PP USA X: Major roster changes

Hey guys

From a Power Quest perspective we are absolutely gutted that we won't be able to come over for PPUSA. We've been looking forward to this for the best part of a year and it was going to be the highlight of 2009 for us. Having spoken at great length with Glenn, there was absolutely nothing that could be done once we heard the decision that had been made.

I'm so sorry for the fans who had contacted us saying how much they were looking forward to finally seeing us on US soil.....and then this happens!!! Hopefully we can come over in the future and be a bit more fortunate when it comes to whoever reviews our visa applications.

We had booked flights as well so the band will take a loss of around £1500 on that alone......

Glenn has done a great job in sorting out the roster at such short notice.......I'm sure you will all have a fantastic time as always at PPUSA. I'm just sorry that we won't be able to be there and share it with you.

Cheers

Steve
 
You mean O-change-ama hasn't addressed the immigration situation?

I don't think he could. Governments just work that way and no one man could ever hope to change it, no matter how talented.

That's why I lean libertarian, because I know that there is very little that governments can do competently.

Although if Glenn does abandon Progpower, he should really consider this a motivation to get into politics. We need no-nonsense people with a talent for organization like Glenn.
 
steve scott here ex bass player of Power Quest

this is just very sad news - none of the Power Quest crew are criminals they all work hard and have day jobs and are honest working guys - how can they deny a visa to play!!!! this really sux so much PQ are a great band - does the name sound evil or something LOL

i know PQ couldnt wait to play the US of A i was even gonna come and watch

such a shame and i feel sorry for the power metalheads in the US that love PQ and would have been there just for PQ - sorry about this bad news guys

all the best for the festival Glenn :worship:
 
Thanks for the support! So you're going to forgo this amazing festival for this? Good luck getting a refund on your plane ticket.

The festival is only as good as the bands playing. Otherwise, it would be called the ProgPower convention.

Some people will not come who otherwise would have, but others who weren't coming will probably come now to see Crimson Glory.
 
Pellaz said:
Glenn, is/was there any chance that an appeal to your U.S. Representative, and the Rep. for the district that includes the venue, might have helped? This is the sort of situation that Congressional staffers and liaisons can sometimes help with, and there's a financial stake in it for the Atlanta rep since the festival takes place in their district.....
Click to expand...

I was actually thinking the same thing..

What a bummer! :ill::zombie::cry:o_O

Sorry to hear of all the shit that goes on behind the scenes... but I'm glad you're honest and let us folks know!
 
Glenn - no worries bro - just bring them in illegally - -seems that is OK with the current gov't. Then they'll get granted clemency, and here in New Haven, they can get social security and free ID cards!! Yay! Why bother with all the rules, that paperwork and expense?!(sarcasm mode off).

In all seriousness - good job plugging the holes left by the convoluted asinine system. Sucks that you are in that position, after performing due diligence
I understand some of the reason they require "vetting" of people entering the country, but can tell you from personal experience, coming back in across the Canadian border in a tour bus... it is VERY inconsistent. Like you said - depends on "who" you get.
Candian customs went through our entire bus., intreviewed 6 of 14 of the traveling contingent, and then held us for ~ 6 hrs. This was to LEAVE the US!
On the way back in - 2 of us still had ourt passports in our bunks, and were only "headcounted"< and not officially ID'd/verified. I was one - as my ID ws in my pocket, and there ws NO way anyone got to that w/out waking me up.
Anyway - we'll make it work with whoever we get...way to go, and better luck next year!
 
zedowns said:
Exactly my point, surely bringing in 5 guys from Sweden can't be that much more expensive than bringing in 5 guys from Germany, right?
Click to expand...

I agree, PoS would be a big showcase draw too with all the people around the country disappointed about their tour cancellation, I certainly would be happy about it.
 
Glenn, my condolences that the fest you had set out hasn't turned out exactly has planned. I have to say though, coming from as far away as I am, I'm not disappointed at all! I actually got goosebumps when I saw Crimson Glory were added as headliners. Congratulations on all the other replacements as well. Vanden Plas does hurt a little, I'll only have been to the fest twice and both times they've been denied hehe, but I'm sure the replacement will be killer (coughcoughseventhwonderpleasecoughcough). Best of luck for a smooth run to the finish line from here on in.

The laws seem so backward and weird for this sort of thing. I can walk into the country as a tourist under the visa waiver program for up to 90 days and basically chat to a customs official and have my fingerprint taken and I'm through, yet bands coming for 1 show get knocked back? Doesn't seem right does it?

PS-please don't kill off the fest, its a good excuse for an international vacation for me ;)

Cheers-Jon.
 
I totally understand what you went through with visas.

I had to go through all that when I was bringing Carlos Zema into Outworld. Insanity wouldn't be a strong enough word to describe it....and you do this for 4 and 5 people per band coming from outside the USA? Man that's crazy!

Makes me wonder if the people reviewing the visa application listened to the music and thought that kind of music doesn't belong here in the USA. Who knows what criteria they used.......but they are morons for turning people down for no good reason.
 
Hey guys,

Bill Hudson (CIRCLE II CIRCLE/CELLADOR formerly of POWER QUEST) here,

I heard about this yesterday from the POWER QUEST guys (since I was supposed to be their guest at the show). This is fucking ridiculous, but not at all surprising. I am originally from Brazil, and had to go through a lot of crap in order to secure a Green Card (document that allows a foreign national to live and work legally in the US). I'm also very good friends with ANDRE MATOS and his band, and I feel especially sorry for them, since they're from my home country. Those guys were really excited about playing ProgPower, and I remember talking to them about it for hours, when I went from Goiania to Sao Paulo, Brazil (two cities in Brazil, about 9 hours apart) in their tourbus after a show I was meant to be a guest of them and never happened. However, the US government DOES work randomly and DOES pick at stuff like that. Like Glenn said, and I want to reaffirm, this has NOTHING to do with the bands. I don't even need to know the details... I just have a lot of experience with that kind of bullshit.

They will NOT give you an explanation to why your visa got denied or anything like that. I'm glad Glenn will give all these other bands a chance to perform at the festival again. That's why he's the shit and sort of a celebrity in the forum, right Glenn? HA HA!

On another note, I remember in 2007, when I performed at ProgPower with CELLADOR, and VANDEN PLAS had some sort of bullshit for the same reason. I just hope those guys can eventually enter the US! All these denials can be a reason (just like their haircut, or how they're dressing at the border, or the fact that the officer was grumpy 'cuz he didn't sleep enough after a night of party) for another denial, and another, and another. Fuck that!!!

I'm sure we'll all still have a great time either way! I'll still be coming to be a guest of FUTURE'S END on thursday, and I'm sure the fest will be great, as usual! The choice of CRIMSON GLORY to headline Friday was great as well!

Rock on everybody!
Bill Hudson
http://www.myspace.com/billhudsongtr
 
I'll use the cliche about sour Lemons to sweet Lemonade here when dealing with a bad situation.

Frankly, I'm always surprised this hasn't happened each of the 9 years of the festival. That shows Glenn's level of ingenuity.

Now that I've gotten the (obligatory for a newly paroled free man) ass-kissing outta the way, I hope when Wade Black hits the stage, his vocals aren't wall-to-wall screeches like he made on Astronomica and the Leatherwolf albums.
 
I continue to fight against these Visa rules.

If only our nation desired artists to come perform for us, as much as other countries.

You can be denied for arbirtrary reasons. All the administrator has to decide is that these artists are not special enough/unique enough of players/abilities to warrant a visa.

Fuck 'em.
 
Glenn,

Thank you for the long and detailed honest reply. You're correct in your assumption that we want the truth rather than excuses. I've been coming to PP for going on 8 years, and one of the reasons I keep coming back is how well run of a fest this is .

I'm sure you take great pride in the fact that your fest is different from so many others that promise a ton of bands and don't follow through. I'm sure that a major retraction like this is painful. Your straight up response is the best way to handle this, and the fans on the forum appreciate it.

I'll be there this year. I'll be there next year, and I'll keep coming for as long as you're holding PPUSA. Keep up the good work.

Steve in Philly
 
Great...first I was envious of those getting to see VANDEN PLAS...now I'm double-envious of those seeing CRIMSON GLORY and CAGE...thanks a lot, government!! LOL!!

I've not been lucky enough to make it to a ProgPower at all in all these years...but you obviously run a highly regarded, credible operation and it sucks when stuff like this happens...kudos for making lemonade out of lemons.
 
This is the worst news I've received all year.

A few years back two members of my family in Brazil tried to get their visas to come visit me and my family. Older people, never had any criminal background or anything like that. They went in for their visa interview, and they were totally mistreated by the person they got. In fact, they got treated like shit. Visas were denied. One of them is not with us anymore, and I miss that person. Just because the asshole who apparently "has the rights to pick who's allowed in this country."

This is just another example of how pathetic the US customs department is. Fucking unbelievable.

They should learn how to keep the right people out. Not the "scary looking long-haired, satanic worshippers"... I mean, metalheads.

Bill Hudson summarized the best way possible. The US Customs Dept. works RANDOMLY. This is the most perfect example.

Fuck this, I'm so pissed. I hope they die. I sincerely hope so. Yes, I'm pissy because Matos isn't coming anymore. God damn, I'm so mad.
 
This is such a fucking joke... It pisses me of something royally...

As a Swedish citizen I am well aware of the stupidity of the INS. A bunch of minimum wage earners with massive amounts of power. Asswipes...

Just bought my ticket to Thursday yesterday, and had been spinning Vanden Plas all weekend in anticipation...

On the replacements... Cage is fantastic. Great live act and their new album is excellent. The CG thing... Mixed feelings on that. Although I love Wade, I always thought he did better in other bands than CG. for me CG was always Midnight. Never heard Mindflow.

Glenn, kudos for keeping your chin up and not folding to the repression.

Now, get Porcupine Tree for Thursday... They are in the states at that time.
 
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