Second Sydney Breaking Ground Comp Announced

Sony Music have joined forces with Hard Rock Café Sydney to uncover come of the city's brightest undiscovered talents for the second annual Breaking Ground competition – a chance to have their original material heard and distributed through the Sony owned, Bandit Records.

Breaking Ground is open up to any Sydney act – solo, duo, trio or band – with organisers encouraging performers to enter and perform live, competing against other bands for a once in a lifetime exposure opportunity.

Last year, the competition shone a light on act Gypsies & Gentlemen, the inaugural winner of Breaking Ground, who Sony Commercial Music Director and competition judge Tim McLean says have set the benchmark.

“It has been very rewarding working with Gypsies & Gentlemen as emerging artists who have shown a lot of promise. They have certainly raised the bar for the 2013 Breaking Ground battle of the bands! I am looking forward to discovering new local talent during this year's competition” McLean said.


The director will be joined by fellow judges AC/DC's Mark Evans, Troy Culpan from May The Rock Be With You and Sky Sports Radio's Jono Farr who will rate and give feedback to all the performances at the heat stages and decide who makes it further in the comp.

“There will be three heats where local bands will battle it out. The winners from each of the three heats, along with a wild card band selected by the judges, will compete at a Grand Final on October 23rd at the Hard Rock Cafe, where the overall competition winner will be selected This is a real opportunity for Sydney bands and performers to get on stage and show us just how much rock they've got!” said Hard Rock Cafe Sydney Director Jeffrey Beaumont.

2012's Breaking Ground competition attracted 146 Sydney-wide entrants, and Beaumont encourages everyone to also get behind the acts this year – the three heats will take place on Wednesday 25th September, 2nd and 9th October, with the grand final on Wednesday 23rd October.

Sydney acts can apply now by emailing a YouTube or Vimeo music clip link or an original composition in mp3 or 4 format to gigs@hardrockcafe.com.au by the Wednesday 18 September entry closing date.

For more information, check out the Hard Rock Café Facebook page or call Hard Rock Café on (02) 9280 0077.