From Chicago To Moscow, Bali To Bangkok Hard Rock Announces Local Bands From Ten Cities Across The Globe As Hard Rock Rising Finalists

- Celebrity Judges to Now Choose the One Band That Will Perform on the Main Stage at Hard Rock Calling 2012

ORLANDO, Florida, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Hard Rock International is proud to continue its dedication to live music and up-and-coming artists through Hard Rock Rising – the one and only global battle of the bands! The 2012 competition had more than 12,000 bands enter, with 841 bands competing live on Hard Rock stages around the world, but only one of these rising talents will win a spot on the main stage at Hard Rock Calling 2012!

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Music enthusiasts around the globe have voted to determine the Top 10 bands that will move onto the final phase of Hard Rock Rising.  After battling it out live on global Hard Rock stages and making it through online voting on Hard Rock Facebook pages, these bands are one step closer to winning the grand prize – 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! 

Hard Rock Rising's top 10 finalists are: 

• Aliston Road - Moscow, Russia
• Arcana - Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
• Brass Wires Orchestra - Lisbon, Portugal
• Dustin Kahlil Band - Biloxi, Mississippi, USA
• FOS - Jakarta, Indonesia
• Hey Monea! - Cleveland, Ohio, USA
• Molehill - Chicago, Illinois, USA 
• Superman is Dead - Bali, Indonesia
• Sixty Ninth - Bangkok, Thailand
• The Alchemy Heart - Phoenix, Arizona, USA

After surviving the latest global online voting phase, these 10 talented bands will be evaluated by a celebrity panel of judges and music industry professionals, including Steven Van Zandt of the E Street Band, John Gourley, 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. As part of this final phase, judges will select the lucky band that will be deemed the winner of Hard Rock Rising and be flown to London to perform on the main stage at Hard Rock Calling 2012!    

"The Hard Rock Rising global battle of the bands is a truly unparalleled program that exemplifies Hard Rock's unwavering support of up-and-coming artists by providing undiscovered bands an international stage to showcase their talent," said John Galloway, Chief Marketing Officer, Hard Rock International. "The multi-phased competition, including live music performances on Hard Rock stages around the world, will give fans a winning band that is ready to rock Hard Rock Calling!"

The deserving winner will be given the rock star treatment and flown to London to perform at Hard Rock Calling 2012. Hard Rock's celebrity panel of judges will also select second and third prize winners, who 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.

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. Additional acts throughout the weekend include Lady Antebellum, John Fogerty, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Christina Perri, Amy MacDonald, Gary Clarke, Jr., Robert Randolph & The Family Band, Black Stone Cherry, Kids in Glass Houses, Guillemots, Big Country and many more. 

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, as well as a variety of additional attractions. For further information on the 2012 artist lineup and ticket details, visit www.hardrockcalling.co.uk.        

Rising to the Occasion

Complimenting a star-packed main stage will be the Hard Rock Rising stage. New to this year's festival, the Hard Rock Rising stage showcases Hard Rock International's connection to the new music scene and commitment to new bands. To bring fans the hottest new artists, Hard Rock again tapped into veteran rockers Van Zandt from The E-Street Band and Dangerfield of Guillemots, who will each curate the Hard Rock Rising stage for a day of the festival.

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 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.  

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 174 venues in 53 countries, including 138 cafes and 16 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, Punta Cana and Panama. Additional hotel and casino projects have been announced including Cancun and Vallarta scheduled to open in 2012; and Riviera Maya, Hungary, 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.