Attention: Gold Badge Members
- Thread starter Harvester
- Start date
nailz
Member
Seriosuly? Man, that sucks! Well, I can't make it EVERY year; so I'd not even think about trying to get one, & then not being able to go when I finally was at the front of the line.Maybe if d I could win the lottery I'd go for it, as I'd be able to go every year!
There's also bound to be people who buy gold badges for friends who ultimately can't go. Instead of forsaking the extra tickets, these people buy them anyway and sell them (at face value, lest they be hugely flamed and labled big douche bags) to forum members closer to the time of the festival. If you really want a gold badge, check that option out.
Kaosaur
Member
Aye, that's how I got my two Gold Badges last year. Still, there's some silly prestige thing about getting first dibs on the things...also if the festival lineup ends up being insane, it's harder to get a badge.
booB
Señor Member
If you're in the US, it doesn't have to be terribly expensive to go to ProgPower; people make the trip on a shoestring budget every year. It gets more and more expensive to drive there due to the cost of gas, but the travel costs are generally the most expensive part about the weekend (not including merch bought at the show, which you don't have to buy). The nearby hotels are expensive, but you could always stay a little farther away in a cheaper room, and drive/take a cab, not to mention there are always people looking for roommates in order to cut costs. You can always eat inexpensively by buying groceries for the hotel room.
True, some people can't always make it, but it seems to be more of a personal decision than an economic one.
Well, we live in Connecticut,(my gf & I) & we tried planning last year to go, & it wound up to be around
$800 total, NOT including food & merch! & I got a good deal on airfare & the hotel too. So, for 2 people to go, $800 just for air tix, show tix, room IS alot of $! That is way too far to drive! I'd be so exhausted by the time I got there, I'd not even enjoy myself!
BlackRoseMetalHeart
Metal Mistress
I understand where you are coming from. My boyfriend and I have made the trip the past 4 ProgPowers driving from Maryland. It is indeed a bit of an expense to go to ProgPower each year, however, I think what booB may have been getting at is that it's not impossible to make it happen, even if you are on a budget.Well, we live in Connecticut,(my gf & I) & we tried planning last year to go, & it wound up to be around
$800 total, NOT including food & merch! & I got a good deal on airfare & the hotel too. So, for 2 people to go, $800 just for air tix, show tix, room IS alot of $! That is way too far to drive! I'd be so exhausted by the time I got there, I'd not even enjoy myself!
For the person who is really driven to be at the festival the $900 or so that is need to attend, could pretty reasonably be saved up over the course of a year if you set aside between $45 and $75 a paycheck (and that's for two people, so between $25 and $50 for one person). Most people spend that on going out to dinner or the movies one or two times a pay. If you break it down, the amount does not seem nearly as impossible. Although I agree with you, that overall the trip is not cheap, it is a fairly cheap/reasonable price for a vacation for two people.
nailz
Member
$800 isn't a lot of money for spending on Progpower. Those of us coming from out west have to spend considerably more. I blow through around $700 a year and I buy maybe 5 CDs and a Tee Shirt when I go, but I still find the experience to be well worth the cost. Thats really what it comes down to though, you're talking about a vacation. And this isn't anything short, financially, of that when you're coming from that far away.
Though the decision involves finances, I think it's more of a personal decision as well. You have to decide whether or not the trip is worth it to you. I've chosen not to miss a single ProgPower in the U.S. since its inception, and I've managed to make the trip every year while holding down some less-than-desirable jobs. I funded the entire trip for Progpower VIII for my girlfriend and myself, and I spent a grand total of about $1,300. Mind you, I drove from Chicago. It would probably be more economically sound for those west of the Midwest to fly, no thanks to the rising cost of gas. In years past, I either only had to fund the trip for myself or I split the cost with my previous girlfriend. However, I proved to myself this past year that I can afford the trip for two. I may have had to sacrifice a CD here or a dinner date there, but it was more than worth it in the end. I intend on doing the same thing this year. In fact, I've decided that the only way I won't go to ProgPower U.S.A. is if Pain Of Salvation plays one of the other ProgPower festivals in the same year. Even then, I'll purchase my Gold Badges just to keep the priveleges.
Stay metal. Never rust.
Met-Al
Stay metal. Never rust.
Met-Al
Midihell
The Fountain Of Lamneth
For the significant and myself, Progpower is well worth the cost. We consider this our annual vacation together doing something we really enjoy. We each put $100 per month in our Progpower bank account and use that to pay for everything we do. Gas for the drive from Texas, lodging, tickets/badges, food, and we usually have about $600 - $700 each to spend on cd's/dvd's/t-shirts at the show.
Ultimately we look at it as being the only time we'll see a large percentage of these bands in person since most don't do full extensive tours of the US. So even if there are possibly a couple of bands we may not like, we'll still attend. This will be our 6th attendance of Progpower in a row and we don't really forsee us not coming in the future.
This is by far the best festival in the US for fans of this type/style of music bar none and big Kudo's to Glenn for making it happen year in year out.
Ultimately we look at it as being the only time we'll see a large percentage of these bands in person since most don't do full extensive tours of the US. So even if there are possibly a couple of bands we may not like, we'll still attend. This will be our 6th attendance of Progpower in a row and we don't really forsee us not coming in the future.
This is by far the best festival in the US for fans of this type/style of music bar none and big Kudo's to Glenn for making it happen year in year out.
Berek2000
Member
It's nice living 30 minutes from ATL....
2 hour drive for me. i have tried to stay cheaper outside Atlanta and drive in for the show for all three of the Progpowers i have attended. God does that suck!
uke: it is going to be so worth it this year to leave the hotel and take a short walk to the event.
How right you are, coming from the west is a pain in the ass, especially from EL Paso as it is not a major stop for any airline except SW, so my ticket is usually between $500 to $700 plus hotel, plus food and Merch. So it runs me anywhere from $1000 to $1500 a year, but i start saving as soon as one is over so that I have the funds to attend and to have a good time. To me it really doesn;t matter the cost, as I will be there no matter what.
rcknchairLee
rcknchairLee
rcknchairLee
rcknchairLee
I live right here and still spend between 400 and 600 a year for PPUSA. And I live on disability, yes it is expensive for me but, to me it is well worth the cost. I'm a lifer, if there's a PPUSA than you can count me in.
"It's not a wheelchair it's a rocking chair."
"It's not a wheelchair it's a rocking chair."
spag
I am a leaf on the wind
Definitely expensive from the West. Last time, we got screwed on plane tickets, which were $1100 for the two of us. That sucked, but even with food, hotel, purchases, added, it was still well worth it. If we had gold badges, I'd pony up for them in a heartbeat as well. This year, we'll have free Southwest tickets, and I'll be taking extra time to get up to TN to see family in addition to the show. I can't wait.
I think it's both actually. I.e, one may or may not personally want to see *insert bands* for the total cost of *insert $ amount* and then you get the simple equation of the two.
As for the vacation part, Atlanta is a nice city to go to once, but for the repeatability part of it, trust me there are much better cities to return to time and time again if there isn't a concert going on.
Southwest does not yet fly into Atlanta. I piss and moan to my Brother in law every chance I get about it. (He is a director with the company) I've got free family flights and several free tickets from my SW Visa points that I can't use for PP.
There is however, something in the works that could result in this changing. So there is hope, but not for a year or so I think.
nailz
Member
J-Dubya 777
It NEVER ends
nailz
Member
I think I'd be a fan of the 20-30 mile away subburbs, and work there, but the city itself is a cesspool from what I've seen, with nice pockets.
