PROGPOWER SCANDINAVIA 2009 - CANCELLED !!!!

Claus / Intromental

20 years of uniting the powers of metal
PRESS RELEASE – ENGLISH
PROGPOWER SCANDINVIA 2009 CANCELLED

Dear ticket-holder, booking agent, journalist, sponsor contact, music-fan and others associated with the festival,

We regretfully announce that ProgPower Scandinavia 2009 has been cancelled!

For almost a year we have been working hard on making this festival a reality and we believe that our labour has been fruitful in meeting all aspects required of a successful festival.

We have booked a more than solid roster with Pretty Maids and Candlemass as headliners; along with names such as Mercenary, Freak Kitchen, Manticora and Textures on the bill. All of these bands have established popularity in Denmark and should easily attract the Danish metal audience to our festival.

We have confirmed sponsorship/endorsement deals with a.o. Marshall, Musikpartner, Jack Daniels, Jägermeister, Cult Energy Drinks, Carlsberg and Coca Cola. We’ve have media support in the form of Metalized Magazine and Denmark’s largest newspaper BT. We have had the collected Danish internet based metal media supporting us with banner advertisement, etc. And we’ve also had a lot of international promotion on metal sites in France, Romania, Bulgaria, Russia, USA, Germany and Sweden.

We have collected all the backline/event info, booked hotel rooms, gathered a lot of volunteers for crew etc. All in all, we have done everything needed in order for this festival to be a success. Nothing was left half-way-done.

However, what we are left with now is to face the facts: as of today we have sold a very limited amount of tickets to the festival, which is simply not enough to come close to breaking even on expenses. Here in Denmark, there is a tendency for people to buy their tickets as late as possible to the show. So while we could justifiably expect more sales at the door, it is not a risk that we are willing to take.

Just to prove that we have not taken this lightly:
- we have handed out more than 20,000 flyers at several big metal shows in Copenhagen in the past months (AC/DC, Motley Crue, Deep Purple, Hammerfall and at all 5 of Metallica’s Copenhagen shows)
- we have handed out 2,000 flyers at Sweden Rock festival
- we have constantly been handing out flyers at Copenhagen’s #1 metal venue, The Rock
- we have printed up 1,000 full size posters
- we have had advertisements (half page and full page) in the last 2 issues of DK’s largest metal publication, "Metalized Magazine"
- we have had a ton of banner advertisement all over the internet-on facebook, myspace, forums/webboards, etc.
- several of the bands have also handed out flyers/poster for the event

The fact is that at this point in time, people just do not have an excess of money to spend on entertainment. We all know the state of the economy worldwide. That makes it a difficult decision for people to spend an additional 400 Danish Kroner from their budget for a 2-day festival.

It of course does not make things easier for us when the biggest band in this genre, Dream Theater, chose to put their Copenhagen show on the day following ProgPower Scandinavia. Yes, we have also had our share of bad luck, but that is just how it is.

We deeply regret that it has come to this cancellation for the bands, agents, sponsors, venue and of course towards the audience that had already bought their tickets. Tickets already purchased will be refunded. Please contact www.billetlugen.dk

We are hoping for the world economy to return to normalcy. Once the outlook is better, we will return with other shows. This is not the end for us, but it is a serious situation that we have not taken lightly.

At this time, we want to make sure that people understand that the “Pre-Party” that was planned for The Rock on September 24 will NOT be cancelled. It will be held as a regular concert featuring Anubis Gate, Fairyland and Leprous. The cancellation only affects the 2-day event in Vega on September 25 and 26.

With the kindest regards,
ProgPower Scandinavia
www.progpowerscandinavia.com
 
This really sucks Claus, but I can totally understand the situation. This is the fault of the world economy, and not anything that you and Lars or anyone else at Intromental or the crew of PP Scandinavia could have foreseen. Hopefully this shitty economy ets back on track, and next year you can come back with and even bigger show. My hat is off to you and Lars, and the others on trying to make it happen, and doing your best as always.
 
Wow, that totally sucks. So sorry to hear this news. Seems you did nearly everything possible, but the state of the world economy just cannot be overcome sometimes.
 
FUCK! Cancelling a show because of poor ticket sales has to be heartbreaking for everyone involved, especially with all of that time invested. My heart goes out to you guys, and it sucks hard because it seemed like such a great lineup. :(
 
Sorry to hear this Claus. Makes us even more proud of the work Glenn has put in to sell as many tickets as the PPUSA festival has this year.
 
My sentiments are the same; a real bummer to hear it's been cancelled.... I'm sure it's disappointing for all the bands, ticket holders and folks that put so much hard work into it..
 
This sucks Claus, very sory to hear.

We would love to come over again this year, but there were only 5 days between PPscan and PPeur and that's just too close.
OK, it's not that the three of us would make that much of a difference, but everybody will have their own reasons.
Copenhagen is such a nice city.....we will visit it again in the near future for sure...with or without PP!

H.
 
:cry: Wow - sucks. VERY sorry to hear
I had been reviewing my finances, and it wasn't in the cards for me this year.. It was an awesome lineup as well

Here's to a future one when the the global economy turns around :kickass:
 
I'm sorry to hear about the cancellation as well, Claus. It's scary to think that a European metal festival is facing the same kind of hardships that many American festivals have seen as of late. Better luck in the future.


Stay metal. Never rust.
Albert
 
So sorry Claus...no words can soften the blow I know that you and your colleagues must feel...but your PPUSA family hurts right along with you.

This June I visited Copenhagen for the first time and it was love at first sight. I consider myself a future PP Scan attendee and hope to make a return visit very soon!!!

Best wishes...B