Le Hard Rock Café expose

look at the world’s most recognized rock music memorabilia

On December 23, 2002, Hard Rock Cafe International will crack open the “Hard Rock Vault” to the public, revealing the world’s most treasured collection of rock & roll music memorabilia, all housed under one roof for the first time ever.

A grand opening celebration in classic Hard Rock fashion will follow on January 16, 2003, to officiate The Vault. The 17,000-square-foot interactive memorabilia attraction in Orlando, Fla., offers a unique, entertaining and educational look at the evolution of music – its emotional appeal, immeasurable effect on world events and timeless energy – as narrated through priceless memorabilia, interactive displays, educated guides and self-guided tours.

“Music fans are always looking for an opportunity to make a personal, physical and sometimes even spiritual connection to the music and artists of their time,” said Pete Beaudrault, president and CEO of Hard Rock Cafe International. “With that in mind, The Hard Rock Vault takes the `memorabilia experience’ beyond our Cafes and past the velvet rope for an `All Access’ look at the energy, originality and passion of music, artists, events and audiences that have helped define rock music as a culture.”

The themed exhibits and galleries of the Hard Rock Vault immerse music fans in a “living timeline” of rock music as expressed through videos, costumes, instruments, and iconographic images and artifacts:

— The Hub is The Vault’s central stash, filled with priceless memorabilia and interactive displays for rockers of all ages.

— The Sound Asylum Presented by Klipsch Audio Technology provides an audio/visual journey of cosmic proportions.

— The Hungry Eye offers an eye-popping display of poster art and other visual stimulations from rock history.

— The Temple of Toys & Trinkets celebrates the obvious and sometimes unexpected spin-off collectible items of rock music, from lunch boxes to key chains to dolls.

— The Roots Room invites music fans to honor the early legends of rock music – from Bo Diddley to Jerry Lee Lewis to Elvis Presley.

— The Total Immersion Tour provides a multi-sensory trip through the most influential periods of rock music.

— The Sun Studio allows guests to record their own CDs in a recording studio reminiscent of the Memphis original, where Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash created a sound nobody had ever heard before – rock & roll.

— The Hard Rock Vault Store lets visitors take home a piece of their experience, featuring signature Hard Rock Vault t-shirts, hats, jewelry and other collectible items, as well as licensed product featuring some of music’s most recognizable icons.

— The F-Stop offers light snacks, beer and other refreshments against a backdrop of rock & roll photography.

The galleries of “The Total Immersion Tour” give visitors a backstage pass to the whirlwind world of rock & roll. A stroll through “The Back Alley” provides an in-depth look at the outrageous, but influential, styles and personalities of punk rock, while “The Psychedelic Meltdown” heralds the music that rocked the world through one of the most turbulent periods of modern times, featuring the mind-bending memorabilia of the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, the Doors, Pink Floyd and other icons. A visit to “The Dressing Room” gives an intimate peak at the fashion of the stars, and “The Light and The Dark” gallery explores the seemingly opposite natures of the most influential British rock bands of all time: the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. A tour of rock history would not be complete without a special tribute to the King himself. “The King’s Chamber” features amazing memorabilia from Elvis Presley’s early years to the end of his life, celebrating his lasting and unforgettable impact on the world.

As the undisputed leading curator, collector and exhibitor of music memorabilia worldwide with more than 64,000 items, Hard Rock’s archivists have carefully selected nearly 1,000 items from the Hard Rock collection to fill the memorable rooms of The Vault, including the two guitars that spawned the entire collection – the guitars of Eric Clapton and The Who’s Pete Townshend that hung above the bar in the original Hard Rock Cafe in London. Other rare objects in The Vault include: B.B. King’s original Gibson ES 355 “Lucille” guitar; Buddy Holly’s famous glasses and the gray tuxedo he wore during his celebrated televised performance at the London Palladium in 1958; Elvis Presley’s Gibson Super 400 Electric Guitar, which he played on his legendary televised comeback special in 1968; and Bruce Springsteen’s black leather motorcycle jacket and black boots – his signature attire from his breakthrough years and the “Born to Run” album cover.

The Hard Rock Vault is located at 8437 International Drive in Orlando, FL. It will be open every day of the year from 9 a.m. to Midnight and general admission is $14.95 for adults and $8.95 for children, ages 5-12. For more information or images, log on to www.hardrock.com or call (407) 599-7625.