Thursday, October 17, 2024
Bowery Ballroom
$228K fundraised!
Overall Winner and Hustle & Heart Award: The Meltones for Lawyers Alliance for New York with legal talent from Greenberg Traurig
Judges’ Choice Awards: Co-Winners:
- Mistrial for New York Center for Children with legal talent from White & Case; Gibson Dunn
- A Band Named Sue for New York Lawyers for the Public Interest with legal talent from Schindler Cohen & Hochman; Parker Pohl; White & Case; Law Offices of Benjamin Haber; and ASCAP
Last night the 9th Annual Law Rocks New York City brought the NYC legal community together to rock for a good cause! Eight bands gave it their all at a packed Bowery Ballroom, battling for rock victory while supporting some amazing nonprofits. By the end of the sold-out evening, $226K was raised, and a good time was had by all!
The evening opened with Amperband making their second Law Rocks appearance this year, having recently played in Washington D.C. The band kicked things off with an energy that bounced through the crowd. Their punky rendition of No Doubt’s “Just a Girl” got heads bobbing, while “Inside Out” by Eve 6 showcased the lead singers’ ability to play off of each other, having as much fun as the audience. One of the standout songs of their set, “The Middle” by Jimmy Eat World, was a definite crowd favorite. Amperband’s bio describes the band “as equally in tune with each other as they are with their clients” and we agree!
Willy and the Halestormers must have woken up that morning, stumbled to the kitchen, and poured themselves a great big ol’ cup of ambition, because they came out swinging with a home-run rendition of Dolly Parton’s timeless hit “9 to 5.” Their quartet of lead singers took turns showing off their impressive vocal chops in a set that also featured multiple sax solos. A moving rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” hit the crowd right in the feels, and Coldplay’s “Fix You” showcased the vocalists’ blended harmonies. Screams of joy echoed through the Bowery from the first few notes of Chappell Roan’s smash hit, “Pink Pony Club,” making the song a standout moment from the band’s set.
The Dirty Scriveners returned for their second year at Law Rocks, bringing powerful vocals and the coolest translucent cello we’ve ever seen. The band opened with a great cover of Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer” and moved on to multiple genres throughout their set. Their renditions of Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats” and Fountains of Wayne’s “Stacy’s Mom” showcased the band’s range and were welcome throwbacks that led to the band wrapping with a charismatic cover of AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long” that had the crowd singing along.
Up next, Mistrial shined on stage, and not just because of the lead singer’s sparkling silver dress and boots! The band mesmerized with a cover of Taylor Swift’s “Wildest Dreams” and expertly shifted vibes to Radiohead’s “Creep”. From getting their fans “Dancing in the Dark” along to the Bruce Springsteen hit to the crowd going absolutely bananas for Florence & the Machine’s “Dog Days Are Over,” the verdict was definitive - Mistrial rocks.
The Meltones hit the perfect note from the start with an energetic version of Blondie’s “Call Me,” turning the packed house into a sea of rainbow glow sticks. The seasoned champs expertly transitioned from hit to hit, allowing each of their talented vocalists to shine. Their fans couldn’t get enough - singing along to song after song - their expert cover of Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” was such a hit, the crowd’s volume rivaled the band!
The next band of the night, [REDACTED] made it clear they came to rock with a roaring cover of “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses. The charismatic lead singer had the voice and the moves, entrancing the crowd on Britney Spears’ “Toxic.” The band kept things interesting with a blend of genres including emotive vocals from the keyboardist on Tal Bachman’s power pop hit “She’s So High” and tight harmonies on Aerosmith’s “What it Takes.”
Next up was Law Rocks newcomer Specific Performance. With a quirky band name, you know you're in for a unique experience, and they did not disappoint. Fun guitar riffs in their cover of “Lonely Boy” by The Black Keys and the sweeping anthem “Wake Up” by Arcade Fire were crowd favorites. But they truly hit their stride with “All These Things That I’ve Done,” building to the iconic “I’ve got soul but I’m not a soldier” chant, which had the entire audience singing along. They closed with Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer,” complete with a rock star-worthy flute solo by the lead vocalist.
Closing out the night was A Band Named Sue, gracing the Law Rocks stage for the second year. This folk rock band kicked off their set with southern grit on Miranda Lambert’s “Waxahachie.” As a vocalist, taking on Sheryl Crow and Brandi Carlile should be intimidating, but their singer effortlessly performed the tender moments and powerful belting required for both “If It Makes You Happy” and “The Story,” with the crowd singing along at the top of their lungs. The band joked with the audience how all the other bands were their “openers,” but since they won Judges’ Choice, we think its safe to say they are indeed headliner material.
Like last year, all bands brought the heat, both in performance AND fundraising, once again making this one of the closest competitions to date with excitement building as donation totals continued to increase throughout the night.
A world of thanks to our participating bands! Thanks also to the Bowery Ballroom team; the Rock Panel of Judges: Erich Carey; Amanda Charney; Hanna Fox; and Eli Northrup; our host Maria Milito; and our nonprofit guests. The evening was made possible thanks to our tour sponsor Secretariat; Hall of Fame sponsor Greenberg Traurig, and additional generous sponsors. Endless thanks to all of you!
Thank you for everything, NYC! We’ll see you 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 Willie Mae Rock Camp! Willie Mae Rock Camp is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering girls and gender-expansive youth through transdisciplinary music education. Click through to read our latest nonprofit spotlight on about Willie Mae Rock Camp, including an interview with Executive Director/Director of Artistic Programming, LaFrae Sci.
We are proud that Law Rocks NYC 2024 bands raised funds for the following organizations.
