Rock The District

2024 PERFORMERS

BEN JEFFCOAT

Ben Jeffcoat is a solo artist inspired by the Grateful Dead, Jack Johnson, and Mac Demarco. His style is best described as whatever happens, happens. He is going on to study Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona with goals of one day doing environmental conservation work for the National Parks Service. Through his music, he hopes to spread love and inspire people to sit back, relax, and take some time to enjoy the little things. This is his last year at Rock the District and he hopes that this is his best one yet.

ISA AND KILLIAN

Isa and Killian are both 7th graders at Sonoran Trails Middle  School.  Isa has been a part of the youth theater circuit throughout the valley for the past 2 years having starred as Annie, Moana, Gabriella Montez and most recently Glinda the Good Witch.  You can catch her in Temple Music and Performing Arts’ upcoming show, Les Miserables, next month.  Killian has been playing piano for many years and is part of the Highlands Church youth worship team.  They are excited to be part of Rock the District 2024!

CHANCE LEIGH AND DA BOYZ

Chance Leigh is an independent singer-songwriter who brought Da Boyz together. Chance Leigh and Da Boyz consist of Chance Leigh (da singer), Zack Burr (da drummer), Ben Jeffcoat (da guitarist) and Scott Negrete (da bassist). We all attend Cactus Shadows High School and love rock’n-roll jams. However, Da Boyz never strays from dreamy, laid-back grooves. We will be playing the recently released single “Fade Away” off Chance Leigh’s debut album “Talking to Myself”, set to release exactly one week after Rock the District. Our relaxed demeanor and psychedelic Hawaiian t-shirts will serve to put you in a melodic daze unlike any other :)

CHRISTIAN TANNER

Christian Tanner, an eleven-year-old fifth grader at Lone Mountain Elementary School, discovered his passion for piano at the age of three when he received a keyboard for Christmas. Initially drawn to classical music, he eagerly began lessons at five years old and has been dedicated to playing ever since. Recently, he has started singing while playing, and he dreams of composing his own music to share with the world. Inspired by musicians like Elton John, Billy Joel, Michael Jackson, Journey, and Coldplay, Christian enjoys playing popular songs from the 80s that everyone can sing along to. In addition to his musical pursuits, he also practices taekwondo, which he began at the age of five. Christian’s dedication to both music and martial arts showcases his diverse interests and determination to excel in all aspects of his life.

DUAL HYSTERIA

Starting out as a duo, Dual Hysteria has grown and is still growing! Composed of Meg Swansiger (Guitarist and Vocals, 17yo), Emily Lewis (Drummer, 17yo), and very recently as of late 2023, Rosie Naccarata (Bassist, 17yo). We’re still figuring things out together, such as what genre we want to capture in our original music (hopefully coming soon!), but our main inspirations are the bands we’ve gotten to meet on our journey so far, such as All the Better and Pure Sport and some bigger bands like Greta Van Fleet and Red Hot Chili Peppers. We hope that soon we can start creating our own music to put out and show the world what we’ve got to offer, but as of now we’re stickin’ to covers and learning along the way :)

EVELYN ERRANTE

Evelyn Errante is a 12-year-old singer/songwriter and performer from Arizona with dreams of being a country music superstar. She is known for her powerhouse vocals and her All-American country sound. She has already performed in Nashville at Tootsie’s and Kid Rock’s and sung the National Anthem for the Phoenix Suns and the Arizona Rattlers. Her debut album “First Rodeo” will launch on Spotify in April.

For Rock the District, she will be joined by band members Adam, Jonathan, and Ryan on guitar, Noah on drums, and Tyler on bass.

Come listen to this rhinestone cowgirl in her element!

PAPERFLOWER

Paperflower is a local high school garage rock band from Cave Creek, AZ. We have been together for 2 years and play a range of music from the Smashing Pumpkins to Arctic Monkeys to our own original songs. We are currently in the process of recording and producing our first album set to come out in the next few months. We have several shows planned for this summer and we can’t wait to kick off the year at Rock the District 2024!

SOUL SISTERS

Hiya and Mishti are one in the same. Their souls are intertwined like no other. Singing the same song, on the same line, at the exact same time. They both created the name ” soul sister ” when they were very young. They put the real meaning to sisters by chance friends by choice. They are both very outgoing females who strive for only the best.

OUR FINAL REST

We are Our Final Rest, a recently formed emo-inspired rock group of high school students from Cave Creek, AZ. We have been together for 6 months and play music from Pierce The Veil to Green Day to our own original songs. We are currently recording our first single, which should be available sometime this year. We are so excited to be able to play Rock The District 2024!

ALL THE BETTER

Formed in 2023 in the sunny state of Arizona, All The Better began as a high-school side project that morphed into supporting national touring acts in their very first few months of conception, influenced by predecessors such as Paramore, Maneskin, and many more. Mel Graeff (Vocalist, 18yo) and Jacob Nupoff (Guitarist, 17yo) founded the band, roping in Gray Crabb (15yo) and Cole Sinclair (Drums, 16yo) to join them. Each member’s taste rounded out their diverse sound with energetic punk performances, metal techniques with instrumentals, and bratty punk vocals. They’ve captivated an audience online for their relatable and hilarious moments, showing a different, more personable, and authentic side of being a musician and artist. Their dynamic sound makes them a great gateway for those who may not typically listen to rock, metal, or punk. They break down those barriers and believe that everyone can find something to enjoy and connect with in their music.

THE CHAMPIONS

Braxton, Enzo, Niko & Oliver are fifth graders who met at Desert Willow Elementary School in 3rd Grade Spanish Immersion and quickly became the best of friends. They decided to join together to form “The Champions”! Last year’s DWES talent show win and Rock the District debut helped them decide to continue their singing group. They sing together in DWES choir and enjoy spending time together outside of class playing sports and video games.

RIHAAN

Rihaan is a dynamic and energetic drummer who wants to play some shocking beats. His idea is to keep the audience engaged and thrilled throughout the gig. He is greatly inspired by music from different genres and cultures. He always looks for new opportunities to perform and share music with the world. Rihaan will rock as hard as two black holes colliding together and will devour all the audience’s attention to him

NICK THE INDOMITABLE

Hi! My name is Nicholas Giuliano!  I am a senior at Cactus Shadows and this is my second year performing at Rock the District! I intend to go to the University of Arizona to study engineering. Music is a great love of mine and I am so excited to get to play in front of many people. Some of my favorite bands are Pantera, Avenged Sevenfold, Seether, and Metallica! In my off times, when not playing guitar, I love to play video games and tennis. Thanks so much for coming out supporting CCUSD and let’s rock!

FIRE CREEK

Fire Creek is a two-man cover band with Scott Negrete on BASS and Logan Oestreich on guitar. They play familiar rock tunes and take inspiration from bands like Nirvana, Green Day, The Clash, and many more. For their debut show, they’ll be joined by special guest Landon Shellabarger on drums. Fire Creek is ready to blaze a path of rock.

HEADLINER

Dean Nelson

“What’s the point of doing this if you don’t break?” He leaned forward, messaging his neck. “What’s the point? Because I want to do this, what other reason is there?” Dean Nelson is a quicksilver Singer/Songwriter from Phoenix, Arizona. His music is played on late-night road trips and before first dates. His music ranges from heartfelt lyrics recalling a night in with a soulmate to a stadium filled with screaming fans. Dean’s stream of conscious lyrics has a distinctive tone in storytelling. Much like his voice, he’s trying to convey something with tone. There is an intentional ambiguity in the music. It’s as if the music were religiously honed in, and in the moment of recording, a fresh take was added to give the songs a sense of unbridled interpretation.

2024 JUDGES

Dave Gary

Cathy Rankin

Cathy Rankin is an established entertainment personality with a career spanning over 25 years. Her credits include roles in film, TV, hosting, stage, VO and print. Her marketing background also adds to her brand, giving her the ability to contribute on and off camera.

As a host, Cathy’s worked on many red carpets, network and cable shows covering and interviewing celebrities such as Bob Costas, Pam Anderson, Terry Crews, David Foster, and many more. She’s been a go-to spokesperson for many corporate clients, with multiple national infomercials and campaigns that have generated over $200M dollars for clients. The diversity of her projects gives her the ability to relate in any genre to both interview subjects, as well as audiences, with a down to earth style and humor. She’s been a featured interviewer for multiple Superbowl events, Muhammad Ali’s Celebrity Fight Night, and the Sports Emmy Awards where her Monday Night Football skit with Leslie Nielsen was nominated for “Best Opening Promo.”

Throughout her career, Cathy’s stayed connected to one of her biggest passions – music – from a young age. Influenced by her Grandparents and sister, who were all working musicians, and with a love of rock and roll, she’s enjoyed singing and collaborating with fellow musicians both on and off stage. In 2014, she became lead vocalist for two popular event/corporate bands, Superhero and Daisy Train, performing regularly for casinos, clubs, private events, festivals and Fortune 500 companies. As a co-producer for various music channels and venues, she’s also conducted in-depth interviews with many award-winning artists such as John Waite, Jordin Sparks, Lita Ford, Geoff Tate, Kix, Winger, RATT, and more. Currently, Cathy is Co-Host of the Metal Hall of Fame, along with Eddie Trunk, as well as the annual Bubba Bash in honor of Neil Peart. She will release her first original music in spring 2024.

KZ Scianna

GET YOUR TICKETS AT THE DOOR!

General Admission – $20
Students and Teachers – $10
5 and under – Free
Tables – $240 (8 seats) SOLD OUT
Sanderson Lincoln VIP Lounge – $75 per SOLD OUT