A Rock ‘n’ Roll Dream at 1000 Watt, Gilley’s Dallas

I’ve always had a deep appreciation for two wild and mysterious forces: the driving spirit of rock ‘n’ roll and the often-surprising ways Heaven brushes up against our daily lives. Both collided at the 1000 Watt event in Dallas—a gathering of bold voices, sharp minds, and fearless marketers in the real estate industry. Held at the iconic Gilley’s, a venue steeped in Texas soul and Southern swagger, the atmosphere was anything but ordinary.

From the jump, this wasn’t your average marketing conference. The energy was electric, even before a single speaker took the stage. Classic rock poured through the speakers—Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty—setting a tone that felt less like a business gathering and more like a spiritual jam session disguised as a branding workshop. Every break, every speaker intro, every hour had a carefully curated soundtrack of rock’s greatest rebels and truth-tellers. And the crowd? Alive. Receptive. Amped.

Cofounders Brian Boero and Marc Davison, the minds behind 1000 Watt, brought the goods. Insightful, razor-sharp, and tuned in to where real estate is headed—not just in trends, but in tone. They both spoke to the soul of the industry. And they weren’t alone. Every speaker and panelist added depth and dimension, delivering truth with clarity and creative edge. But there was one moment that took things to another level.

When Keith Robinson, the CEO of NextHome, took the stage, the room shifted. The man has a presence that’s larger than life—part preacher, part frontman, all fire. And just as he entered, Tom Petty’s “Runnin’ Down a Dream” came blasting through the speakers.

That’s when it hit me.

I’ve long been a student of dreams—literally. I journal them, study them, and look for patterns that point to something bigger. And I’ve found that, more often than not, the soundtrack of our lives carries messages too. Petty’s anthem of pursuit, momentum, and vision played not just as a hype track, but as a holy reminder: you’re on the path. Keep running. Keep dreaming.

It was one of those surreal moments where the veil between the seen and the unseen thins. A song, a stage, a speaker, and something more—something divine—align. You can’t quite explain it, but you feel it. A whisper from Heaven carried on the chords of rock ‘n’ roll.

1000 Watt wasn’t just high-voltage branding content. It was a revelation wrapped in denim and distortion. A collision of strategy and spirit. A reminder that the best ideas often come when you’re not just chasing success—but running down a dream.

And maybe—just maybe—Heaven likes classic rock too.