Prog Power Headliners

[Mountain King]

Who are these people who "made the fest what it is"? I've been to every single Prog Power USA event, and I'm happy as a pig in shit that Amorphis is headlining

Mountain King has been to like 7 of these things, and he's happy Amorphis is playing. General Zod has been to nearly all of the events .. again .. happy. Dark One ... a two time festival sponsor .. happy as hell that Amorphis is playing.

Sure, theres some folks that would like to see the Stratovarius, Edguy, Symphony X, Kamelot, Helloween and Gamma Ray types headline every single year ... I even like most of those bands .. but it just gets stale. As you say Amorphis is a great change of pace.

Britt

Don't forget KaptainKrude, another regular attender also is happy as hell about Amorphis. I think if you take the 1200 people who will be there, I'd guess at least 3/4th's will be all good with Amorphis.

 

[rms]

Don't forget KaptainKrude, another regular attender also is happy as hell about Amorphis. I think if you take the 1200 people who will be there, I'd guess at least 3/4th's will be all good with Amorphis.

I'm going to say half, at most

 

[Diabolik]

I am going to say that there will be a mass exodus of people leaving after like 3 or 4 songs this year.

 

[Mountain King]

I'm going to say half, at most

I totally disagree. Most people are basing things on what they're reading on the progpower forums but when you think about it, that probably only counts towards 70-100 people, not even 10% of the crowd. Amorphis is a bigger deal once you get outside of that circle and they're actually a known band unlike say Rage.

 

[Diabolik]

but you forget, this is a fest that was built on power metal and prog metal. these are the people that make up most of the audience. while at a different fest, they would have more of a bigger reaction...at a fest where most want to see Gamma Ray or Rhapsody or Pagans Mind....they are not going to get the same reaction.

 

[The Invisible Guest]

I am going to say that there will be a mass exodus of people leaving after like 3 or 4 songs this year.

Glenn said he will be showing the bands for PP 10 on the big screens immediately following Amorphis. I think some will head to the hallways, but plenty will hang around. If they leave .. fuck em' .. who cares !!

Britt

 

[KaptainKrude]

but you forget, this is a fest that was built on power metal and prog metal. these are the people that make up most of the audience. while at a different fest, they would have more of a bigger reaction...at a fest where most want to see Gamma Ray or Rhapsody or Pagans Mind....they are not going to get the same reaction.

And to me, this is a logical next step forward from having bands like Orphaned Land and Mercenary on the bill...

 

[The Invisible Guest]

And to me, this is a logical next step forward from having bands like Orphaned Land and Mercenary on the bill...

That's a good point. The addition of Amorphis isn't really something that is all that odd when you consider some other bands that have played, and went over real well. The slotting for Amorphis is tricky, but I think they'll pull it off just fine.

Britt

 

[Diabolik]

Glenn said he will be showing the bands for PP 10 on the big screens immediately following Amorphis. I think some will head to the hallways, but plenty will hang around. If they leave .. fuck em' .. who cares !!

Britt

basically that tells me that even he knows that most people may leave if there isnt something there to keep them there when Amorphis play.

 

[Diabolik]

That's a good point. The addition of Amorphis isn't really something that is all that odd when you consider some other bands that have played, and went over real well. The slotting for Amorphis is tricky, but I think they'll pull it off just fine.

Britt

It isnt like they are odd, it is that even though they dont really fall under power metal or prog metal, that they are the headliner. I think if they played before the headliner, say like Iced Earth. There would be much less drama. I think that people really wait each year to see some huge announcement for the headliners and it was kind of a let down. Nice to see that there is some variety to the line ups, but just as a headliner....I dont know.

 

[booB]

basically that tells me that even he knows that most people may leave if there isnt something there to keep them there when Amorphis play.

From my experience, a band can be squarely within the prog/power genres, and be fully deserving of a headliner spot, and people may still leave for one reason or another. At the end of a 10-12 band festival (15 or so, counting the showcase), a lot of people tend to wear out, and/or want to say their goodbyes to friends while they still have the chance.

I think that people really wait each year to see some huge announcement for the headliners and it was kind of a let down.

I think a lot of people would have also been let down if it was a band that has played the fest many times before, or who has previously headlined, such as a Symphony X or a Gamma Ray. At any rate, it's obvious that Glenn didn't get the band he wanted, and decided to take the opportunity to experiment. This is the same thing he did with the Nevermore/Jorn Lande situation, except that Nevermore was already announced.

 

[Mountain King]

but you forget, this is a fest that was built on power metal and prog metal. these are the people that make up most of the audience. while at a different fest, they would have more of a bigger reaction...at a fest where most want to see Gamma Ray or Rhapsody or Pagans Mind....they are not going to get the same reaction.

and in an odd way, Amorphis is far more progressive than most of the prog bands I've seen on progpower in recent years.

 

[Jasonic]

and in an odd way, Amorphis is far more progressive than most of the prog bands I've seen on progpower in recent years.

Well, that's a completely different debate.
There is very little truly "progressive" about most prog metal bands.
I agree, that unlike most prog metal bands, Amorphis have progressed their sound.

You have a long running festival that showcased the biggest names in power and prog, and are called "Prog Power" Of course people at first are going to be like "WTF?"

Same happened last year with Powerfest. Previously, the big headliners were Tad Marose, Lefay, and Nocturnal Rites. The fest is called "POWER"fest, so that, and the previous headliners put a preconceived notion that primarily power metal bands would play. Last years line-up obviously wiped that thought out of people's minds, and opened the fest to any possible band.

I truly think the issue is the fact that Amorphis took the headliner spot, which was reserved in folks' minds for a big prog or power band.

 

[Cheiron]

And yet I'm very happy about it. Because Amorphis is far better than many bands that might have had that slot. But yes, I also listen to all forms of metal.

 

[Mountain King]

Well, that's a completely different debate.
There is very little truly "progressive" about most prog metal bands.
I agree, that unlike most prog metal bands, Amorphis have progressed their sound.

You have a long running festival that showcased the biggest names in power and prog, and are called "Prog Power" Of course people at first are going to be like "WTF?"

Same happened last year with Powerfest. Previously, the big headliners were Tad Marose, Lefay, and Nocturnal Rites. The fest is called "POWER"fest, so that, and the previous headliners put a preconceived notion that primarily power metal bands would play. Last years line-up obviously wiped that thought out of people's minds, and opened the fest to any possible band.

I truly think the issue is the fact that Amorphis took the headliner spot, which was reserved in folks' minds for a big prog or power band.

Not that I want to get into a genre war here but I hardly consider Morgana Lefay and Tad Morose to be power metal. To me they seem to fit better with the classic metal mold.

 

[The Invisible Guest]

Not that I want to get into a genre war here but I hardly consider Morgana Lefay and Tad Morose to be power metal. To me they seem to fit better with the classic metal mold.

Nah .. both of those bands fit cleanly in the power metal classification.

Britt

 

[Diabolik]

I think that this whole thread is basically never going to end. Basically my opinion is that it is cool to have different genre's of bands play, but the whole thing is that most of the people who go to that fest, are there to see Prog and Power bands. These are the people who fly in from all over and there are a bunch who are upset that one of the headliners are not in that genre. As a band before the headliner, I think that would have been better, there would almost be zero drama. That is why Mercenery, Raintime, and Oprhaned Land got really no drama as much as this. Sure not everyone was happy but in the end most ended up liking those bands. I am sure it will happen with Amorphis, just that Amorphis doesnt have that "WOW" factor of a headliner for a fest for most. It was like last year with Powerfest where we all waited and waited and waited and waited for the headliner and when they got Lethal....everyone was like...WTF!. Everyone was expecting someone big and we got Lethal. Sure Mystic Prophecy was the first headliner, but they didnt even get anyone really excited asides a few. The headliner is what sells your fest. It would be like going to the Heathen Crusade fest and having Freedom Call headline. Some would be happy, while most would be like WTF!.

 

[The Invisible Guest]

I'll trust Glenn on it ... he's ran a bunch of successful fests in the past, and has the track record behind him. He knows what he's doing. People are going to bitch, and bitch until the band kicks their ass in the live setting, and then the people will be commenting afterwards about how great Amorphis was, and that they were blown away.

Some of the truly narrow minded will leave the venue, but they aren't going to face a mass exodus of Rage proportions. I would say by and large the announcement of Amorphis has went over pretty well .. I expect a lot of people to warm up to their music by the time the show starts. If a bunch of prog power regulars seem to think they are pretty cool plenty of others will jump on board after they gets some exposure to the band. If they don't big deal ... Glenn will have yet another sellout, and will have opened up some doors for other potential "out of the box" bands to perform in the future.

There's 12 bands on the bill .. plenty of variety for everyone.

Britt

 

[Harvester]

There are some really good posts in this thread. I think all sides have represented their feelings and analysis on the Amorphis slot rather well. As for my me, I have to push the envelope every now and then. If not, the festival will stagnate. Even the most devoted attendees will eventually start to get bored and drop off. As I said on my forum, you have to stay ahead of the curve, not in the middle of it. If that means taking some heat early on, so be it. Once people stop buying tickets, then I will know I was wrong.

I've taken much more vocal heat for some bookings in the past such as Mercenary, Orphaned Land, and Freak Kitchen. All three did rather well after people gave them a chance.

 

[rms]

I still can't believe so many people just disgard them so easily without even listening to a CD, that makes me laugh