Sunshine Slate

[Orlando, FL] Sure, most of the big names on the bill were popular in decades past, but that won’t stop the rock from rolling on for the absolutely free “Hard Rock 40th Anniversary Birthday Bash: The Downtown Throwdown.”

On Saturday, Oct. 1, downtown Orlando will become a giant sea of music fans eager for the aging likes of headliners Collective Soul, Everclear, DMC from Run-DMC, Tonic as well as relative national newcomers Mike Doughty, Matt Hires and The Parlor Mob.

Rounding out the bill will be local acts Big 10-4, Plain Jain Automobile and one high-school band contest winner from the Orange or Seminole County areas.

The whole thing is a big thank-you from the Hard Rock folks who’s corporate headquarters have been in Orlando for as long as any rock fan can remember, which is not very long when you think about it (the memory part, I mean). Wait, what was I talking about?

The whole affair is actually a pretty big deal for Hard Rock who, for better or worse, has helped keep the rock & roll spirit alive and has spent considerable time, money and effort to preserve music-related artifacts in its collection known as “The Vault.”

It is also a pretty big deal for the City of Orlando who has been that much cooler since the ‘Rock came to town. The world’s largest Hard Rock Cafe is located in Orlando at Universal CityWalk, after all.

Worldwide, there are 150 Hard Rock locations in 53 countries. The company is owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, which purchased the chain in 2006 (the deal was finalized in 2007).

While many will come to The Downtown Throwdown for the music and the spectacle, most will be there because of the price: did I mention it’s free?

The Hard Rock 40th Anniversary Birthday Bash takes place on Orange Ave. and Wall St., between Washington and Central. Expect heavy traffic and crazy crowds.

By: Mark Christopher/Sunshine Slate

In keeping with full disclosure, it should be mentioned that this author works part-time at Universal Orlando Resort, home to Universal CityWalk.