PP USA VII: Annual Behind the Scenes booking thread

[The Invisible Guest]

This is what is making Chicago Powerfest a force to be reckoned with. Last year brought Lefay and Tad Marose. This year was the US debut of Nocturnal Rites, Biomechanical, and Eldritch.

I'm not so sure that I'd call Powerfest a force to be reckoned with. I thought the attendance this year was rather lackluster. It's a nice fest, and I like that they bring in US debuts, but I don't think it really equated to big ticket sales.

Britt

 

[Jasonic]

Powerfest has yet to put together a line-up that has inspired to me to make the trip to Chicago (and I'm dying to go to Chicago).

Zod

Well, every fest has to start out somewhere right?
Look at the first Prog Power line-up compared to those that followed?

What made people first take notice was booking bands that made you go, "Wow!! They landed THAT band? Cool"

Sure, maybe the complete line-up each day for Chicago Powerfest wasn't mindblowing, but the foundation for greatness is there. Much like it was right at the get-go for Prog Power.

Having bands at CPF like Nocturnal Rites or Blind Guardian at Prog Power a while back are things that make people take note.

I am not of the opinion that adding Iced Earth or Nevermore to any festival would have the "WOW" factor. Just my two cents.....

 

[General Zod]

I am not of the opinion that adding Iced Earth or Nevermore to any festival would have the "WOW" factor. Just my two cents.....

"Wow" and ticket sales, can be different. Promoters want to put asses in the seats. Those two bands, woulld put asses in the seats.

As an example, few Metal bands have toured the states as extensively as Opeth has the last few years. Any announcement that they will tour the states yet again, would hardly be met with a "wow". Yet, Opeth will sell way more seats, than any band that would make you say "wow".

Zod

 

[Cheiron]

"Wow" and ticket sales, can be different. Promoters want to put asses in the seats. Those two bands, woulld put asses in the seats.

As an example, few Metal bands have toured the states as extensively as Opeth has the last few years. Any announcement that they will tour the states yet again, would hardly be met with a "wow". Yet, Opeth will sell way more seats, than any band that would make you say "wow".

Zod

True. And that's why there has to be a balance. Otherwise it would be stale. And Glenn does have a balance.

That's why we can hope that Falconer, with their new album coming out & original singer returning, will definitely get some serious throught from Glenn.

 

[edgeofthorns]

Interesting read Glenn for sure! It blew me away not seeing Redemption on your bill this year, but I'm glad that you're wanting them to come back at some point though.

As for Vision Divine, thanks for considering the polls in their case! I love the band, and am looking very forward to Olaf and the boys!

As for Within Temptation, wtf! They're one of my favorite bands, but I don't understand their logic by not attempting to penetrate the American market! I agree with someone else who said that their music is soft enough to get airplay on American radio. It's beginning to sound to me that the band doesn't like North America for some reason, and that they don't intend on coming over here for whatever reason. :Smug:

 

[Jasonic]

"Wow" and ticket sales, can be different. Promoters want to put asses in the seats. Those two bands, woulld put asses in the seats.

Yeah, but maybe less so if this would be a stop on a current tour.
If this was a true "only performance of the year" show, then maybe.

Didn't Schafer check out the fest a couple years back to see if he would want to play? Now I think Demons & Wizards who never played the US would be more of a draw than IE.

 

[General Zod]

Now I think Demons & Wizards who never played the US would be more of a draw than IE.

Hmmm... I suppose that's possible, based solely on the popularity of the two member's primary bands. However, based on music quality, it's not even close. The D&W debut had some strong songs on it and some filler. The new disc, was 90% filler. And given Jon's back problems and Hansi's statuesque frontman style, that would be one low energy show from a performance perspective.

Demons & Wizards is like Marxism; it only works in theory.

Zod

 

[Iced Ray]

Hmmm... I suppose that's possible, based solely on the popularity of the two member's primary bands. However, based on music quality, it's not even close. The D&W debut had some strong songs on it and some filler. The new disc, was 90% filler. And given Jon's back problems and Hansi's statuesque frontman style, that would be one low energy show from a performance perspective.

Demons & Wizards is like Marxism; it only works in theory.

Zod

I absolutely loved both D&W albums. A terrific side project.

Now, D&W headlining Progpower would be reason ALONE for me to go, for sure.

 

[YtseJammer]

2. Vanden Plas was not considered because you have to remember the "timing" of the booking. When I was putting the roster together, they had not put out a disc since their last appearance here plus they were going up against the other repeaters. They will be back one day.

I speak for many when I say "we're holding you to that!"

BTW, I've always been a big Vision Divine fan...even enjoyed their first two albums. However, their latest two efforts (which I simply CANNOT stop listening to) are simply mind-blowing. If Labyrinth isn't on stage playing Return to Heaven Denied in its entirety, then having Vision Divine play (with Luppi, who BLOWS AWAY Fabio Leone, in my opinion) is a very very very close second.

 

[General Zod]

Now, D&W headlining Progpower would be reason ALONE for me to go, for sure.

As big an Iced Earth fan as I am, it wouldn't excite me in the least.

Zod

 

[Kyra]

I have to be brief:

1. The Dio thing never got past the initial inquiry. He has one of the biggest booking agents on the planet (Van Halen, Pink Floyd, Queen, etc), yet he was one of the most professional and nicest guys I have ever had the pleasure to speak with.

2. Vanden Plas was not considered because you have to remember the "timing" of the booking. When I was putting the roster together, they had not put out a disc since their last appearance here plus they were going up against the other repeaters. They will be back one day.

Hey Glenn. Thanks for your detailed account of what happened. Redemption would have been fantastic but I'll look forward to hopefully seeing them another time. Earlier in the year someone mentioned there were no "traditional prog metal" bands in the line up, and you said it was intentional because of what you forsee for next year (I'm paraphrasing on memory). Do you still feel the same way about next year?

thanks

 

[Harvester]

Do you still feel the same way about next year?

thanks

I do at this moment. There are a ton of factors that could change that later though.

 

[MetalAges]

Can I kick your ass hard enough to change that green font! MY EYESSSSSSSSSSSSS!

 

[TheWhisper]

Can I kick your ass hard enough to change that green font! MY EYESSSSSSSSSSSSS!

 

[TheWhisper]

In the case of Nevermore, mine was both justified and proven, so you are wrong. Maybe if you looked at things from a realistic instead of a fanboy viewpoint, you would understand.

Uh, no...you just proved him right.

 

[Wayniac]

Glenn - there is a factor to this >>>?

 

[eppst1]

That leads me to Epica. I wanted a female vocalist band.

Glenn H.

Have you ever considered Battlelore?

Just wondering...

 

[Dark One]

Uh, no...you just proved him right.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Dark One]

Hold on... hearing Nevermore in a perfect venue, with a great crowd, performing "Dreaming Neon Black" in its entirety, with Simone on vocals for the title track, would have been "meh"? "Meh"!?!?

Had Nevermore played this show, as Glenn has suggested, the following ten events would have most certainly occurred:

10. Peace in the middle east
9. The Cubs would have won the World Series
8. Metal Rose would have turned her life over to God, become a nun, and spent the rest of her days fighting to rid the world of cellophane
7. An instant reversal of global warning
6. Shaye and Urban would have chosen a life of polygamy, agreeing that Shaye should marry the lead singer of every Power Metal band
5. The Pro-Life and Pro-Choice camps would have simply agreed to disagree and moved on
4. All members of Metalcore bands with the words “Lying”, Dying” “Bleeding” or “Sevenfold” in their name, would have spontaneously combusted.
3. President Bush would have been impeached and Dick Cheney banished to the nether region from which he sprang forth (where the planetary diet consists solely of puppy’s blood and kitten paws)
2. ProgPower's popularity would have soared, causing it to become a monthly event. It would have been cast in stone that Nevermore would headline every one of these monthly shows, and the festival would have been renamed "ProgPowerMore".

1. As Jeff Loomis began his “River Dragon” solo, Maria's (the Beer Goddess) t-shirt and bra would have turned to dust, fallen to ground (without her noticing), and she would have continued to serve beer for the remainder of the festival topless

Zod

LOL!! Someone please continue to slag Nevermore's selection as headliner so we can get more posts like this.

 

[Angrafan]

That's because the PP3 audience partly consisted of people with sticks up their ass. I'm convinced that those people were a vocal minority, and I couldn't *believe* people were taking those comments seriously. Myself, I was practically falling out of my chair laughing, as I had never seen Devy before.

Same here! I had never seen him before and I was laughing out loud! Great show.. I absolutely loved it!