No ticket needed · Fridays and Saturdays
The free stages
Not every night needs a ticket. Two smaller stages on the property put on live music on Friday and Saturday nights, and both list free admission.
Council Oak Lounge
The lounge sits inside the Council Oak bar, and the venue describes its stage as a more intimate take on the Hard Rock experience: acoustic sets and soulful performances, a cocktail and a bite. Live entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays is listed as free admission. Lounge hours are Wednesday and Thursday 5–11 PM, Friday and Saturday 5 PM to midnight, and Sunday 5–10:30 PM.
| Date (2026) | Act on the Council Oak stage | Start |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 30 and Sat 31 Oct | Wry and Ginger | 6:30 PM |
| Fri 6 and Sat 7 Nov | Joel Sauve | 9:30 PM |
| Fri 13 and Sat 14 Nov | Alicia Kayley Band | 9:30 PM |
| Fri 27 and Sat 28 Nov | Skyler Radmore Duo | 9:30 PM |
The lounge page also lists Cameron Earnshaw for the weekend of 20–21 November, but it labels both dates as Saturdays, which cannot both be right. Check the page for that weekend before you plan around it.
Hard Rock Cafe stage
The bar pages list a second set of free acts on the Hard Rock Cafe stage, also on Fridays and Saturdays.
| Date (2026) | Act at Hard Rock Cafe | Start |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 30 and Sat 31 Oct | Nelson Colt | 9:30 PM |
| Fri 6 and Sat 7 Nov | Bryan Adams Birthday Bash Tribute | 6:30 PM |
| Fri 13 and Sat 14 Nov | Silver Creek | 6:30 PM |
| Fri 20 and Sat 21 Nov | Social Distance | 6:30 PM |
| Fri 27 and Sat 28 Nov | Mama Mush | 6:30 PM |
How to use the free stages on a show weekend
On nights when Hard Rock LIVE starts around 7 PM, the 9:30 PM sets in the lounge are a natural second half. The 6:30 PM cafe sets fit the other way round: dinner and a band before a late arrival, or a whole evening without a ticket at all. On weekends without a big show, a room here plus the two free stages makes a modest night out without any driving.
Hard Rock Cafe limits tables to two hours at peak times, and a free stage on a Saturday is exactly that. If you want to sit through a whole set, arrive early or watch from the bar.
Illustration made for this guide — not a photograph of the hotel.
New Year's Eve
The New Year's Eve 2027 Disco Fever Party on Thursday 31 December 2026 uses both stages: free live entertainment at Council Oak Lounge and Hard Rock Cafe, and a countdown to midnight. More on the show calendar and in our winter notes.
Sources · read 23–29 Oct 2026 · where they differ, the hotel's own pages prevail