Eye of the Tiger” as their loyal fans cheered them on. Decked out in sparkly silver pants, the lead singer charmed the crowd with her moves and charisma, while the talented band nailed crowd pleasers such as Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and Paramore’s “Misery Business”. A thrilling guitar solo on Billy Joel’s “Miami 2017” certainly wowed, but the high point was likely their flirty take on “Call Me” by Blondie which had the audience dancing and singing along.
Sin Red made their Law Rocks debut to deafening screams as they broke into their opening number “Got to Get You Into My Life”. The lead singer, clad in a sequined skirt suit and thigh high boots expertly worked the crowd. The band made their way through a string of eclectic hits, seamlessly transitioning from one song to the next. With stellar covers of “Do I Do” by Stevie Wonder and Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now”, the band gave a performance that was both polished and lively, which ultimately earned them the coveted Judges’ Choice Award. Highlights included a sultry rendition of “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye and the band’s high-octane take on the Tina Turner classic, “Proud Mary”.
A world of thanks to our participating bands, the Gramps team, our amazing Rock Panel of Judges: Serona Elton; Glenn Moses; Andy Pate; and Alan Valladares; our host Valerie Ojeda; and our nonprofit guests. The evening was made possible thanks to Hall of Fame sponsors Arkadia | Sunset House; Greenberg Traurig; and SMGQ Law; our tour sponsor Secretariat; and additional sponsors Foley & Lardner; HaystackID; and Natasha Dorsey Law. We are grateful to each and every one of you and thank you for your support!
This was one for the books, Miami! We’re going to miss you until we come back 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!
For the second year, Law Rocks is awarding a Music Matters grant in each city to benefit a local organization that supports music education, particularly for underserved youth. We are thrilled to once again be awarding a Music Matters grant to Young Musicians Unite (YMU)!
YMU believes that every student deserves access to music education regardless of their socio-economic background, and collaborates with schools and communities to ensure that when a student picks up an instrument, they can continue on a consistent path of learning and progress from elementary through high school. Click through to read our spotlight interview update with Sammy Gonzalez, CEO/Founder of Young Musicians Unite.
We are proud that Law Rocks Miami 2024 bands raised funds for the following organizations.
Coming soon…