2024 Paramount Gala
Performers
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
Joan Jett grew up during a time when rock ‘n’ roll was off limits to girls and women, but as a teenager, she promptly blew the door to the boys’ club right off its hinges. After forming her band the Blackhearts in 1979, with whom Jett has become a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, she has had eight platinum and gold albums and nine Top 40 singles, including the classics “Bad Reputation,” “I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll,” “I Hate Myself For Loving You,” and “Crimson and Clover.” With a career that has spanned music, film, television, Broadway, and humanitarianism, Joan Jett remains a potent force and inspiration to generations of fans worldwide. As a producer, she has overseen seminal albums by Bikini Kill, and the Germs’ LA punk masterpiece ‘GI.’ Jett and co-founder Kenny Laguna (her longtime producer and music partner) founded Blackheart from the trunk of Kenny’s Cadillac after countless rejections from no less than 23 labels. 40 years later, Blackheart is a thriving entertainment company producing music, film and television, and continues to champion emerging bands. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts continue touring the globe with headlining shows alongside fellow rock legends like The Who, Green Day, Heart, and Foo Fighters. The group returned to the road in the summer of 2022 for The Stadium Tour with Def Leppard, Motley Crue and Poison. ‘Bad Reputation,’ a documentary about Jett’s life, premiered to critical acclaim at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and is available for streaming.
SKYROCKET!
In a music city obsessed with originality, Skyrocket is perhaps the most creative and singular cover band ever to emerge from Austin, Texas (or anywhere). An organic mash-up of successful musicians, visual artists, and actors, Skyrocket is an irresistible tribute to the very best of the Vinyl Era.
Skyrocket’s witty and fearless attitude all started when a group of friends (veterans from Austin’s indie-rock, alternative, and songwriter scenes) discovered their common craze for the days of anthem-hits, and one-hit wonders. From there, Skyrocket spread its wings to include all the AM/FM singles they loved growing up. With each band member proficient at many instruments, they boldly tackled material that other bands wouldn’t… note for note… to frightening levels of accuracy.
The members of Skyrocket bring years of touring, recording and event programming experience to the stage, yet they approach all performances with an uncontrived spirit of energetic fun. Fans embrace Skyrocket with the same fervor as they do their favorite original artists.
