Well folks, once again we find ourselves at the end. The curtain has come down on another incredible Total Rock, Total Rewards.

For the second year in a row an astounding group of the best Rock Band players from around the country converged on Atlantic City, NJ and brought with them unparalleled amounts of rock awesomeness. The stakes may have been higher this year, but so was the level of talent on display.  Originally, I had challenged this year’s bands to break out all the stops, to really take this thing to the next level, to exceed the performances of last year, show us something new, and to give us a performance we’d never forget. And did they ever deliver. The costumes and make-up were crazier, the playing was stellar, and the stage antics were just jaw-dropping.

If you’ve seen the pictures and videos, you’ve had a taste. If you haven’t, well, what are you waiting for.  If you were there, well, that’s a different story. If you were part of this show, performing, observing, cheering, judging or even just passing by, you were a part of something truly special. This year’s bands brought the rock like never before, with performances that will live on as the pinnacles of talent and showmanship for a long time to come… or at least until next year.

So to all of you who made the 2010 Harrah’s Total Rock, Total Rewards Rock Band competition so amazing, thank you. Thank you to Harrah’s for providing such amazing hospitality, an incredible venue, and the opportunity for everyone to live this dream. Thank you to ION Audio and Mad Catz for providing the gear to jam on and the amazing prize packages (the Gifting Lounge was a thing of beauty). Thank you to Polk Audio for the sweet, sweet, sounds and even sweeter prizes. Thank you to Harmonix for giving us the vehicle to unleash all this talent. Thank you to MTV Games for putting it all in place.

Most of all, thanks to the players for giving us such outstanding performances and such incredible memories.

We’ll be seeing you guys again soon. Count on it.

-Kyle

ROUND 2! FIGHT!

That’s right folks, it’s all happening again. “But Kyle, What is it?” Psshhhtt, It’s it. What is it? Ha! But really…

It’s Harrah’s 2^nd Annual TOTAL ROCK, TOTAL REWARDS Rock Band Competition!

We’re back! But first, let’s take a minute to get up to speed…

Flashback to last year!

After a series of intense Regional battles in Las Vegas, Hammond, New Orleans and Atlantic City, 4 amazing Rock Bands from around the country rose above all others and then descended on Atlantic City, NJ to compete for $10,000, a gig opening for The B52’s at The House of Blues, the title of “Rock Gods”, and the ability to call themselves the best Rock Band players in the nation. The competition was fierce, the performances were mind-blowing, and the final result was a nailbiter right up to the announcement.

No one had seen anything like Total Rock, Total Rewards 2009. The best of the best came out and rocked harder than anyone ever had before. After all was said and done, the dust settled, and we began to ask ourselves… “Will we ever be able to top this?”

Flashforward to this year!

The answer: “Yes we can.”

The Rock Band Tournament to end all Rock Band Tournaments is back, bigger, and better than ever! It’s going to be difficult to top the amazing time we had last year, but we have the tools and you have the talent. Let’s get some things out of the way first though. We’ve made some changes to the format this year that should really spice things up. Let’s take a look at a few of the things that have been changed.

• This year, we’re allowing 3-Person bands to compete alongside their 4-Person brethren! What?! This is a huge format change, but it allows all you Voxtar Stars to step up and be recognized. There’s an added difficulty that comes with singing and playing guitar at the same time so don’t think that will be overlooked. This adds a whole new angle to this year’s competition. Remember though, $10,000 doesn’t divide evenly by 3…
• This year, the song selection possibilities span all of Rock Band, Rock Band 2, and DLC. That’s over 1100 potential song choices. Check out what we’ve pulled together for the local song list here. What will the final lists look like? What songs will be on it? Who’s going to play what? When?! It’s still a mystery, but that’s part of the fun! I’ll tell you what song won’t be on that list… MFin’ “Give It Away”.
• We’ve added a heaping helping of additional qualifying locations, bringing the rock ever closer to your doorstep. This will give bands that couldn’t make the trek to a qualifying location last year a much better chance to jump in and shoot for the stars this year.
• Speaking of qualifiers… we’re taking one band from each qualifying location to the Atlantic City this year. ONE PER LOCATION, THAT’S 20 BANDS GOING TO THE BIG EVENT IN ATLANTIC CITY! Yessir folks, this is what I’m talking about. 20 bands, all in Atlantic City, for 2 days of fierce Rock Band competition. Can you imagine that? Are you excited yet? ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!

Flashsideways to right now!

Sign up! Registration starts today! Right now! If you’re going to win this thing, you’re going to need to plan, practice, coordinate, and strategize. Make sure you’re signed up and registered early so you can start forming your plan for Rock domination ASAP.

Are you Lost yet?

Everything you need is right here on TotalRockTotalRewards.com. You can look over all the locations, find the nearest to you, and head out to qualify. You can check out the Facebook page and Twitter feeds to get all kinds of inside info on the competition. There’s an official thread on the RockBand.com forums you can use to discuss the competition, look for band members, chat with bands from last year, and more.

And all this is really just the tip of the iceberg. There’s a lot more to come, so stay tuned. Remember one thing though; Even though a lot has changed, there is one thing you can count on to be the same. I’ll be along for the whole ride, parked next to that stage, handling the show, and making sure you guys can focus on what’s really important… ROCKING THE HELL OUT OF THIS COMPETITION.

Your Rock Band Roadie,

Kyle M