OUR Winter 2026-27 SEASON SHOWs!!
Kick off your Fall Season with one of our 13 show themes! Every 4 months, we announce the new show themes for the upcoming season. We choose our Performance and Adult Band themes based on our educational standards, while also trying to provide an exciting and fun experience to our students! We've got a GREAT winter Line-up for our students covering multiple decades and genres of rock! Signups are open now! Don't wait - this is YOUR chance to tell us what show you want to do for Winter!
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!
this is queen
Queen formed in London, England, in 1970, a time when heavy Rock and Roll was reaching mainstream audiences and record companies were looking everywhere for the “Next Big Thing”. . The band achieved global success in no small part due to the charisma and supernatural talent of lead singer/keyboard player Freddie Mercury. The band also featured Brian May (guitar), Roger Taylor (drums), and John Deacon (bass) - all virtuosos on their respective instruments. Queen is known as one of the most commercially successful bands of all time who also pushed artistic boundaries, a unique and enviable combination in the music industry. Their first album, the self-titled Queen, was released in July 1973, and was well-received by critics, including king-maker Rolling Stone, who would eventually rank “Keep Yourself Alive” as the 31st greatest “Guitar Song” of all-time. Following several more albums, Queen began work in 1975 on what would be their pièce de résistance, A Night At The Opera. The album brought together all of the band’s interests and influences and incorporated a wide range of musical styles, from hard rock to theatrical ballads. The album’s centerpiece was the audacious and operatic “Bohemian Rhapsody”, one of Rock’s most celebrated masterpieces and Queen’s first Number One hit. Queen continued their dominance of the airwaves in the '80s with The Game, which produced the chart-topping songs “Another One Bites the Dust” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”. Despite Mercury’s untimely death in 1991, Queen remains one of Rock’s most influential and enduring acts. Queen is a fantastic show for all students and will provide endless educational opportunities and steep challenges for every experience level.
tribute to 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 rights 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!
new wave
The New Wave genre incorporates a variety of different sounds and styles that were prevalent at the end of the 1970s and expanded until the end of the 1980s. New Wave began as an extension of Punk Rock, which changed the music scene starting in 1976 in the US and the UK. American power-pop groups like The Cars and The Knack were New Wave, while the Disco-inspired hits of Blondie, and the Reggae-influenced rock of the Police fell under the same umbrella. Gloomy goth rockers like The Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees and dance-oriented synth pop artists like Gary Numan and Eurythmics are all considered New Wave bands as well. One unifying factor shared by most, but not all, of the New Wave artists was an increasing use of electronic instrumentation, specifically the synthesizer. Many '80s New Wave artists, Soft Cell and Eurythmics among them, used the synthesizer as the foundation of their sound, while others like The Cars and The Police integrated the synth seamlessly into their punchy guitar pop. By the end of the 1980s, New Wave as a genre had splintered and the term became increasingly meaningless. The spirit of New Wave would live on in Indie Rock and College Rock, soon to become known as Alternative. The legacy of New Wave is still felt today as rock artists continue to experiment with synth textures and embody the quirky and offbeat image that made the New Wave era such a vibrant and influential time.
tribute to ac/dc
The dominant rock and roll genre in the 1970s, Hard Rock evolved out of the heavy blues favored by bands like Cream, Blue Cheer, and Iron Butterfly in the 1960s. By the early ‘70s, bands such as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy, and Black Sabbath had achieved superstar status. Soon, a slew of artists would find mainstream success with the Hard Rock formula: distorted guitar riffs, soaring solos, amped up boogie in the rhythm section, and wailing lead vocals. AC/DC, KISS, Aerosmith, Heart, Queen, Alice Cooper, and Van Halen were just a few of the many bands that rose to stardom during this era. While Hard Rock was generally guitar focused, piano and organ played a prominent role in bands like Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Jethro Tull, and Mott The Hoople. The ‘70s Hard Rock show is a great opportunity for all instruments to build chops by learning some of the most classic songs in rock and roll history.
glam rock
Glam Rock was a reaction against the earnest blues guitar rock that had dominated the airwaves in the late 1960s. Platform boots, glitter, heavy makeup, jumpsuits and androgynous costumes all combined with larger than life stage personas in the 1970s to create the artfully arranged image of all that was “glam”. Some of the most notable artists of this super-style are British artists such as David Bowie, T. Rex, Elton John, Mott the Hoople, Slade, and Roxy Music, as well as American acts like New York Dolls, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, and Suzi Quatro. Though Glam Rock may have had a limited run, its influence has also been seen in other eras and genres, perhaps most notably in 1980s Sunset Strip “hair metal”, which has traceable roots in the glitter, trash, and guitars of glam. Modern artists who borrow elements of Glam Rock include The Darkness and Scissor Sisters. The Glam Rock show is filled with challenging vocal and keyboard parts, and also features some deceptively difficult parts for lead guitar and great grooves for rhythm sections.
rock 'n' grohl
Rock 'n' Grohl (aka The Dave Grohl Show) is a killer show that covers quite a lot of musical ground on all instruments, featuring Grohl’s work with Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Queens Of The Stone Age, Them Crooked Vultures, Probot, and more. This music is centered in the Hard Rock aesthetic but ranges from Grunge to Punk to Metal to Prog. Best known for his work in Foo Fighters and Nirvana, Dave Grohl is unanimously admired throughout the entertainment industry and continues to be a force to be reckoned with in the modern music scene. The Rock ‘n’ Grohl show is ideal for guitarists of every experience level, in that it encompasses a wide range of skills and techniques - from Nirvana’s rhythmic yet aggressive strumming to the Foo Fighters’ melodic and driving octaves to Queens of The Stone Age’s heavy but quirky leads and solos. Dave Grohl is especially well-known for his prowess behind the kit throughout his career, making this show a favorite for drummers. For vocalists, Foo Fighters songs provide great examples of the belting and chest voice techniques, and intermediate vocalists will be challenged by frequent dynamic changes and two-part harmonies.
Motor City Sounds
The mastermind behind Motown Records’ success was the endlessly entrepreneurial Berry Gordy. Gordy’s meticulous approach to the creation, performance, and distribution of music fueled the growth of one of the most successful black-owned businesses in American history. With over 100 hits in Billboard’s top 10 from 1961 to 1971, Motown and its subsidiary labels more than earned the right to become known as “Hitsville, U.S.A.”. The explosive success of Motown broke new ground by tearing down racial barriers in the music industry, helping to open the door to mainstream success for countless black creators. In the 1960s, Motown’s star-studded roster featured groups like Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Diana Ross & the Supremes, the Jackson 5, Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, the Marvelettes, and the Temptations. Smokey Robinson, Michael Jackson and Diana Ross would eventually enjoy successful solo careers like label-mates Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. In the next decade, the label’s headquarters migrated from Detroit to Los Angeles and saw the artistic and comparatively more experimental offerings from Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. Motown’s influence has impacted generations of artists since its heyday in the 1960s. Its contributions to the racial integration of the music industry will never be forgotten - nor will its infectious sound.
rock across the pond
The mid-1960s cultural phenomenon known as “The British Invasion” refers to the sudden and ubiquitous popularity of British rock and roll among the American youth of the time. The catalog of music created by these artists - including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, and The Kinks among others - propelled Rock & Roll music to the mainstream of cultural relevance where it remains to this day. The British Invasion bands took inspiration from Blues, Folk, and early Rock & Roll and combined these influences in an exciting way that can teach both our students and audiences the foundation of modern pop and rock music. British Invasion is a prime show choice for all instruments and experience levels to learn the foundations of Rock music, and especially perfect for emerging players who are looking to take the next step in widening their musical repertoire. Some notable song selections may include The Beatles’ “Twist And Shout”, The Kinks’ “You Really Got Me”, and The Yardbirds’ “For Your Love”.
paramore
Arguably the most successful Rock band to emerge this millennium, Paramore was formed in the Nashville area in the early 2000s, and got their start on renowned Pop Punk label Fueled by Ramen. Their sound has evolved as their career has blossomed, incorporating diverse influences such as Rock, Punk, New Wave, Pop, Emo, and Dance music. Led by singer Hayley Williams, a dynamic performer with a four-octave vocal range, the band is known for hits like “Ain’t It Fun,” “Decode,” “Hard Times,” and “This Is Why.” Students of all instruments will find worthwhile challenges in the band’s tight hooks and varied sonic palette, which often includes synths, strings, and marimba in addition to the standard Rock instruments.
tool vs. a perfect circle
Prepare for an unforgettable clash between two of the most influential bands in progressive and alternative rock: Tool vs. A Perfect Circle. This immersive student performance explores the powerful legacy of both bands, showcasing the intricate musicianship, atmospheric soundscapes, and emotionally charged performances that have made them modern rock icons. From Tool's complex rhythms and hypnotic intensity to A Perfect Circle's melodic depth and haunting beauty, each set highlights the unique qualities that have earned these bands devoted followings. Expect soaring vocals, dynamic instrumentation, and a live concert experience that captures both the raw power and subtle artistry of their music. Whether you're drawn to Tool's progressive heaviness, A Perfect Circle's cinematic style, or simply appreciate exceptional rock performances, this show offers something unforgettable. Two legendary bands. Two distinct musical journeys.
Adult band: hair metal
The Hair Metal show is one of the most fun shows in the SoR repertoire, and can be very challenging as well. Hair Metal took over radio and MTV in the 1980s, as bands like Motley Crue, Bon Jovi, Van Halen and Quiet Riot combined great songwriting, acrobatic shred guitar, and sugary vocal harmonies with flashy outfits and tons of hairspray, capturing the hearts of America’s teenagers. As the 1980s began, a fusion of several musical styles began to occur. The Glam Rock sound and imagery of the '70s began to combine with Metal and Punk to create a “glittery” Heavy Metal: Hair Metal. As the decade moved forward, the first wave of L.A. bands began to get signed and work their way up the charts. This included acts such as Quiet Riot with Metal Health, Dokken with Breaking the Chains, and Ratt with Out of the Cellar. While each had their own distinct sound, what they shared in common was an image of leather and chains, and an aggressive musical style that emphasized great hooks and loud guitars. Students will have a chance to play selections by Motley Crue, Poison, Guns n Roses, Ozzy, Van Halen, Skid Row, Quiet Riot, Lita Ford, Def Leppard, Ratt, Warrant, Bon Jovi, Dokken, Whitesnake and the like!
adult band: 90's rock anthems
Turn up the volume and travel back to the decade that changed rock forever! 90s Rock Anthems brings together the biggest, boldest, and most unforgettable songs from the era of grunge, alternative rock, pop-punk, and post-grunge. Students will learn and perform iconic songs from bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Blink 182, Hole, The Smashing Pumpkins, Counting Crows, The Cranberries, R.E.M., Third Eye Blind, and many more. From massive guitar riffs and driving rhythms to huge sing-along choruses, this course is all about capturing the energy and attitude of 90s rock. Whether you lived through the decade or just love the music, this is a chance to step onstage, play some legendary songs, and experience the sound of a generation. Big riffs. Big choruses. Pure 90s rock.
Forms are open! Sign up deadline is Friday, September 14th, 2026. Students may sign up beyond the deadline, but are less likely to be placed on a top preference show.
Sign Up for Winter!Beyond grateful for what SOR provides my son! He has gained so much musically and socially. - Chani F
New to school of rock?
At School of Rock, we turn music lessons into something unforgettable. Our patented, performance-based approach gets students playing real songs in real bands - right from the start.
Whether you're picking up an instrument for the first time or getting back into music after a break, we don't just teach notes - we teach you how to rock on stage and in life. At School of Rock Las Vegas West, students grow as musicians and as people, building creativity, stage presence, and life skills in a fun, supportive environment.
Have questions? Email us at lasvegaswest@schoolofrock.com or call us at (702) 778-9382.