Bands you would like to see at ProgPower 4.0

[nightwish58]

Originally posted by General Zod


If I was a betting man, I would bet that the following bands will be present at PPIV:

Iced Earth
Evergrey
Symphony X
Vanden Plas
Pagan's Mind
Power of Omens

Save your money; Vanden Plas is definitely out of the question.

Keep in mind; these aren't the bands that I'm hoping for (though I would LOVE this line up). Rather, these are the bands that I believe will be there, based on conversations I've had with various people (no, I don't have any inside information). If this is the line up, I would say that it's also vastly superior to PPIII.

Just my $0.02.

I understand that was just your 2 cents, but let me give you my 3 cents! "Vastly superior" to last year? Again, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but give me a break. I love all those bands that you mentioned with the exception of Iced Earth, but just look at who played last year. Regardless if you like them or not, it doesn't get any better than that. The only bands missing from last year were Helloween, Stratovarius, Nightwish, and Rhapsody! At least there are a few big name bands left for the future.

I totally agree with your statement about whether last years' lineup can be topped. It definitely is a matter of preference. What I am saying, however, is that I think it is virtually impossible to top last years' lineup in terms of drawing power and recognition. Let's be honest; as I have said in the past, Glenn had 5 bands there that were all headliners:

Gamma Ray
Angra
Edguy
Pain of Salvation
Blind Guardian

And I mean big time headliners; bands that have and can easily headline any of the major festivals in Europe. Sure, I can give you ten bands that did not play last year that would be amazing for me; as can everyone else on this board.

 

[JayKeeley]

Of course it's a personal thing - no doubt. Personally, part of the attraction of PP3 was that Glenn had managed to bring bands to the USA for the first time ever!

If the line up does turn out to be something like.....

Iced Earth - this has got to be 99% definite
Evergrey - this is 100% definite
Symphony X
Vanden Plas
Pagan's Mind
Power of Omens

...then I tell you what - the BW&BK festival in Cleveland is going to provide some hot competition!

Woohoo - all the better for us though!!

 

[General Zod]

Originally posted by nightwish58
Save your money; Vanden Plas is definitely out of the question.

And why is that?

Originally posted by nightwish58
I understand that was just your 2 cents, but let me give you my 3 cents! "Vastly superior" to last year? Again, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but give me a break.

Give you a break? I'm sorry. Apparently everyone is entitled to an opinion as long as it agrees with yours.

Originally posted by nightwish58
Regardless if you like them or not, it doesn't get any better than that.

Really? It doesn't? So it doesn't get any better than watching bands that I don't like? Wow! That really sucks for me.

Originally posted by nightwish58
The only bands missing from last year were Helloween, Stratovarius, Nightwish, and Rhapsody!

I wouldn't cross the street to see any of those bands, much less fly to Atlanta.

Originally posted by nightwish58
What I am saying, however, is that I think it is virtually impossible to top last years' lineup in terms of drawing power and recognition.

That's your opinion, and from what I've seen, not a very accurate one where the U.S. market is concerned. Do you perhaps live in Europe?

Angra drew 50 people to their Chicago show and less than 100 to their NY show. Is that drawing power? The one time PoS was supposed to play in NY (they didn't make it through customs) it was to open for Symphony X. Is that name recognition? Edguy? There's a reason they've yet to tour the states.

Originally posted by nightwish58
And I mean big time headliners; bands that have and can easily headline any of the major festivals in Europe.

And their lies the difference. This isn't Europe. This is a U.S. based festival. Those bands don't have the same drawing power as many other Metal bands. I've seen In Flames draw 2,000 in NYC. I've seen Iced Earth draw 2,000 in Philly. I've seen Nevermore pack a club that Angra drew 50 people to. The states and Europe are different, plain and simple.

GZ

 

[nightwish58]

You missed the whole point. The great thing about this festival is the fact that Glenn brings major European acts to the states. Yeah, this is a US based festival that gives us a rare opportunity to see bands that we could never see unless we traveled to Europe.

This is Prog Power, and I don't know where you've been, but the scene here SUCKS for this type of music. The whole point of this festival is to bring us die hard US fans a dose of some true metal that we will rarely, if ever experience outside of Europe.

If you wouldn't walk across the street to see either Nightwish, Helloween, Rhapsody, Stratovarius, etc.., then apparently this festival is not for you. I'm not saying I like every progressive or power metal band out there, but I do like the vast majority of them.

I could care less if Angra drew 50 people in Chicago and Iced Earth drew 2,000. Who cares? As long as Glenn could continuosly sell this festival out by bringing the top bands from Europe over, I would say that the majority of people would be pleased.

We have waited ages to see bands like Gamma Ray, Blind Guardian, Angra, Edguy, etc... And when someone brings all of those names together under one roof (in the United States no less), that is something special. If you can't see that, then I don't know what to tell you.

I'm not saying that you have to like those bands, but you should at least acknowledge what those names would mean to a progressive, power metal fan who has been waiting forever to have the chance to see any one of these bands.

Plain and simple, the states suck when it comes to this style of music, and Europe kicks ass. And tight, I am not from Europe

 

[YtseJammer]

Originally posted by nightwish58
We have waited ages to see bands like Gamma Ray, Blind Guardian, Angra, Edguy, etc... And when someone brings all of those names together under one roof (in the United States no less), that is something special. If you can't see that, then I don't know what to tell you.

Hit it on the head right there.....

 

[General Zod]

Originally posted by nightwish58
You missed the whole point.

Actually, it was you who missed the point. The point I made, was that I felt PPII was superior to PPIII. To which you retorted, "everyone is entitled to their opinion, but give me a break".

Originally posted by nightwish58
If you wouldn't walk across the street to see either Nightwish, Helloween, Rhapsody, Stratovarius, etc.., then apparently this festival is not for you.

Geez. What have I been thinking these last two years, going to a festival that isn't for me? Damn, and I'm already planning on attending PPIV. I wish someone would have told me that this festival wasn't for me.

Note to self, stop going to festivals that aren't for me.

Originally posted by nightwish58
I could care less if Angra drew 50 people in Chicago and Iced Earth drew 2,000. Who cares?

I was simply refuting your point that these bands have "drawing power".

Originally posted by nightwish58
We have waited ages to see bands like Gamma Ray, Blind Guardian, Angra, Edguy, etc... And when someone brings all of those names together under one roof (in the United States no less), that is something special. If you can't see that, then I don't know what to tell you.

Did I say it wasn't special? I drove 14 hours from NJ to Atlanta to be there. My point, once again, was that PPII was a better show than PPIII, and PPIV, if Glenn gets the bands that I suspect he will, will also be better than PPIII. If you love Gamma Ray and Angra, good for you. Personally, my favorite band at PPIII was Zero Hour.

Originally posted by nightwish58
I'm not saying that you have to like those bands...

Gee, thanks.

Originally posted by nightwish58
...but you should at least acknowledge what those names would mean to a progressive, power metal fan who has been waiting forever to have the chance to see any one of these bands.

No offense, but I go to concerts for my enjoyment, not for the enjoyment of the "progressive, power metal fan who has been waiting forever". If those names make you happy, cool. Enjoy. However, it doesn't mean I want to be subjected to having to sit through Stratovarius because you've been "waiting forever".

Originally posted by nightwish58
Plain and simple, the states suck when it comes to this style of music, and Europe kicks ass.

A giant misconception. If Europe kicks so much ass when it comes to Metal, why aren't these guys millionares? Europe is better for Metal than the states, no one's arguing that point. But keep in mind, "Mandrake" didn't sell three million records over in Europe. Blind Guardian isn't touring stadiums, they're touring small to mid-sized venues.

Look, you and I obviously have different tastes within the Metal genre. Bands like Rhapsody, Gamma Ray, and Stratovarius bore me to tears. That being said, if those are the bands Glenn feels he needs to book to sell out his festival, fine. It's a testament to Glenn, as a promoter, that he can get you and I to the same show.

GZ

 

[Hail and Kill]

Originally posted by General Zod
Actually, it was you who missed the point. The point I made, was that I felt PPII was superior to PPIII. To which you retorted, "everyone is entitled to their opinion, but give me a break".



Geez. What have I been thinking these last two years, going to a festival that isn't for me? Damn, and I'm already planning on attending PPIV. I wish someone would have told me that this festival wasn't for me.

Note to self, stop going to festivals that aren't for me.



I was simply refuting your point that these bands have "drawing power".



Did I say it wasn't special? I drove 14 hours from NJ to Atlanta to be there. My point, once again, was that PPII was a better show than PPIII, and PPIV, if Glenn gets the bands that I suspect he will, will also be better than PPIII. If you love Gamma Ray and Angra, good for you. Personally, my favorite band at PPIII was Zero Hour.



Gee, thanks.



No offense, but I go to concerts for my enjoyment, not for the enjoyment of the "progressive, power metal fan who has been waiting forever". If those names make you happy, cool. Enjoy. However, it doesn't mean I want to be subjected to having to sit through Stratovarius because you've been "waiting forever".



A giant misconception. If Europe kicks so much ass when it comes to Metal, why aren't these guys millionares? Europe is better for Metal than the states, no one's arguing that point. But keep in mind, "Mandrake" didn't sell three million records over in Europe. Blind Guardian isn't touring stadiums, they're touring small to mid-sized venues.

Look, you and I obviously have different tastes within the Metal genre. Bands like Rhapsody, Gamma Ray, and Stratovarius bore me to tears. That being said, if those are the bands Glenn feels he needs to book to sell out his festival, fine. It's a testament to Glenn, as a promoter, that he can get you and I to the same show.

GZ

First of all tight! Second of all you gotta be a toolbox if you are driving from Jersey to Atlanta to see bands you don't even like. Stop being such a hump mo, really.

 

[ProgMetalFan]

Originally posted by General Zod
Actually, it was you who missed the point. The point I made, was that I felt PPII was superior to PPIII. To which you retorted, "everyone is entitled to their opinion, but give me a break".



Geez. What have I been thinking these last two years, going to a festival that isn't for me? Damn, and I'm already planning on attending PPIV. I wish someone would have told me that this festival wasn't for me.

Note to self, stop going to festivals that aren't for me.



I was simply refuting your point that these bands have "drawing power".



Did I say it wasn't special? I drove 14 hours from NJ to Atlanta to be there. My point, once again, was that PPII was a better show than PPIII, and PPIV, if Glenn gets the bands that I suspect he will, will also be better than PPIII. If you love Gamma Ray and Angra, good for you. Personally, my favorite band at PPIII was Zero Hour.



Gee, thanks.



No offense, but I go to concerts for my enjoyment, not for the enjoyment of the "progressive, power metal fan who has been waiting forever". If those names make you happy, cool. Enjoy. However, it doesn't mean I want to be subjected to having to sit through Stratovarius because you've been "waiting forever".



A giant misconception. If Europe kicks so much ass when it comes to Metal, why aren't these guys millionares? Europe is better for Metal than the states, no one's arguing that point. But keep in mind, "Mandrake" didn't sell three million records over in Europe. Blind Guardian isn't touring stadiums, they're touring small to mid-sized venues.

Look, you and I obviously have different tastes within the Metal genre. Bands like Rhapsody, Gamma Ray, and Stratovarius bore me to tears. That being said, if those are the bands Glenn feels he needs to book to sell out his festival, fine. It's a testament to Glenn, as a promoter, that he can get you and I to the same show.

GZ

Excellent comments, Zod! I agree with pretty much everything... THe lineup for PP 2 was superior to PP3... Zero Hour rules... and bands like Rhapsody, Gamma Ray, Edguy and Stratovarius bore me to tears!

 

[Hail and Kill]

Originally posted by ProgMetalFan
Excellent comments, Zod! I agree with pretty much everything... THe lineup for PP 2 was superior to PP3... Zero Hour rules... and bands like Rhapsody, Gamma Ray, Edguy and Stratovarius bore me to tears!

I actually think Zod was pretty tight! If they really bore you to tears maybe you should save your money and buy some tissues or something.

 

[nightwish58]

Originally posted by General Zod

"Damn, and I'm already planning on attending PPIV. I wish someone would have told me that this festival wasn't for me."

My point is that why would you already buy tickets for a festival that will most likely not have many bands that you are into? This festival could very easily have Nightwish, Rhapsody, Stratovarius, Helloween, and many other bands that would "bore" you to death. And those bands fit perfect;y within the genre that this festival is directed towards



"Personally, my favorite band at PPIII was Zero Hour."

Zero Hour were great, and I enjoyed their show, but seriously, if they were your favorite band at PP III, then this festival is probably not for you.

"A giant misconception. If Europe kicks so much ass when it comes to Metal, why aren't these guys millionares? Europe is better for Metal than the states, no one's arguing that point. But keep in mind, "Mandrake" didn't sell three million records over in Europe. Blind Guardian isn't touring stadiums, they're touring small to mid-sized venues. "

BG is not touring stadiums and play in small-mid-sized venues? Now this conversation is turning idiotic. Blind guardian only Headlined the biggest festival in Europe, Wacken, in front of over 40,000 fans that were just there for them. I was there and can attest to that. Furthermore, Mo, they are having a festival named after them! The Blind Guardian Open Air Festival 2003! Enough said.

"Look, you and I obviously have different tastes within the Metal genre. Bands like Rhapsody, Gamma Ray, and Stratovarius bore me to tears. That being said, if those are the bands Glenn feels he needs to book to sell out his festival, fine. It's a testament to Glenn, as a promoter, that he can get you and I to the same show."

Yes, we do have different tastes, and that is fine, but I'm saying that this festival appears to fit my tatses alot more than yours. It is like me going to a death metal festival and saying that all the big names in that genre, that people have been waiting an eternity to see, bore me to "death" (no pun intended).

GZ

 

[ProgMetalFan]

"Zero Hour were great, and I enjoyed their show, but seriously, if they were your favorite band at PP III, then this festival is probably not for you. " - Nightwish


Oh, why is that? Zero Hour is a PROG metal band. This is PROG power festival. Zero Hour is the defination of insanely technical and PROGRESSIVE metal. They have a dark, heavy, aggressive sound. Personally, they are one of my favorite bands. If you love Zero Hour, then the ProgPower festival IS for you.

Everyone can't be a fan of the "let's be happy and clap our hands" bands!

 

[nightwish58]

That's fine if you want to spend hundreds of dollars and travel across the country to see an opening band play for 45 minutes. You would think that you would also enjoy the bands that come after your favorite band.

Hey, one of my favorite bands is Superior, and they opened 2 years ago, but I doubt I would have gone just to see them play for 45 minutes if the rest of the festival bored me to death.

The bands that Zod is saying he hates, are in my opinion, what this festival is all about.

Who are some of your favorite bands?

 

[ProgMetalFan]

Originally posted by nightwish58
That's fine if you want to spend hundreds of dollars and travel across the country to see an opening band play for 45 minutes. You would think that you would also enjoy the bands that come after your favorite band.

Hey, one of my favorite bands is Superior, and they opened 2 years ago, but I doubt I would have gone just to see them play for 45 minutes if the rest of the festival bored me to death.

The bands that Zod is saying he hates, are in my opinion, what this festival is all about.

Who are some of your favorite bands?

So this festival is all about power metal bands, eh? I thought this was the Prog Power festival... it's about Prog metal bands and Power metal bands. Zero Hour is one of the best Prog Metal bands around today... this festival is as much about bands like Zero Hour, Pain of Salvation, Evergrey, Symphony X, etc. as it is about Edguy, Kamelot, Steel Prophet, Gamma Ray, etc.

 

[Mephistopheles]

People seem to keep forgetting about the prog side of things. Let's hope Glenn doesn't. I for one would kill to see a great prog show. I really like power metal but prog is more my style. Just more proof that you can't please everybody 100% I guess.

And I see you are listening to Enchant. Thats one band I think would be great to add a little more prog to the Prog Power scene.

 

[nightwish58]

Originally posted by ProgMetalFan
So this festival is all about power metal bands, eh? I thought this was the Prog Power festival... it's about Prog metal bands and Power metal bands. Zero Hour is one of the best Prog Metal bands around today... this festival is as much about bands like Zero Hour, Pain of Salvation, Evergrey, Symphony X, etc. as it is about Edguy, Kamelot, Steel Prophet, Gamma Ray, etc.

Absolutely not. It is just as much about prog as it is power metal. I guess last year was just heavily weighed on the power side. I love both styles and would be happy either way; with a prog dominated festival or a power dominated festival. Every one of the bands that you named are great, but so are Edguy, Kamelot, Gamma Ray, Helloween, etc.. (at least half of which this festival is geared towards). I understand that 1 year may be more on the prog side while the next may be more on the power side. I guess I get the best of both worlds since I like both styles equally as much.

 

[Demonspell]

Agreed...if there was to be a lineup consisting entirely or predominantly of power metal, it would betray one of the intentions of the festival, that being to support progressive music.

 

[General Zod]

A few things.

The main reason I liked PPII better than PPIII was because PPII was more Prog than Power. Also, one of the Power bands at PPII, Angel Dust, was one of my favorite Power metal bands.

I'm not sure if you're aware of this or not, but PPIII wasn't supposed to be so Power oriented. Glenn said that he put out invites to a number of bands, and that the Power bands just so happened to accept first. I had purchased my Gold Badges blind, before he announced who the bands were going to be. That being said, I would have gone anyway. These events are a ton of fun. You get to meet a lot of great people and all the artists. And Glenn does such a fantastic job with these shows.

Don't get me wrong, I like Blind Guardian, Edguy, Angra, and even a little Gamma Ray. Their just not among my favorites. However, As for Rhapsody and Stratovarius, to my ears they're just flat out awful.

By the way, what does "tight" mean. I've never seen it the way you guys are using it.

GZ

 

[nightwish58]

Tight! LOL Point well taken. I too purchased my badges blindly last year as well as this year. I feel the same way; this event is so much fun whether there are more prog bands, or more power bands. Of course, it would be even better if the bands you enjoy most were the majority of the ones playing, but regardless, if you are a fan of progressive, power metal, you can't go wrong with Glenn's festival.

BTW, I don't want to give away the meaning behind "tight"; although some people I don't even know have surprisingly used it properly!

 

[Hail and Kill]

Originally posted by General Zod


Don't get me wrong, I like Blind Guardian, Edguy, Angra, and even a little Gamma Ray. Their just not among my favorites. However, As for Rhapsody and Stratovarius, to my ears they're just flat out awful.

GZ

Tight huh?

 

[General Zod]

Originally posted by nightwish58
Who are some of your favorite bands?

My Top 5, in order:

Nevermore
Iced Earth
Symphony X
Evergrey
Opeth


I also really enjoy Kamelot, Vanden Plas, Dark Tranquillity, In Flames, Andromeda, Freak Kitchen, Amorphis and Zero hour.

GZ