It's that time again: predict the actual lineup

[Sumeet]

"For the next 45 minutes, your asses are mine!"

Andy B. Franke

Uh... not to be a dick... but if you're going to quote the guy in your signature, you should at least spell his name right....

 

[Dark One]

Uh... not to be a dick... but if you're going to quote the guy in your signature, you should at least spell his name right....

 

[Meteornotes]

I think it's impossible to predict the line up. So I won't. I have enjoyed reading Glenn's responses in the thread. I like seeing how he thinks about all this (I still want to read his PP book!). While I'm not predicting anything, It would kick ass to see Enchant, Andromeda, Riverside, Freak Kitchen and Fates Warning, though. And return visits from Pagan's Mind, Superior, Vanden Plas, Devin Townsend, Threshold and/or Mercenary at some point would be cool too.

As far as Rage and the response to them, I still say the problem was is that they followed the one/two gut punch of Circle II Circle (with Oliva) and Evergrey, and most of the crowd was emotionally drained by the time they hit the stage. Plus, the sound for Rage was just not good. After the show, Mary had been listening ot Rage CDs and said something like "I love these, why didn't I like the PP show?" Just my theory.

Ten bands is the way to go. It gives you two more spots for bands that few/no people had ever heard before. Stride and Circus Maximus were two of my favorite bands this year. I like when I go to a festival and see bands that I've never heard before and they blow me away. I'm also not personally offended if I go to a festival and there's a band that I don't like. Instead of complaning about it, I go to eat or drink or terrorize people in the lobby or whatever. Though I have to say, I've only skipped two PP bands in the last three years (Nightwish and Wuthering Heights, just not my thing). This year I saw every note of every band, which kicked much ass, even if I never got a Guinness from anyone...

dt

 

[mtlheart]

I don't disagree with you. However, I think there was something more at play here; the size of their discography.

Every year Glenn has bands who I haven't heard (or have heard, but whose music I didn't pay much attention to). Some of these bands I love, some of them I don't. For those that I love, by the time ProgPower rolls around, I know the words to half their catalog. I think when Rage was announced, people took a spin over to their web site, looked at their discography, and said, "Oh, screw this."

I think had Rage only had three discs to their credit, a lot more people would have bought those three discs, been into those three discs, and would have been there when they played live. Instead, they saw that Rage had 20 discs, said to themselves, "I'm not going to know any of the of the songs they're going to play", and chose to blow them off.

By the way, this is just my own little personaly conspiracy theory. I'm not sure if there's an ounce of truth to it.

Zod

There's more than an ounce of truth to it. Not many are willing to spend the money buying a huge back catalog just to familiarize themselves with a band for a concert.

The Second 5th slot has something to do with it also. Glenn says there were more people in seats during Stratovarius than for any other band that weekend. That may have been true at the start of the set. However, by the end of the main set the seats were over 1/3 empty, and fully 1/2 empty before the second encore. People get tired and that flu bug that goes around ProgPower makes it hard for them to stay for the Saturday 5th band. Especially for a band they don't know.

Not owning a single Rage CD at the time and feeling the onset of the Fairfield flue led me to leave. Had I owned at least some Rage CD's I'd have suffered through and stayed to watch anyway, but I just didn't feel up to watching a band I was completely unfamiliar with.

In hindsight I have mixed feelings about leaving. Knowing more about Rage now, I'd have like to see them then. But it just wasn't worth it at the time.

 

[General Zod]

As far as Rage and the response to them, I still say the problem was is that they followed the one/two gut punch of Circle II Circle (with Oliva) and Evergrey, and most of the crowd was emotionally drained by the time they hit the stage.

Here's where I'll disagree with you; had Iced Earth had been headlining instead of Rage, that place would have been packed.

Zod

 

[Petethedrummer]

I still wouldn't say packed, the headlining bands, at least in my experiences tend to have a slightly smaller audience than the band in the number 4 spot for the most part. Halfway through their set, Angra had the Earthlink at MAYBE 2/3 capacity, and that might even be pushing it. People get tired.

 

[Hajeka]

YtseJammer and mtlheart both have great predictions but probably impossible. I would love to see Dream Evil!! One band I would like to see perhaps at the pre party would be Insania, but who knows. Primal Fear, Gamma Ray, and Dream Evil on the same bill will be heavy sent! I was actually saying to a friend yesterday how I think I'd be satisfied if I heard, Book of Heavy Metal, Metal is Forever, Heavy Metal Universe all live.

I can't predict/request a line up because I'll stick 10 power metal bands in there. I think Helloween and Gamma Ray are going to do US tours, unless this was rumored.

What about Dark Moor or The Sins of Thy Beloved?

 

[Kyra]

I don't disagree with you. However, I think there was something more at play here; the size of their discography.

Every year Glenn has bands who I haven't heard (or have heard, but whose music I didn't pay much attention to). Some of these bands I love, some of them I don't. For those that I love, by the time ProgPower rolls around, I know the words to half their catalog. I think when Rage was announced, people took a spin over to their web site, looked at their discography, and said, "Oh, screw this."

I think had Rage only had three discs to their credit, a lot more people would have bought those three discs, been into those three discs, and would have been there when they played live. Instead, they saw that Rage had 20 discs, said to themselves, "I'm not going to know any of the of the songs they're going to play", and chose to blow them off.

By the way, this is just my own little personaly conspiracy theory. I'm not sure if there's an ounce of truth to it.

Zod

Actually I can see that. A lot of people do want to hear stuff that they're familiar with, so it makes sense that that would be a factor. I didn't spend a lot of time getting into to them prior to the show for just that reason. But it's more than that, or at least it is for me. At my first ProgPower almost all of the bands were brand new for me, and most of them won me over during their sets. And Therion this year - they had a ton of stuff and I just didn't feel like listening to all of it, especially since I wasn't all that thrilled with what I did hear. But I gave both bands a chance and while I wouldn't have considered leaving during Therion, Rage got real old, real quick.

But I think that the discography does play a factor as you pointed out. And the 5th slot plays a factor as well. Not because people are tired, but because they don't have to save their place in line, or their seat, for the next band. I didn't like Nightwish, but I was in the "second row" and by god I wasn't moving and losing my spot for Symphony X. Had Nightwish been last, I would probably have stayed for a half hour, decided I'd heard enough, and felt free to leave.

Chris

 

[Barking Pumpkin]

I agree about the headliners. The closing slots BOTH nights there was a steady stream of people heading for the doors. And while it may have been packed for the first bit, people started leaving pretty fast.

 

[Harvester]

And while it may have been packed for the first bit, people started leaving pretty fast.

The way I see it is that it's my job to pack the floor before the show starts. It's then the band's job to keep it packed. Some bands can do that, other cannot. Such is life.

I do agree with the fatigure factor though. My only comment is that you have a year to prepare.....

 

[Barking Pumpkin]

I was on the floor for a total of two bands, I'm done with that. No fatigue for me.

 

[Theandromedastrain]

I dont know If i can predict next year's full 10 band line-up.
but i can hope and pray, that judging on the amount of praises, that these bands will be at PP7.
Theocracy and Beyond Twilight!

 

[adaher]

I think it had to do with people being tired. Those long waiting times just killed the momentum. I was nodding off and saw some other people actually asleep despite 100 decibel-plus noise level, which I would normally have thought impossible.

Next year, hopefully the headliners get on stage in the 30 minutes allotted between bands rather than taking twice that much. Hint: We don't need the projection screen.

 

[Unca Kev]

What we need is for bands to become headliner caliber, and pretty much no new bands have stepped up since 2000. And almost all of the headliner caliber bands that came out in that rich 1997-2000 period are now touring the US.

STill, I wonder if Glenn overestimates how important a band touring the US is. At most, they probably get to where maybe half of metal heads could potentially see them. Florida almost never gets shows. Plus, club shows are a drag in many places. I got a bad taste in my mouth from Blind Guardian in 2002. Symphony X didn't show, we got three hours of the local band instead of BLind Guardian lengthening their set, and there was no place to sit.

I think people will still come to see a band at Progpower even if they can see them tour the US, simply because it's just a much better venue to do so amd the operation is much more professional. No going to the show and having bands cancel while you're standing in line, or ending shows early because of various issues. Or having to stand in a smoke-filled club for 5 hours. Or having to sit through some crappy band's set. At PP there are no crappy bands.

You're so right about Florida almost never getting shows and about cancelations. Dream Theater (General Zod is probably gonna have something to say now, since he can't stand LaBrie's vox ) didn't tour in Florida for the Train of Thought album (at least I got to see them for the albums before and after that). Or like how Symphony X had to cancel on the West Palm Beach date of the Gigantour because it started to drizzle when they were supposed to go on (but I did get to see half their set in Orlando at the Hard Rock Live)! My friend Greykiller did have a good idea to remedy the lack of prog bands coming to FL:
Prog Power South
How does that sound?

 

[Unca Kev]

Yeah, I wouldn't be opposed to hard edged power metal bands either. Savage Circus, or Persuader would be a big hit at Prog Power. Both have that old BG thing going on. I used to like Iron Savior several years back, but kind of grew past them a bit. Still, I wouldn't be opposed to them either.

One think I do know .... it's getting hard to think of bands that I would really go insane over seeing live. A couple of my biggies that haven't performed Prog Power, and maybe never will are, Ayreon/Star One, and Shadow Gallery.

Britt

Although it seems unlikely that Glenn would have Ayreon/Star One for Prog Power, that he'd have to do something different just for Arjen, he could have Ayreon/Star One just be the Pre-Party. I'd be willing to give up checking out 3-4 other bands, just to see Ayreon or Star One for that Thursday night! That club's stage would be too small, so he'd have to have the main stage for that night too! Unless he did an acoustic set without the Stargate, the whole group could fit in that club. Glenn, wouldn't the money that you would have had for 3 or 4 other bands, be enough to pay to have Arjen, the rest of his band and singers to come out there? Or would you ever do a special show, aside from Prog Power all together for Ayreon/Star One? I know that a lot of people would still come to Atlanta, just for that.

 

[Unca Kev]

Oh HELL yes - that would own!!!!!
Throw in Symph X or Evergrey, Pagan's Mind, and Enchant and I'll pay my $130 right the fuck now.

I second that! All of those four bands you mentioned will be on my wish list, when I finish figuring it all out!

 

[Nightmare1z]

Same was said about Inside Out a couple of years ago....

Glenn H.

True, but I've even noticed this one.

PP1 - Zero Hour (Sensory)
PP2 - Spiral Architect (Sensory) & ARK (Sensory)
PP3 - Zero Hour (Sensory)
PP4 - Redemption (Sensory)
PP5 - Wuthering Heights (Sensory)
PP6 - Circus Maximus (Sensory) & Stride (Sensory)

So not that's it's a bad thing, but as of now Sensory has had at least one of their bands there for every ProgPower. Now whether or not for the first couple Progpowers, they had those bands signed before the show - I'm not positive.

 

[Locust0311]

Glenn, my question is, at what point do you feel like you have to broaden your rules for who you invite? Most specifically when it comes to prog bands. I think most people would admit that there's quite a disparity between power metal draws and prog draws. I ask because there are good prog bands that for whatever reason haven't been able to dent the US market, be it genre indifference, no distro, label indifference, etc etc. This year, for example, one prog band was an unknown and the other hadn't released an album in 8 years (you have my undying thanks for bringing them both too, btw). Assuming you don't want to keep bringing back PoS, VP and PM every couple years and that a CM only comes along every once and a while, at what point do you start looking at, say, a Poverty's No Crime? PNC (who I'm sure you're familiar with, but for the benefit of others I'll explain) has been around for 10 years or so now, released quality album after quality album, have been on good labels for a band of their kind (Noise for 2 albums and InsideOut for the last 3) yet doesn't seem to be on anyone's radar. I see them as the kind of band that could come in as a #2 slot and really shock people with how good they are (ala CM), and maybe make IOMA get off their butts and promote them.

Enchant is another which I think we discussed a while back (and has a nice thread about them going on) and, especially after seeing them play NEARFest a couple years ago, I think they could come in as a 2 or 3 and do great.

Or for an even longer reach, Lee Z who apparently has been around for a while but I didn't come across til earlier this year. Their old albums seem nigh impossible to get for a reasonable price but the new one is fantastic (has a PNC vibe to my ears actually), but they're not exactly on a well known label (even though it has US distro).

Alright, thats enough rambling for one post, I think I had a point in there somewhere didn't I? .

NP: Poverty's No Crime - One in a Million

 

[SavaRon]

I think Jon Oliva's Pain might be there next year. They are suppose to have a new CD next year and we all know Glenn loves the Mountain King. I missed seeing the big guy around this year as well! Pagan's Mind has to come back, hopefully in the three slot. Sym X would be cool to see again. (New CD next year) I think the Presto Ballet thing might be interesting to see on the prog side. I'd also like to see Rob Rock's band open up the show either night.

Pre Party - Brainstorm and Tad Morose. Thats it. Not sure if Shane could pull that off, but it would get the weekend started off with a bang!

 

[General Zod]

I think Jon Oliva's Pain might be there next year.

Hard to decide which was more boring, Weapons of Mass Destruction or Nightingale. As you pointed out, it's Glenn's festival and he love's 'Tage. So, I wouldn't be shocked if they're there.

Pre Party - Brainstorm and Tad Morose. Thats it. Not sure if Shane could pull that off, but it would get the weekend started off with a bang!

Why would two bands, who held the #3 slot on the main stage and slayed, play the pre-party?

Zod