I agree that The Flower Kings do have a certain status... like some former ProgPower acts, they are a long-running band that are highly respected by prog fans, but who (I think) have not done a lot of North American touring. However, while they may possibly work as a mid-show oddball band, they are not heavy enough, or big enough of a draw, to be a headliner. Rock and metal may be the same to you, but they're not for everyone... even if there is a lot of crossover between their audience and prog metal fans, that doesn't mean they can legitimately headline a metal fest.
Question regarding the prog's popularity increase
- Thread starter AngraRULES
- Start date
I agree that The Flower Kings do have a certain status... like some former ProgPower acts, they are a long-running band that are highly respected by prog fans, but who (I think) have not done a lot of North American touring. However, while they may possibly work as a mid-show oddball band, they are not heavy enough, or big enough of a draw, to be a headliner. Rock and metal may be the same to you, but they're not for everyone... even if there is a lot of crossover between their audience and prog metal fans, that doesn't mean they can legitimately headline a metal fest.
I agree with you. That poll is an anomaly for this board. The results surprised me, and I've been thinking about it. Perhaps bands with the most buzz recently (Sabaton, Delain, Inmoria etc) are swaying some of the usually more Prog oriented fans opinions... for the moment.
Either that or there is a failure to destinguish between Power and Prog. For example the Triton Power Fest features 1 Power Metal, 6 Prog Metal, and one Progressive/Power Metal band.
AeonicSlumber
srs
- Aug 14, 2008
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Honestly, the bigger prog bands probably require too much of a guarantee for Glenn to book them. That's probably why they don't get booked. A band like The Mars Volta or Porcupine Tree could outdraw all these bands easy but they would require a much bigger guarantee to play.
zedowns
Member
Opeth is the only realistic prog metal headliner I could think of that would actually sell tickets. Bands like Shadow Gallery or Psychotic Waltz could probably headline but thats really pushing the whole reunion factor, they definitely wouldn't be selling tickets on their own. There's also, of course, the too big to play bands (Dream Theater, Mastodon) and the out of the budget bands (Ayreon).
At the same time, what about power metal? The only bands I can think of that could headline and sell tickets are Hammerfall and Rhapsody. Am I forgetting someone?
zedowns
Member
I totally get where you're coming from, but this is a metal show. Sadly the best bands in the world right now just... AREN'T metal.
I think that's a big part of it. Even aside from how many prog or power fans there are, power fans are more likely to travel and show up for their bands, because power metal is generally a more engaging live experience. Now, the small core of die-hard fans are going to show up no matter what, but for people who are not quite as hard core, and may not have as much a familiarity with the bands or their music, it's going to be a lot easier to get into a live show by a band with catchy melodies and fist-pumping choruses than a band with time-changes every 12 seconds and unusual vocal melodies.
booB
Señor Member
This hits the nail on the head for me. I'm more likely to "get into" a show by a band I don't know if their music is catchier and they put on a more exciting show (power metal). Most prog metal bands basically just stand there and play, which is a boring way to experience new music. (The few prog bands who try to put on a show for the crowd, such as Spheric Universe Experience, usually get picked on by the fans.)
I don't know, man... I'd say prog rock and prog metal are vastly different concepts for most of us. I know that I, personally, can't stand most prog rock, and would take no enjoyment in seeing a band I'm not familiar with, yet I can watch a prog *metal* band I'm not familiar with because the heaviness draws me in.
nomisofsiman
Member
I agree but at the same time, they're a band that can sell. And let's be honest, it's not like there aren't other bands that have headlined that haven't done their own tours. Let's take a look at last year's headliners for example. Iced Earth and Amorphis both had tours of their own last year that did fairly well, so I don't think that just because you're well established means you can't headline progpower.
I do think though that the dilemma with this is that there are certain bands that if you were to put them in, people would go just for them and not the other bands, so they have to match up at least with the other bands. For example, I think last year a high percentage of people were there simply for Iced Earth and took whatever was thrown at them and I bet some didn't care for some of the more proggier bands even though I personally like both genres.
This is why I think a band like Opeth should NEVER be considered. While they are a prog band, you would get the wrong demographic to come since a lot of their fans are death metal fans. And truthfully, they almost always sell out on their US tours. Same thing goes with Porcupine Tree. They're prog but they're not even metal just hard rock, so you'd get more of an older crowd I think who wouldn't be into the metal aspect.
As for prog not being able to headline. I don't know about this. Fates Warning and Crimson Glory are both legitimate headliners even though the show hasn't sold out. This year it's really hard to tell due to the economy. The one thing I find interesting about this year is you have two headliners that have been around since the 80s, so one problem might be that they appeal more to an older crowd, whereas a lot of past headliners which were power are geared more towards younger fans. Like I said though, this year it's extremely hard to tell due to the economy but that might be part of the problem this year. What are people's thoughts on this?
I expect that there could be some truth to this. There's really no way to tell how the lineup would have done in a different economic environment. However, the fest overall is extremely Prog heavy, Thursday and Saturday in particular.
Saturday's lineup might please a lot of the regulars, as it's comprised of past favorites, but i don't know that it does much to generate new interest. Also, being mostly acts that have been seen before it lacks much of the "newness" factor among previous attendees.
Glenn's idea was sound, as most here understand his reasoning, but given those two factors the recession may have made for a case of unfortunate timing.
nomisofsiman
Member
I agree. It is prog heavy but I like prog. I did find the Thursday evening very odd especially, considering you have Primal Fear who might be the heaviest band on the bill and has nothing to do with prog, yet you have 3 warmups who are VERY PROG! I like both styles, so it doesn't bother me but I did find that odd.
cslebn
The Duck of Doom
- Dec 22, 2008
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What about Transatlantic (maybe not heavy enough?) or Deadsoul Tribe as Prog headliners? I saw someone posted Psychodelic Waltz above, I still consider Devon's current band to be prog more than power (and didn't they Headline PP Scandinavia last year one night?).
nomisofsiman
Member
I think that would be kickass to have Transatlantic, but there are a couple problems there, not any of which is that they're not heavy enough. The main thing is that it's a supergroup made of members with really busy regular bands. Also, because all members are high profile they'd be too big of an act for progpower. Think about it, Liquid Tension Experience is an offshoot of Dream Theater and sold very well on their own and so I think if they were to headline you'd get a bunch of Dream Theater fans more than anything else and progpower really should have a mixture of prog/power.
+1
I am 75 power/25 prog. I like bands like Pagan's Mind and Circus Maximus who blend the 2 together!
Heh, just saw them last weekend. Not bad. I need some time with their CD. Don't know if they'd really fit in with ProgPower, tho.
A Prog Rock band that I think would be a good fit for ProgPower would be Sylvan, which definitely has their heavy moments. I mean, if Glenn can bring in Riverside, I would think that Sylvan would also work.
Course, Glenn could always bring in Tiles, but I think everyone would fall asleep out of boredom. (How can such a talented band be such a snoozer live? I just don't get it....)
cslebn
The Duck of Doom
- Dec 22, 2008
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I'd be for them, or someone like Frost* or Sieges Even (don't know if they are popular enough though really).
Could also throw Green Carnation or Devin Townsend (DTB or SYL)
Personally I'm still pulling for Sun Caged at some point
Sieges Even would be amazing. As far as I'm concerned, however, they split up in 2008 and haven't been active since. Is that true?
Sieges Even reunion would be fantastic in Atlanta, though. I'm sure Rich (metalsped) would be all over it!
Sylvan puts on a great show. I saw them at ROSFest a few years ago. Course, it also just happens that I just picked up the last couple of albums they did (Posthumous Silence and Force Of Gravity) so they are fresh in the brain.
Oh man!! I wasn't even aware of Fore of Gravity. Add that to my list for ProgPower purchases.
