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Fans determine lineup for 2014 local battles at Hard Rock Café, Niagara Falls, USA
Hard Rock Café, Niagara Falls, USA, is on the search for local rock stars to take the stage in the heart of the Roman Empire with "Hard Rock Rising," the world's largest and most far-reaching battle of the bands competition. Through "Hard Rock Rising," local Western New York artists could receive the chance of a lifetime: an all-expenses paid trip to Rome to perform at the first "Hard Rock Live Rome" music festival this summer.
Starting today and running through Monday, Feb. 17, local fans decide which bands take the stage at Hard Rock Café, Niagara Falls, USA, by visiting the venue's Facebook page and downloading free tracks from bands of their choice. After voting online, fans are encouraged to visit the Hard Rock, where they can "triple their vote" by using a custom barcode at the cafe's host stand. As an added bonus, 21 and older guests who check in at a participating Hard Rock Café are automatically entered into a sweepstakes to win a trip for two to the all-inclusive Hard Rock Hotel in Cancun, Mexico.
Guests can visit www.facebook.com/hrcniagarafallsusa to enter their vote.
All of the participating artists are part of ReverbNation, the world's leading music community for rising musicians. ReverbNation built the technology that powers the programs, downloads and voting, which ultimately narrow the field for final judging.
Once local fan favorites are chosen, Hard Rock Café, Niagara Falls, USA, and 80-plus other participating locations around the world will host a series of live battle competitions from Monday, Feb. 24, through Tuesday, April 22. During that time, a panel of local industry judges will select one winner from each location who will move into the global competition and a second round of online fan voting to determine the top 25 bands worldwide.
Once the top 25 finalists are determined, a panel of music industry professionals will help select the grand prize winner and two runner-up bands. The panel includes Steven Van Zandt, producer, songwriter, creator of the world's most successful radio rock show "Little Steven's Underground Garage," founding member of the E Street Band and soon to be Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee; singer and hit songwriter Bonnie McKee, known for her hit single "American Girl," as well as hit songs for Katy Perry, Ke$ha and Britney Spears; Laura Taylor of Everybody's Management, who currently works with Laura Marling and Mumford & Sons; Scott Hutchison of acclaimed indie-band Frightened Rabbit; Stone, guitarist of Taiwanese band Mayday; and Hard Rock Records' artist relations executives James Buell and Blake Smith.
The grand prize winner will perform at "Hard Rock Live Rome," an outdoor music festival that will embrace more than 50,000 fans from across Italy. Winners of "Hard Rock Rising" will be flown to Italy to receive the ultimate rock star experience: the chance to visit the historic city of Rome and open up the main stage festivities at the first-ever festival. The selected runner-up bands will each receive new music equipment and gear valued at $10,000.
For full rules and a list of participating locations, visit www.hardrock.com orwww.facebook.com/hardrock.