Hard Rock Rising Brings a Global Music Competition to Atlantic City

Hey Folks,

September is shaping up to be a great month for live music in Atlantic City. Hard Rock Rising, the global live music competition showcasing emerging artists, is coming to Hard Rock Atlantic City for four Wednesday nights — September 2, September 9, September 16 and September 23, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. I’m happy to tell you that I’ll be hosting the Atlantic City competitions, but the real story here is the musicians who will be taking the stage and the opportunity Hard Rock Rising is giving emerging artists from around the world. Over the next several weeks, I’m hoping to introduce you to some of the competitors, share their stories and bring you along as the competition unfolds right here on the Atlantic City Boardwalk.

Hard Rock Rising Is Back

Hard Rock Rising is much bigger than one night or one city. This year’s competition brings together emerging artists through Hard Rock Cafes around the world, giving performers an opportunity to get their music in front of new audiences and potentially take their careers to another level. Hard Rock Rising is powered by Coca-Cola, with the competition spanning 34 countries and 64 Hard Rock Cafes and local audiences helping determine which artists move forward. Ultimately, the global winner will receive a Coke Studio recording session, $10,000 and a performance at Hard Rock Orlando, among other opportunities. That’s a pretty serious prize for an emerging artist trying to get heard, and it makes what’s happening here in Atlantic City part of something taking place on a much larger international stage.

Atlantic City Gets Its Turn

Throughout September, some talented musicians will get their chance to step onto the stage at Hard Rock Cafe Atlantic City and compete in front of a live audience, with the competition playing out over four Wednesday nights and eventually determining who moves forward from Atlantic City. And the audience won’t just be there to watch — fans attending the shows will be able to participate in the live voting experience and help determine which artists advance. I’m grateful to Jessica Terruso, Sales & Marketing Manager at Hard Rock Cafe Atlantic City, for inviting me to host the shows, and I’m looking forward to working with Jessica and the Hard Rock team, meeting the performers and watching the competition develop each week. Atlantic City has always been an entertainment town, and there’s something special about giving musicians who are still building their careers a chance to perform in a city with such a long history of live entertainment.

Let’s Meet Some of the Musicians

There’s another part of Hard Rock Rising that I’m especially looking forward to sharing with you. As the Atlantic City competitors are finalized, we’re talking about having some of the participating musicians join me on my shows so you can get to know the people behind the music before they take the stage. We’ll hopefully hear where they’re from, how they got started, what kind of music they’re creating and what an opportunity like Hard Rock Rising could mean for them. Some may be local artists you already know, while others may be musicians you’re hearing for the first time. That’s a natural fit for The AC Mike Show Podcast and the conversations we have on WOND 1400, where one of the goals has always been introducing you to interesting people doing interesting things around Atlantic City and South Jersey. Once the final list of Atlantic City competitors is announced, I’ll share more about who’s performing and when you’ll have a chance to see and hear them.

Four Wednesday Nights — Mark Your Calendar

If you’re looking for things to do in Atlantic City this September and enjoy discovering live music, mark down Wednesday, September 2; Wednesday, September 9; Wednesday, September 16; and Wednesday, September 23. Each Hard Rock Rising competition night runs from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Hard Rock Cafe Atlantic City at 1000 Boardwalk. Come out, hear some music, support the artists and take part in the live voting that helps determine who moves forward in the competition. And if you’re thinking about joining us, don’t wait too long — Hard Rock Cafe Atlantic City expects these events to SELL OUT. Reserved seating is available in the Pit, Rail and Center Bar Rail with a $50++ minimum spend per guest, applied to your check. Once all reserved seating has been filled, walk-in seating will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Reserve your spot for Hard Rock Rising today.

This Is What Live-Work-Play-AC Is All About

Atlantic City is at its best when there’s something happening, and live entertainment has been part of this town’s DNA for generations. Hard Rock has made entertainment a major part of its identity in Atlantic City, from the national acts appearing at Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena and its other entertainment venues to musicians performing throughout the property, and Hard Rock Rising turns some of that attention toward the next generation of performers — artists who are still working, playing, writing, building an audience and trying to get their names out there. That’s worth supporting because you never know when you’re going to walk into a room, hear somebody for the first time and later be able to say, “I remember seeing them before everybody knew who they were.” And that’s really what makes something like Hard Rock Rising fun. Come out on a Wednesday night, grab something to eat or drink, listen to some live music, cast your vote and maybe discover an artist you’ll be following for years.

What’s Coming Up

I’ll have much more to share as we get closer to the first Atlantic City competition on September 2. Once the competitors are finalized, we’ll introduce you to some of the musicians, let you know who’s performing and hopefully sit down with several of them before they take the Hard Rock stage. Then, once the competition begins, I’ll bring you some of what we’re seeing and hearing each week — not only who advances, but some of the people and stories behind the performances. You can also keep an eye on the Hard Rock Atlantic City event calendar for everything happening around the property. For now, circle those four Wednesday nights in September, and if you know you want to be there, make your reservation early through TicketWeb. Come support the musicians, enjoy some live entertainment and help decide who moves forward. I’m looking forward to seeing where the competition takes us.

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Live-Work-Play-AC!
See you on the 48

AC Mike