I rarely write in first person, but this musical mission is close to my heart. As a mom to a busy teen who loves his bass and the stage, I came across Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Center because my son and his besties are there every chance they can get.
Alice Cooper may be famous for raising a little hell onstage, but offstage, he’s helping AZ teens find their own kind of rock star potential. Through Solid Rock Teen Centers, he and wife Sheryl give young people ages 12 to 20 a free, creative space to make music, explore art, learn real-world skills, and discover what they’re made of. No backstage pass (or cover fee) required.
Having seen firsthand how much my son loves Solid Rock, I’m especially excited about what Cooper has in the works. We’re talking rising rock stars, a holiday concert with some serious star power and, because why not, even sushi.
Young Talent, Meet The Big Stage
Got talent? Cooper wants to hear it. His annual Proof Is in the Pudding competition brings more than 300 young musicians, ages 12 to 25, from across the country to the Valley. They’re battling it out for cash prizes and the chance to open for Cooper himself. (My son is among the competitors, but we’re totally unbiased over here. Obviously.)
The competition kicked off Oct. 6 in Phoenix, with more rounds Oct. 20-21 at Wasted Grain in Scottsdale and Nov. 2-3 at The Stillery in Goodyear. The finals hit Paradise Valley Community College’s Center for the Performing Arts on Nov. 21.
Two winning acts score a spot at Cooper’s Christmas Pudding benefit concert. And here’s the best part for local music lovers: Every round is free and open to the public. Details are available at alicecoopersolidrock.com/
Christmas Pudding, Rock Star Style
Ugly sweaters? Optional. Rock legends? Absolutely. Cooper’s 24th annual Christmas Pudding takes over Celebrity Theatre on Dec. 12, and this holiday party has some serious volume.
Joining Cooper are Dee Snider, Halestorm’s Lzzy Hale and Joe Hottinger, John 5 and the Creatures, and Sixwire. The Proof Is in the Pudding winners also get their moment in the spotlight, and a live auction benefits Solid Rock.
It’s a holiday tradition with a little more leather and a lot more guitar. All for a good cause, too. Maybe we’ll see you there! (Fingers crossed.)
Sushi Gets The Alice Cooper Treatment
Alice Cooper and sushi. Didn’t have that one on the 2026 bingo card.
Solid Rock has teamed up with Roka Akor to create Alice Cooper’s Frankenstein Roll, a monster of a sushi creation featuring snow crab, crispy prawn, seared tuna, avocado, and cashew sriracha. Sounds like a delicious little science experiment.
The roll is available at Roka Akor locations nationwide, with a portion of proceeds from every order supporting Solid Rock’s Arizona teen centers. So yes, ordering sushi can officially count as doing something good.
The partnership got a proper Scottsdale celebration Oct. 14, when Roka Akor in Scottsdale hosted a VIP evening featuring a three-course dinner, live performances by Solid Rock teens, cocktails, and a silent auction benefiting the nonprofit. (I personally am not a seafood fan, but judging by the clean plates at this event, the Frankenstein Roll is a hit!) Good food, good music and a good cause. Hard to argue with that lineup.
Insider Takeaways
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More than a hangout: Solid Rock offers free music, arts, and vocational programs for teens in Phoenix, Mesa, and Goodyear.
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Future rock stars: More than 300 young performers are competing for cash prizes and the chance to open for Alice Cooper.
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Free live music: Competition rounds continue Oct. 20-21 in Scottsdale, Nov. 2-3 in Goodyear, and Nov. 21 in Phoenix.
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Rockin’ Christmas: Christmas Pudding hits Celebrity Theatre Dec. 12 with a lineup of rock legends and rising talent.
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Sushi with swagger: Roka Akor’s Frankenstein Roll benefits Solid Rock Teen Centers with every order.
To learn more, visit alicecoopersolidrock.com.
