TAMPA, Fla. (March 2, 2017) – Hard Rock International is calling on emerging musicians to take center stage for the chance to play during halftime at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.

As part of this year’s Hard Rock Rising, the most far-reaching battle of the bands competition, artists and music acts at more than 125 Hard Rock Cafe, Hotel, and Casino properties across the globe (including Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa) will drop a beat or sing their hearts out for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Beginning Thursday, March 2 until Thursday, March 30, 2017, Hard Rock, in partnership with ReverbNation, will open online registration at HardRockRising.com for interested musicians wishing to participate in the global battle. As part of the competition, all finalists will receive $1,000, a Fender instruments prize pack, and a 1,000 CD/DVD pack of the artist’s latest recording or video from Bison Disc.

“Hard Rock Rising is a one-of-a-kind global competition that provides an opportunity for aspiring artists of all genres to showcase their talent and connect with new fans,” said Shailyne Berges, Marketing Manager at Hard Rock International. “Musicians in more than 70 countries around the globe entered Hard Rock Rising and nearly 175,000 votes were cast by fans in the wildcard round in 2016. This year’s competition is sure to be just as fierce, and we’re looking forward to putting the winning artist on the fast-track to success with a performance in front of thousands at Hard Rock Stadium.”

Rising to the Challenge – The Road to Hard Rock Stadium
Following open registration, entrants will receive a unique URL to share, encouraging their fans to vote online. The act who receives the largest number of online votes will become the wildcard “winner” for their local Hard Rock. The online voting period runs from Monday, May 1 through Saturday, May 6, 2017.

The top three acts and one wildcard “winner” in each market will perform as part of the Hard Rock Rising Battle of the Bands competition, taking place around the world between Thursday, May 18 and Thursday, May 25, 2017.

A panel of international music industry professionals will then narrow the local cafe winners down to four regional finalists and one global grand prize winner. All finalists will receive $1,000, a Fender instruments prize pack, and a 1,000 CD/DVD pack of the artist’s latest recording or video from Bison Disc. Additionally, the grand prize winner will perform during halftime at Hard Rock Stadium and get a chance to create a professionally-produced music video, which will be added to Hard Rock’s worldwide video system.

“Hard Rock and ReverbNation share the same passion for music, and we are dedicated to supporting hard-working artists that keep the spirit and energy of the craft alive,” said Simon Perry, Chief Creative Officer at ReverbNation. “Hard Rock Rising is an incredible opportunity for serious, unsigned musicians worldwide.”

ReverbNation, the global leader in providing independent musicians with the tools to manage every aspect of their careers, has partnered with Hard Rock again to host the seventh Hard Rock Rising competition. ReverbNation’s unique platform and extensive community of more than four million artists in more than 100 countries worldwide provides undiscovered artists with a chance to catapult their music careers and expose themselves to Hard Rock’s global audience.

For full rules and more information on Hard Rock Rising Battle of the Bands, please visit www.HardRockRising.com.

About Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa is the premier entertainment destination of Central Florida. Owned and operated by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the property is one of the most successful and largest casinos in the world. Located off I-4 at North Orient Road and Hillsborough Avenue, about 10 minutes east of downtown Tampa, the casino features high stakes table games, thousands of the hottest slot machines as well as a smoke free slots area offering 250 popular games. Additionally, there is a new state-of-the-art Poker Room featuring 46 tables. The hotel is AAA Four Diamond rated and offers six award-winning Zagat-rated restaurants, including the fine dining venue Council Oak Steaks & Seafood. The only place to rock one’s body and soul, Rock Spa® is also available along with a plethora of VIP services. For more information, please call 866-502-PLAY or visit us online and via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

About Hard Rock International
With venues in 74 countries, including 174 cafes, 24 hotels and 11 casinos, Hard Rock International (HRI) is one of the most globally recognized companies. 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. HRI owns the global trademark for all Hard Rock brands. The company owns, operates and franchises Cafes in iconic cities including London, New York, San Francisco, Sydney and Dubai. HRI also owns, licenses and/or manages hotel/casino properties worldwide. Destinations include the company’s two most successful Hotel and Casino properties in Tampa and Hollywood, Fl., both owned and operated by HRI parent company The Seminole Tribe of Florida, as well as other exciting locations including Bali, Chicago, Cancun, Ibiza, Las Vegas, Macau and San Diego. Upcoming new Hard Rock Cafe locations include Valencia, Innsbruck, Yangon and Chengdu. New Hard Rock Hotel projects include Abu Dhabi, Atlanta, Berlin, Dubai, London, Los Cabos, New York City, and Shenzhen, Dalian and Haikou in China. For more information on Hard Rock International, visit www.hardrock.com.

About ReverbNation
ReverbNation is the global leader in providing independent musicians the tools to manage every aspect of their careers. Since 2006, ReverbNation’s complete career management solution has built a community of over 4 million artists. This unrivalled access to today’s emerging talent, added to an industry leading curation capability, and a growing online audience of millions of fans, allows ReverbNation to play a pivotal role in the early identification and development of the next generation of successful artists.

For more information, visit ReverbNation.com and follow ReverbNation on Twitter at Twitter.com/ReverbNation.

About Fender
With an illustrious history dating back to 1946, Fender has touched and transformed music worldwide and in nearly every genre: rock ‘n’ roll, country and western, jazz, rhythm and blues and many others. Everyone from beginners and hobbyists to the world’s most acclaimed artists and performers have used Fender instruments and amps, in the process making the company not only a revered music industry name, but also a cultural icon. It is Fender’s vision to continue championing THE SPIRIT OF ROCK-N-ROLL® throughout the world and their mission to exceed the expectations of music enthusiasts worldwide.

About Bison Disc
Bison disc is a leader in music CD and CD package manufacturing. With 22 years of experience, Bison Disc works to provide thousands of order to musicians worldwide. Bison Disc is known for its legendary quality, large selection of packaging options and exclusive customer service.

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CONTACTS:
Nikki Yourison, Seminole Hard Rock Tampa, (813) 627-7623, [email protected]
Chris Dirato, Bitner Group, (954) 703-7938, [email protected]