Fans Help Narrow Down the Search for the World's 10 Best Local Bands

ORLANDO, Fla., April 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- 12,000+ bands entered worldwide.  More than 275,000 votes were cast.  841 bands competed.  And now, the results are in and 86 bands from around the globe will move on to the next phase of Hard Rock Rising – the global battle of the bands!  After battling it out on Hard Rock stages worldwide, these bands are one step closer to winning the chance of a lifetime – a spot on the bill at the 2012 Hard Rock Calling music festival in London's Hyde Park, featuring headlining performances by Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Paul Simon and Soundgarden! 

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Hard Rock Rising will now give fans the power to choose which 10 bands will move onto the next phase of the competition and be evaluated by a celebrity panel of judges and music industry professionals, including Steven Van Zandt of the E Street Band, John Gourley, singer of Portugal. The Man, Scott Hutchison of Frightened Rabbit, Fyfe Dangerfield of Guillemots, Live Nation Vice President of Promotions Toby Leighton-Pope and Hard Rock International Chief Marketing Officer John Galloway.  It's up to fans worldwide to show their support and help these emerging artists live out their dreams!  

Rising to the Occasion – the Road to Hard Rock's Main Stage

The winning band from each of the 86 participating cities worldwide will now be pitted against each other for the global fan voting round.  Beginning April 9, 2012 at 10am EDT, fans can vote for their top choice and download free tracks from the bands that remain in the battle on Hard Rock's Facebook pages.  Once the global voting determines the top 10 bands, Hard Rock's celebrity panel of judges and music pros will select the first, second and third-place winners.

The first place winner will be flown to London for the ultimate rock star treatment, including a spot on the bill at Hard Rock Calling 2012. Second and third prize winners will receive $5,000 and $2,500, respectively, in ReverbNation PROMOTE IT credits, a revolutionary tool that creates targeted, highly effective Facebook advertising campaigns for musicians and venues promoting songs, Facebook pages and concerts.

"It is so important that we continue to show our support for emerging artists and give new talent a chance at much greater exposure," said Steven Van Zandt, guitarist for the E Street Band and judge of the Hard Rock Rising competition.  "I'm really psyched to hear the top 10 bands that the world chooses, and I'm even more excited to pick the winner who will be added to the bill with us at Hard Rock Calling."  

"I was really chuffed to be asked to be a judge, in fact, officially a 'UK spokesperson,' for the Hard Rock Rising competition. Competitions like this can be a great way for bands to get seen and heard, and the grand prize for this one - supporting the headliners at Hard Rock Calling in Hyde Park - is pretty mind-blowing!" said Fyfe Dangerfield of Guillemots and judge of Hard Rock Rising.  "I feel really excited to be part of such an open-to-anyone, international event that's going to give at least one band the chance of a lifetime."

Committed to supporting music and emerging artists around the globe, Hard Rock International hosted more than 17,000 live music events worldwide in 2011.  The brand continues its dedication to live music and support of up-and-coming artists in 2012 with the Hard Rock Rising Battle of the Bands, providing a forum for today's hottest new talent.   

Greetings From Hyde Park – Hard Rock Calling 2012

Hard Rock Calling, an iconic festival now in its seventh consecutive year, has established itself as one of the UK's premier outdoor music events. The 2012 festival will take place from Friday, July 13 to Sunday, July 15 in London's Hyde Park. Headliners for the festival will include Soundgarden on Friday, July 13, and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, who will take the Main Stage on Saturday, July 14 for their second Hard Rock Calling performance, followed by Paul Simon on Sunday, July 15. Hard Rock Calling 2012's performers will join a long line of rock 'n' roll greats who have previously taken the stage at this iconic festival including: Aerosmith, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, The Who, Pearl Jam, Peter Gabriel, The Killers, The Police, Rod Stewart and Bon Jovi.  Hard Rock Calling, produced by Live Nation and presented by Hard Rock International, is a unique and historic musical event with a main stage, second stage, renowned bands, on-site Hard Rock Cafe, as well as a variety of additional attractions. For further information on the 2012 artist lineup and ticket details, visit www.hardrockcalling.co.uk.       

About ReverbNation

ReverbNation provides over 1.8 million artists, managers, labels, venues, festivals/events and other music industry professionals with powerful, easy-to-use technology to promote and prosper online. Their array of distribution and promotional solutions provide the hands-on tools and actionable insights that allow them to reach their goals in an increasingly complex music industry. The company operates worldwide with customers on every continent. Over 30 million visitors come to ReverbNation.com every month. For more information, visit ReverbNation.com and follow ReverbNation on Twitter: www.twitter.com/reverbnation.  

About Hard Rock International

With a total of 173 venues in 53 countries, including 138 cafes and 15 Hotels/Casinos, Hard Rock International is one of the world's most globally recognized brands. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world's greatest collection of music memorabilia, which is displayed at its locations around the globe. Hard Rock is also known for its collectible fashion and music-related merchandise, Hard Rock Live performance venues and an award-winning website. In addition to the two flagship Seminole Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos in Tampa and Hollywood, Fla., Hard Rock Hotels/Casinos are located in Las Vegas, Biloxi, Orlando, Chicago, San Diego, Pattaya, Bali, Macau, Penang, Singapore and Punta Cana.  Additional hotel and casino projects have been announced including Panama Megapolis, scheduled to open in 2012; Cancun and Vallarta scheduled to open in 2012; and Riviera Maya, Hungary, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, scheduled to open in 2013.  Hard Rock International is owned by Seminole Hard Rock Entertainment, Inc. For further details on Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos, visit www.hardrockhotels.com.  For more information on Hard Rock International, visit www.hardrock.com.

SOURCE Hard Rock International