Global Battle of the Bands Competition Gives Western New York Bands a Chance to Take the Stage in Rome

Orlando, Fla., February 28, 2014 – Hard Rock Cafe Niagara Falls, USA has called on emerging local talent to rock out for the opportunity 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! Starting on Thursday, March 6, 2014, Hard Rock Cafe Niagara Falls, USA will host a series of live battle events where the undiscovered talents of Western New York will vie for the top spot to represent the city in Hard Rock Rising’s global battle of the bands competition. The lucky Grand Prize winner will receive the chance of a lifetime – an all-expenses paid trip to Rome, Italy to perform at the first Hard Rock Live Rome music festival this summer!

The votes are in and Facebook fans from around the world have narrowed down more than 10,000 bands to its top competitors with only a select few moving on to the next round of live performances. Hard Rock Cafe Niagara Falls, USA will host several preliminary battle events where local bands Dirty Smile, Ghostfeeder, Clark Rabbitt, Dollar Diplomacy, BlueShift, Gods Illest Joe, CrashFuse, HOLLYWOOD SINS, Kroy Weezy, SIC SIN, psychedelic dragons, Electric Church, Green Mountain Road Band, Emily Veronica, Mulu Lizi and The Indestructibles will be judged by a panel of local industry experts James Kurdziel, Rich Sargent, Bull Rich Gaenzler, Joey Nicastro, Chris Ring, Marc W. Hunt, Eddie Tice, Tim O’Shei, Justin Rose, Anthony Casuccio and DJ Jickster. One winner will be chosen from each round to compete in the final local battle on Thursday, April 3, 2014, where judges will select one band to represent Hard Rock Cafe Niagara Falls, USA as they move on to
compete against other winners from Hard Rock Cafe locations around the world.

Once the local winning band is chosen, they will join other city winners in the global competition where fans will vote on participating Hard Rock Facebook pages to narrow down the 80+ local winners to the top twentyfive bands. Once determined, an esteemed panel of celebrities and music industry professionals such as Steven Van Zandt, Bonnie McKee and more, will select the Grand Prize winner and two runner-up bands. 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, and 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 or www.facebook.com/hardrock.

What: Hard Rock Cafe Niagara Falls, USA Hosts Hard Rock Rising
When: Thursday, March 6, 13, 20, 27
8 p.m. Event begins
FINAL Live Performance Round
Thursday, April 3
8 p.m. Event begins
Where: Hard Rock Cafe Niagara Falls, USA
333 Prospect Street
Niagara Falls, NY 14303
716-282-0007
Visit www.hardrock.com/niagarafalls for additional details.

March 6

Crashfuse
HOLLYWOOD SINS
Mulu Lizi
psychedelic dragons

March 13

Dirty Smile
Dollar Diplomacy
Green Mountain Road Band
Kroy Weezy

March 20

BlueShift
Clark Rabbitt
Emily Veronica
SIC SIN

March 27

Electric Church
Ghostfeeder
Gods Illest Joe
The Indestructibles

April 3

FINALS –Local winner will be determined