Win a chance to open for KISS on tour from Guitar Center

Continuing its ongoing support of aspiring artists, Guitar Center (www.guitarcenter.com), the world’s largest musical instrument retailer, today announced that it has teamed up with rock and roll icons KISS (www.KISSonline.com), and leading digital media company for entertainment, Eventful, for a revolutionary music program: Guitar Center On-Stage, a competition that provides unsigned bands and artists the career-altering opportunity to open for KISS on their upcoming North American tour, The Hottest Show on Earth.

A video announcement can be viewed at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F6gH3NL7nQ.

One band from each of twenty-two markets across the United States will be chosen to play at a KISS show. At the conclusion of the tour, KISS will choose the best of the twenty-two bands to receive the grand prize that includes a $10,000 Guitar Center shopping spree. Now through September 1, 2010, bands across the country are invited to register at GCOnstage.com.

"With Guitar Center On-Stage, we are giving bands across the country the mind-blowing chance to open for one of the greatest rock groups on the planet when KISS comes to their town,” said KISS. “A lot of rock's greatest bands got their start opening for KISS including AC/DC, Bon Jovi, Rush, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Mötley Crüe among many others. Thirty-seven years ago someone gave KISS the opportunity to become the Hottest Band on Earth. Now, KISS and Guitar Center are returning the favor by offering unsigned bands the opportunity to open for KISS on The Hottest Show on Earth."

Guitar Center and KISS have partnered with leading digital media company, Eventful Inc., tapping Eventful's unique “Demand It!” platform to run the Guitar Center On-Stage band submission and fan voting process. Eventful will design and execute the competition platform as well as assist in creating and driving a powerful social media marketing campaign to engage consumers, increase local demand and drive awareness.

Guitar Center On-Stage is an ongoing revolutionary program developed to organically scout and launch unsigned, independent artists by providing career-altering opportunities through partnerships with some of the world’s greatest artists. Last year’s competition was judged by Mötley Crüe and saw the winning band, The Last Vegas, go on to open for Mötley Crüe on tour and subsequently top iTunes critics’ 2009 “Rock Singles of the Year List” with their hit single “I’m Bad.”

Guitar Center On-Stage is just one of many Guitar Center initiatives created to foster growth and success within the music community, including its annual Drum-Off, Your Next Record, Guitar Center Sessions and King of the Blues competitions, among others.

Guitar Center's Drum-Off, now in its 21st year, has been a launching pad for many drummers including Cora Coleman-Dunham and Tony Royster Jr, two Drum-Off champions who have gone on to become acclaimed professional drummers (for Prince and Jay-Z respectively).

Guitar Center Presents Your Next Record with Slash provides emerging artists the chance to win the ultimate career-altering opportunity: record a three-song EP with legendary producer Mike Clink and have Slash write, record and perform on the winning artists’ single - www.YourNextRecord.com.

Guitar Center Sessions is an ongoing music education-based initiative that provides musicians with the chance to network and gain insight and knowledge from their heroes in a comfortable and intimate setting. Now through June 30, 2010, guitarists across the United States are invited to submit their best lead guitar performance to guitarcenter.com/stevevai for a chance to participate in Sessions with legendary guitarist Steve Vai.

King of the Blues is a nationwide search for the next great undiscovered blues guitar player. Guitarists across the country are currently competing for thousands of dollars in prizes and the opportunity to perform at the King of the Blues finals at the House of Blues in Los Angeles and play on the same stage as Grammy Award-winning guitarist Derek Trucks.