Cheers and Jeers

Super cheer from someone who isn't into the late night partying (I try to follow Gene and Paul's advice, I really do) - The scheduling was super tight (as in running smoothly) this year and having Saturday's headliner on by 11PM ruled.
 
Super cheer from someone who isn't into the late night partying (I try to follow Gene and Paul's advice, I really do) - The scheduling was super tight (as in running smoothly) this year and having Saturday's headliner on by 11PM ruled.

I second the heck out of this! I don't mind staying extra late on Friday, but Saturday night is usually rough. Whoever came up with the idea of having the Saturday headliner scheduled for 10:30 is brilliant! :worship:

~Brian~
 
Cheers:
3. Most of the people we met - instant friends! We shared pizza with one PP veteran that we sat with for most of Saturday - only fair, he watched our stuff while we went out so I could go fanboy on D.C. Cooper before Armored Saint's set. :)

I believe that was me (did you see my "Cheers" on about page 2 of this thread?). I also replied in kind in that "perspective of a first timer" thread. I remember you and your wife/girlfriend going back and forth to the signing sessions. Hey, that is what they are there for. :cool:

D.C. Cooper is a really cool guy. I've spent some serious time partying with him all weekend as well. Sabaton was awesome this year as well! It really was an excellent fest and glad you had a great time. Hopefully will see you again next year.
 
CHEERS:
  • Glenn and Jen for putting on another PPF and still being able to exceed the prior year's product. How the hell do you do this year after year?
  • Nathan for putting on a kickass kickoff show. Can't wait until next year!
  • Lars and Andy for going to the airport to track down and deliver Malek, Anis and Zaher of Myrath just in time for them to destroy Center Stage with their set.
  • Andy and Amy for sponsoring Myrath with us and being added to my list of awesome people that I have met at the festival over the years.
  • Nidahl, Myrath's manager, for all the sleepless nights that he had getting Myrath here after their flights were cancelled.
  • Kevin, Myrath's producer, who stepped in as a replacement on keyboards during their set. You nailed it!
  • Circus Maximus for lending Malek a guitar because the airlines lost his on the way to Atlanta.
  • Mark and Keehn for putting up with me yet again and being able to take it as well as dish it out. You guys are awesome beyond belief!
  • The Artmore for letting the courtyard parties run their course without imposing stupid rules or limiting access to guests as was rumored.
  • The Sue for making me see Skittles in a totally different way. :-x
  • Tracy for being an excellent photographer and witness at a magical event :-x
  • Sabaton for not pulling a Brainstorm. They proved that their first PPF performance was not a fluke and exceeded even my expectations.
  • John Bush for being an awesome dude and taking time out to meet me. That was truly a delight.
  • Shadow Gallery for proving that studio complexity and virtuosity can be duplicated live. Also, mastering multiple instruments is just not right.
  • DC Cooper for adding to the magic that was the Shadow Gallery performance.
  • Tennessee Lee for remembering me from a random meal last year and saying hello.
  • All the other band sponsors that help make it possible to get the awesome bands year after year.
  • Justin the attorney from NYC for explaining to me the music and styles of the bands for next year that I didn't yet know about. Spot on!

Jeers:
  • Luca Turilli's Rhapsody for not having a live female singer for the duet they performed. Weaksauce!
  • The airline that cancelled Myrath's flights less than 2 weeks before they were scheduled for departure.
  • Security at Center Stage, but they eventually realized that keeping sponsors out until a set starts is just stupid.

I am sure I missed some cheers and jeers, but these are the ones that stood out. Now to research and prepare for next year.
 
I believe that was me (did you see my "Cheers" on about page 2 of this thread?). I also replied in kind in that "perspective of a first timer" thread. I remember you and your wife/girlfriend going back and forth to the signing sessions. Hey, that is what they are there for. :cool:

D.C. Cooper is a really cool guy. I've spent some serious time partying with him all weekend as well. Sabaton was awesome this year as well! It really was an excellent fest and glad you had a great time. Hopefully will see you again next year.

Definitely. Great to be able to put a name with the face that we spent a lot of time with.. I already can't wait for next year. :)
 
I was not aware they were doing this at the beginning of the fest until it was reported to me. I went down and changed things. They simply did not know.

You guys rule at getting everything smoothed out so fast! yippee38 and I had gone down to get beers early Friday and checked at the door and then with the bartender about bringing the beers back upstairs but then were halted by the security guy who told us we had to finish them before we could go upstairs. We were frustrated as this made us miss the beginning of Damnation Angels. Before we finished chugging said beers, he returned, apologized and let us know he was incorrect and we were welcome to take them upstairs as long as they were in plastic cups.
All the staff isn't repeat and doesn't know us but they take great care of us year after year!
 
Jeers - being too busy since getting back to do this posting!

CHEERS:

• Blulou for doing all the work for me and listing 95% of my cheers.
• Louis and Keehn - enough said - love hanging with you 2.
• Heather, Justin, Su, Tracie, Mike, Dave, and Steve - another year of grand memories made at the festival with you all. Appreciate all you do for the festival and the fun we have.
• Myrath – what an amazing performance and nice group of guys.
• REPEATED for EMPHASIS: Sabaton for NOT being Brainstorm 2. Brainstorm was at my first ProgPower (V) and was by far the best performance I had seen then and for a number of years afterwards. When Brainstorm returned, their show was quite a letdown. SABATON did not disappoint. I have seen SABATON 4 times now and am not bored with them at all.
• Chris from SABATON for approaching me and saying hello as he remembered when we had pizza together at the Artmore back at ProgPowerXI when he played with Nocturnal Rites.
• Finally, as always, to Glenn and Jen for their hard work and amazing festival.
 
Cheers:

Coming this year to Atlanta PP with my wife and kids.

Getting Anders "Tornado" Modd and Simon Johansson from WOLF to the venue from Hotel because they missed their shuttle, so I got the chance to chat a little with them while driving, very nice guys. Later at the signing table they wrote on my card "Thanks for the ride".

Traying to take a photo with snowy Shaw at Hotel along with my kids, my Little daughter (4 years old) sayying to me "Dad I don´t want to take a picture with him because he scares me" and snowy saying to her " Don't be afraid". Finally my wife took us the picture.

Being recognized by Miel at entrance of Center Stage when I picked up my tickets and having a chance to say hello to her.

Talking to GONZO and Phil Sandoval from Armored Saint in spanish, GONZO asking me about the Mexican National Soccer Team that actually sucks.

The magical enviroment of the fest.

Sausalito food.



Jeers:
None.
 
Cheers:
My awesome roommate who opened up a lot more of the real festival experience to me this year. For a random pairing of guys that shared a hotel out of a forum post and mutual need it felt like we'd known each other for years. Meandering daily conversations about anything and everything AND the fest? Can't beat it with a stick.
The veterans that allowed me to hang out with them (and lighten their Bacardi a bit) Saturday night. That was awesome stuff.
Myrath.
Damnation Angels.
Nick van Dyk for being an awesome guy and stopping to talk for a second and have a pic with me.
Century Media Distro. No offense to all the great vendors, but you guys completely ruled the vendor room imo. The prices, the friendliness, the insane selection. If you top that next year...damn.
Milton and Scott for the fun MARTA ride. Scott in particular for letting me help out his very unfortunate travel buddy.
The more amazing than usual festival atmosphere.
Our most gracious hosts and indomitable festival Promoter(s).
The insanely sharp crew that made this beast run like a clockwork steed.
The restaurants that accommodate us so nicely, and who are freakin delicious!

Jeers:
The idiotic drunk woman in front of me on the railing at the beginning of Soilwork's set. She was threatening to ruin the whole thing for me. Glad she left of her own volition a few songs in.
I don't have unlimited funds.
Too damned busy at work to do this until sitting in the airport right now.
Didn't bring world peace.
 
Jeers:
The idiotic drunk woman in front of me on the railing at the beginning of Soilwork's set. She was threatening to ruin the whole thing for me. Glad she left of her own volition a few songs in.

Were you on the left side of the stage, by any chance? I wound up next to this drunk woman who kept trying to shove/elbow me over to block the views of the people behind me (??????). I spent the first good part of Soilwork's set being both annoyed at her behavior and concerned that she'd fall over until she finally vanished. :/
 
Cheers

- Hands-down the best run festival anywhere
- The best fans - always a pleasure
- The best security - At most shows I attend security are a bunch of bullies. At Center Stage they are all pros - friendly yet efficient.

Jeers

My only real jeer this year is pretty general in nature, but I see a lot of bands doing it - not just at ProgPower, but it seems I notice it more there, probably due to the sheer number of bands I am taking in over such a short period. A lot of bands let all of the momentum and energy they have gained come crashing to a halt between songs. 30-60 seconds watching guitarists re-tune while the singer gets a drink is an eternity when you are still singing along to the last song. You can feel the energy being sapped from the room as the band talks amongst themselves. If they need to pause between songs they need to script out ahead of time what they are going to do to fill the gaps instead of letting the audience wait, completely un-engaged. The bass player introduces the band, the keyboardist tells a joke, short drum solo (please, please keep it short), have a sing-along... Something! Keep the momentum going or you lose the audience's attention much quicker that you earned it. Don't over-do the audience participation bit though - I paid to watch the bands perform, not to perform for them (I'm looking at you Tobias).
 
Cheers as always to Glenn and Jen and the entire PPUSA family! This was my 10th straight ProgPower since I attended my first as a wide-eyed highschooler. I attended that year solely for Pain of Salvation, and it made me a lifelong fan of this fest to the point that it's a pilgrimage I look forward to every year!

As a female metal fan, I've been to some shows where I've been creeped out, poorly flirted with, and harassed by other attendees. I am proud to say that ProgPower continues to be an overwhelmingly positive experience. Everyone really does feel like family. And talk about some of the most polite mosh pits I've ever seen! (Some aforementioned drunks aside.)

My only jeers are for the venue. The main bar was really understaffed, to the point where one of the bar tenders seemed really frazzled and rudely barked at us, "Can you just form some kind of line?" when everyone was just waiting patiently for their turn.

One of the security guys dicked around with me on Friday night when I asked for an arm band, saying I was too "sweet- and young-looking" even when I showed ID. It was off-putting.

Otherwise, I cannot WAIT for next year! Pain of Salvation and Pagan's Mind once again, hellll yes!!