Legendary Rockers Descend on Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Event Center

TAMPA, Florida (Casinos.com) -- Summer is just around the corner, and with it comes the summer concert season. For the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa, FL, this means that they put their Event Center to effective use by hosting a series of rock immortals. Starting on the Fourth of July, the Event Center will be THE spot in Florida to see rock and roll royalty on the stage. 

Blue Öyster Cult, Darius Rucker Launch SHRT’s Summer of Rock

Beginning on Independence Day, the legendary New York City band Blue Öyster Cult will step to the stage of the Event Center. The band recently released a live album, 50^th Anniversary Live – Second Night, featuring many of the classic tracks from the veteran rockers. Such songs as “Don’t Fear the Reaper,” “Godzilla,” and “Burnin’ for You” are etched in the annals of classic rock history, while lead guitarist and original member “Buck Dharma” (real name Donald Roeser) and lead vocalist Eric Bloom lead the band through their paces. 

July 20 will bring a change of pace to those who enjoy the sounds of rock. Hootie & The Blowfish frontman Darius Rucker will take his turn on the 2,000-seat Event Center stage, bringing his eclectic stylings to his rabid fans. 

While known for such tunes as “Hold My Hand,” “Only Wanna Be with You,” and “Let Her Cry” during his days with Hootie, Rucker has gone on to have an excellent “second career” in the country arena. He became the first Black artist to win the New Artist Award from the Country Music Association in 2009 and has earned six #1 Billboard Top Country songs, including “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It” and “Come Back Song.”

David Lee Roth, Joe Perry Still Kickin’

August does not slow down at the Event Center, as “The Diamond One” takes to the stage. Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and former frontman for Van Halen, David Lee Roth, will make a stop at the Event Center on August 3. Out on the road for the first time in five years, Roth will be heavily leaning on the Van Halen catalog for his setlist, not performing any of his solo material but delivering such classics as “Panama,” “Runnin’ with the Devil,” and “Hot for Teacher.”

As the calendar moves deeper into the year, the shows just keep coming at the Seminole Hard Rock Event Center. Aug. 13 will bring a visit from legendary Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry and his Joe Perry Project. 

Perry is bringing some heavy hitters with the Project, including friend Brad Whitford from his Aerosmith days, Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes on vocals, and Eric Kretz and Robert DeLeo from Stone Temple Pilots. You can expect some Aerosmith covers, such as “Walk This Way,” alongside Perry’s solo work and other blues classics.

Hard Rock Event Center Welcomes Unforgettable Voices

The Event Center will take a little break until October, when the smooth sounds of Steve Miller and his eponymous band come to Tampa. Learning the instrument at the feet of the iconic Les Paul (who was a frequent visitor to the Miller household in his youth) and T-Bone Walker, Miller has gone on to record such notable songs as “Fly Like an Eagle,” “The Joker,” and “Abracadabra.” He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2016, but Miller still feels the drive to perform for his multitude of fans. 

November will bring one of the most versatile rock impresarios to Tampa for a one-night-only stop at the Event Center. 

Sting will bring the monstrous catalog from his days with The Police and his own solo career to life on November 10 (there are also two performances at the Hard Rock Live facilities at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL, on November 8 and November 9). 

The very intimate surroundings of the Event Center will bring Sting up close to the audience as he performs such classics as “Roxanne,” “Every Breath You Take,” “Englishman in New York,” and “Desert Rose.”

It is quite a lineup for a smaller casino performance hall, but it does demonstrate that artists and bands are wanting a more intimate setting for their shows and are looking to give the biggest bang for the fan’s concert dollars. 

Tickets for all these concerts, and other performances from comedians George Lopez, Jeff Ross, and Gabriel ‘Fluffy’ Iglesias and R&B legend Gladys Knight, are currently on sale through the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Event Center.