Hard Rock Cafe Dublin is calling on emerging musicians to take centre stage for the chance to be crowned the Hard Rock Cafe Dublin Battle of the Bands 2025 winners! Taking place from Thursday, November 6 to Thursday, November 27, 2025, the competition invites talented artists to showcase their skills and passion for live music.
In partnership with IMRO, TILT by John Barker, and Musicmaker, registration is now open for musicians interested in participating in this year’s event.
Battle to be the Best
Think your band has what it takes to own the Hard Rock Cafe Dublin stage? Applications are open until October 19th, and from there our judging panel, led by Irish singer-songwriter Alky, will hand-pick the acts to go head-to-head. The battle kicks off with Heat One on November 6th and Heat Two on November 13th (both at 7pm), before it all comes down to the Grand Final on November 27th. One band will rise above the rest to claim €1,000 cash, a €500 Musicmaker voucher, and four paid gigs at Hard Rock Cafe Dublin.
Submit Your Entry Here >>> https://cafe.hardrock.com/dublin/
Music lovers are invited to join the crowd, cheer on their favourites, and be part of the electrifying atmosphere as the next big act is crowned. Admission is free, so grab your friends and get ready to rock the night away!
We’re absolutely delighted to launch this year’s Battle of the Bands at Hard Rock Cafe Dublin. It’s a fantastic opportunity to shine a spotlight on emerging Irish talent and give up-and-coming musicians a platform to showcase their creativity, energy and passion. Supporting new music has always been close to our hearts, and we can’t wait to see the incredible talent that will take to the stage this November. – Celine Gilmer, Director of Marketing EE Group
There’s so much talent in the local music scene in Dublin right now. A Battle Of The Bands competition like this allows acts to showcase their music to a large audience in Hard Rock and to a panel of industry people. The winning prizes are great too! – John Barker, TILT
“I’m thrilled to be part of this year’s Battle of the Bands. Dublin has such a rich music scene, and I can’t wait to see the fresh talent take the stage and bring their best.”–ALKY, Singer-Songwriter & Judge
“We’re delighted to support such a positive initiative that gives local acts a real opportunity to showcase their talent. It’s always exciting to see fresh Irish artists take the stage and make their mark.” – John Paul Prior, General Manager, Musicmaker