Don't confuse this with The Joint music venue at the Hard Rock Hotel! It's an easy mistake to make but this place is different! This is a fantastic, intimate little venue that covers 3 stories on the Vegas strip. The first floor is a classic Hard Rock Cafe shop, the second floor is a Hard Rock Cafe where you can eat to the beat, and the third floor is the Hard Rock Live concert venue. Parking isn't that convenient (park in the Showcase Mall lot and walk over; parking costs $3).
I love this venue because while it's small, the room is spacious and you never feel too crowded in. There's a small stage and standing area, followed by an elevated bar with classic stool seating, several large and comfy couches, as well as an outdoor balcony (for smokers) that overlooks the Strip. The bar is huge and as you'd expect, drinks are expensive (think $14 for a small cup of bourbon).
The best thing about this venue is that there are televisions EVERYWHERE that have a birds-eye view of the concert. So if you want to step away from the crowd and get a drink, you won't miss the show! I love love LOVE this and in some cases what you see on the televisions is a better view that what you see live.
The sound system is great and tickets usually aren't too expensive (i just paid $20 to see GWAR last week). Clean bathrooms with lots of stalls and cool rock and roll memorabilia on the walls. Friendly security guards. This is just a great place. If you have the chance to see a concert here, do it!