Bay Area Rock Promotions has announced that DC COOPER has been confirmed as a special guest of the Bay Area Rock Festival. The current SILENT FORCE lead singer and former ROYAL HUNT frontman will make a guest appearance onstage with one of the bands on the first night of the festival.

Additionally, portions of the proceeds from the festival as well as the March 24th headlining show with ENCHANT will benefit the local chapters of Guitars Not Guns.

DC Cooper will be promoting the new Silent Force album Walk The Earth available on AFM Records, as well as GENIUS ROCK OPERA Episode 3 on Frontiers Records and STEEL SEAL's By the Power Of Thunder on Underground Symphony Records (Italy). Additionally, he will be announcing his new project AMARAN’S PLIGHT on ProgRock Records with Gary Wehrkamp from SHADOW GALLERY, Nick D’Virgilio from SPOCKS BEARD and UNDER THE SUN’s Kurt Barabas. Their debut album, Voice In The Light, will be released in the late spring.

DC began his stratospheric rise through the melodic rock and metal world after being named as a finalist for Rob Halford’s position in JUDAS PRIEST. This led to the collaboration with Royal Hunt and the critically acclaimed album Paradox. DC received the honor of “Top Vocalist” from the Japanese magazine Burrn! two years in a row during this time. DC released a solo album in 1998, and joined the German melodic power metal sensation Silent Force for 4 albums and tours with STRATOVARIUS, ANGRA and KAMELOT.

“I am thrilled to attend this festival with some of the finest names in progressive rock and metal” comments DC “I am looking forward to visiting with all the great people at this show and delivering a great performance on Friday night!”

The final lineup for the festival will be as follows:

Friday, May 4th: TIMELINE, MOB RULES, BALANCE OF POWER, ENCHANT, SPOCKS BEARD

Saturday, May 5th: ODINS COURT, EYEFEAR, ZERO HOUR, CRIMSON GLORY, JON OLIVA’S PAIN

Guitars Not Guns (GNG) is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization that provides guitars and lessons to foster children, at-risk youth and other deserving children, serving kids and teens ages 8-18. Guitars not Guns provides youth a positive alternative to the self-destructive behaviors of substance abuse, crime, and gangs through opportunity, encouragement and empowerment. National sponsors of Guitars not Guns include Gibson Guitars and Bill Graham Presents.

Bay Area Rock Fest will take place on Friday and Saturday, May 4th and 5th at The Independent in San Francisco. Tickets are available through TicketWeb.com. Only 500 tickets will be made available to the public. Ticket costs will be $85.00 for the festival covering both nights.

For more information visit www.bayarearockfest.com.