ORLANDO, Florida, May 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Calling all rock fans! You now have the chance to shape the fortune ofone of America's hottest up-and-coming bands! After battling it out at HardRock Cafe locations across the country, five bands from Hard Rock'sAmbassadors of Rock Battle of the Bands have been chosen from a talented poolof more than 150 acts. Finalists from 22 cities have been reviewed by astar-studded panel of artists and music industry professionals, led by HeadJudge Little Steven Van Zandt of the legendary E Street Band. Thedistinguished panel also includes Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Darryl"DMC" McDaniels, Planet Rock DJ Nicky Horne, Live Nation Vice President ofPromotions Toby Leighton-Pope and SPIN Magazine editor Doug Brod. The paneldeliberated long and hard, and has now chosen five bands to compete in thefinals: Rudy Vaughn of Atlanta; Ghost of Gloria of Hollywood, FL; The LastGood Year of Indianapolis; Beatnik, Jr. of Hollywood, CA; and Versecity ofHouston.

Now, it's up to fans all over the world! Beginning May 26th, fans will beable to visit www.HardRock.com to cast their votes and choose the one luckyband that will perform onstage at Hard Rock Calling 2009 in London's HydePark!

Are You Ready to Rock?! Five Finalists Chosen

From May 26th through June 6th, the final stage of the Ambassadors ofRock Battle of the Bands will be turned over to the fans, who will be able tovote for a favorite on www.hardrock.com.

One lucky band's dream will come true when they win a spot on the bill atHard Rock Calling 2009 -- one of the U.K.'s most-anticipated concert eventsand the kick-off to Hard Rock's 2009 Ambassadors of Rock Tour. Rock iconsNeil Young, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band and The Killers willheadline Hard Rock Calling in June -- the first concert of Hard Rock'sAmbassadors of Rock Tour, a global concert series featuring top artists andbands to benefit charities worldwide.

Hard Rock Calling 2009

Hard Rock Calling, the three-day musical celebration being held fromFriday, June 26th through Sunday, June 28th, with more than a dozen top bandsperforming on two stages, has established itself as one of the most importantLondon events on the UK musical calendar over the last three years. Otherfeatured artists at Hard Rock Calling 2009 include Dave Matthews Band, BenHarper & Relentless 7, Pretenders, Fleet Foxes and more. Past acts haveincluded Aerosmith, Eric Clapton, Roger Waters, The Police and The Who.Additional artists for the 2009 line-up will be announced leading up to theevent and tickets for the festival are available at www.hardrockcalling.com.In addition to renowned bands and an on-site Hard Rock Cafe, the festivalwill include a market area, performance art, a healing area and a "chill out"zone.

About Hard Rock International

With a total of 150 venues in 52 countries, including 125 cafes and 9Hotels/Casinos, Hard Rock International is one of the world's most globallyrecognized brands. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns theworld's greatest collection of music memorabilia, which is displayed at itslocations around the globe. Hard Rock is also known for its collectiblefashion and music-related merchandise, Hard Rock Live performance venues andan award-winning website. In addition to the two flagship Seminole Hard RockHotels and Casinos in Tampa and Hollywood, Fla., Hard Rock Hotels/Casinos arelocated in Las Vegas, Biloxi, Orlando, Chicago, San Diego, Pattaya and Bali.Additional hotel and casino projects have been announced in Macau and Penang,both scheduled to open in 2009; Singapore in 2010; Palm Springs, Atlanta andPanama, scheduled to open in 2011; Dubai and Abu Dhabi, scheduled to open in2012. Hard Rock International, Inc. is owned by Seminole Hard RockEntertainment, Inc. For further details on Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos,visit www.hardrockhotels.com. For more information on Hard RockInternational, visit www.hardrock.com.