So I guess I won't be going to ProgPower 7...

[MadeInNewJersey]

I dunno, I guess for me it ends up costing somewhere around $550 for the whole 4 night journey...

Dude, how is that even possible?! Even the best priced airfare is going to run (and always has) $250+. Toss in 2 (3?) nights at one of the nearby hotels @ $125+/night, and you're already over $550, no? That's before merchandise, egregious beer-drinking and food, and it's a $1000 weekend. For Pain of Salvation. :Spin:

 

[Dark One]

@ JK, LOL - ok, if that was the case I would definitely be forced to reconsider.

 

[JayKeeley]

Hahaha....so this is my world: Love King Diamond, never seen the fucker. Hate Pain of Salvation, seen the cunts twice.

 

[lizard]

I can usually get a govt discount for hotel rooms, but its still above my price range.

 

[MadeInNewJersey]

I read somewhere that Atlanta specifically has experienced a 30% increase in the cost of an average hotel room, in the past 12 months alone!!!!

Crazy.

 

[Dark One]

Dude, how is that even possible?! Even the best priced airfare is going to run (and always has) $250+. Toss in 2 (3?) nights at one of the nearby hotels @ $125+/night, and you're already over $550, no? That's before merchandise, egregious beer-drinking and food, and it's a $1000 weekend. For Pain of Salvation. :Spin:

Understood, but I've always been able to luck out through good deals found on Priceline and other areas. For instance, last year I got a deal at one of the Mariott hotels for $59 a night through Priceline. The year before I got a similar deal at the Mariott Suites through Priceline. My airfare last year was free because I used Frequent Flyer miles and the year before I found a deal (through like a one day sale) for $129 round trip from Philly. At PPIII Scott and I shared a room for a total of $120 for three nights. Believe me, I've been able to do it.

For example, PPV:

Airfare - $129
Room - $177
Gold Badge - $120
The Rest (Food, drink, merch) - around $125 or so

 

[MadeInNewJersey]

Sure, I wasn't taking into account frequent flier miles, rewards points, etc.

But if you only spend $125 on beer, food & merch in 3 days, I want to see receipts!

 

[Dark One]

But if you only spend $125 on beer, food & merch in 3 days, I want to see receipts!

Meh - an exaggeration perhaps, but I do know that I spent very little on merch at PPV. On food & drink, probably about $55 per day when crunching the numbers, so yeah probably more, but not by all that much.

 

[General Zod]

That Pyramaze was pretty good, I'll definitely be giving it a few more listens before deciding to purchase or not, but for now, it's comfortably in the 8/10 range.

If you think it's 8/10 now, I'd be surprised if it didn't eek out a 9/10 after 2-3 more spins. Something about it makes it a grower.

It's NOT better than Gamma Ray's new album, and it's in the ballpark of Helloween's new one (if you removed the disc 2 filler). It crushes the new Freedom Call though (gawd that was bad). It's not even close to as good as Overlorde's album, though. And I haven't heard the past 2 DragonForce albums so I can't compare.

You and I have very different tastes with Power Metal. For me, vocalists are such a determining factor. And to my ear, comparing Kai Hansen to Lance King is only a little better than comparing James LaBrie to Geoff Tate. I need to check out Overlorde. Somehow, they slipped past my radar. I also need to give the Freedom Call you recommended a spin.

Even so, 30 minutes of Pyramaze opening the festival isn't near-enough for me to fly to Atlanta...

I wouldn't suspect it would be. I have complete faith in Glenn. I've been buying my GBs blind since PPIII.

Zod

 

[MadeInNewJersey]

Zodster, I know we have different tastes, but really, with regards to Gamma Ray AND Helloween, it's not their vocalists that make them so great (though in all honesty, I like Hansen and deal with Deris), it's the songs. And each's new albums have lots of good songs (GR's more than Hello's).

I have faith in Glenn to put together a good festival as well, but unfortunately for MY tastes, the value of what the fest costs vs. the bands I will most likely have a chance to see just don't meet anymore. Or rarely, I should say. I will still be going if I'm shocked at the lineup.

 

[General Zod]

Zodster, I know we have different tastes, but really, with regards to Gamma Ray AND Helloween, it's not their vocalists that make them so great (though in all honesty, I like Hansen and deal with Deris), it's the songs. And each's new albums have lots of good songs (GR's more than Hello's).

Quite frankly, I find nothing interesting about either band's music. At this point, both sound like straight ahead, paint-by-numbers Power Metal. Deris isn't horrible. He's just of the caliber of vocalist that one would expect a band like Helloween to have in their ranks. As for Kai, he's quickly become one of the vocalists that I truly dislike. He sounds like a muppet on crystal meth.

I will still be going if I'm shocked at the lineup.

Shocked? I'm a bit surprised to hear you say "shocked".

Let's play a game. If the line-up looked as follows, would you go:

Friday:
Pyramaze
Savage Circus
Dead Soul Tribe
Virgin Steele
Evergrey

Saturday:
Wastefall
Riverside
Isis
After Forever
Gamma Ray

Keep in mind., this isn't my wishlist. Just bands that I think have a decent shot at playing the festival.

Zod

 

[General Zod]

ISIS? ProgPower?

Glenn has a "wildcard" band at each festival. Past festivals have included Mercenary and Orphaned Land, and he's attempted to get Opeth. Isis received a lot of positive feedback on the Perpetual Motion board; a board Glenn seems to heavily rely on to guage interest among his core demographic. The #3 slot, one of the two nights, will almost certainly be filled by a band which uses some harsh vocals, but isn't straight ahead Melodic Death, ala Soilwork.

Zod

 

[MadeInNewJersey]

Quite frankly, I find nothing interesting about either band's music. At this point, both sound like straight ahead, paint-by-numbers Power Metal. Deris isn't horrible. He's just of the caliber of vocalist that one would expect a band like Helloween to have in their ranks. As for Kai, he's quickly become one of the vocalists that I truly dislike. He sounds like a muppet on crystal meth.

Shocked? I'm a bit surprised to hear you say "shocked".

Let's play a game. If the line-up looked as follows, would you go:

Friday:
Pyramaze
Savage Circus
Dead Soul Tribe
Virgin Steele
Evergrey

Saturday:
Wastefall
Riverside
Isis
After Forever
Gamma Ray

Keep in mind., this isn't my wishlist. Just bands that I think have a decent shot at playing the festival.

Zod

If that were the lineup, I would 100% be going. 6 of those bands truly interest me, and I'm curious enough about 2 others (Isis & Riverside).

 

[JayKeeley]

I'm surprised that Glenn thinks it would be too expensive to have Helloween, GR, and Iced Earth on the same bill. OK Helloween aside, are GR and IE really any more expensive than, say, Angra and Stratovarius (PP6)? Or Nightwish and Rage (PP4)? Or Savatage and Edguy (PP5)?

I wouldn't be shocked to see Grave Digger and Running Wild in the roster this year.

P.S. Would Evergrey really headline over Virgin Steele?

 

[IOfTheStorm]

I think Wastefall are "confirmed" for the festival. Dont know if its for sure.
Also yes, Evergay would headline over Virgin Steele. Its like when Hammerfall played after Jag Panzer in 1997 tour (Gamma Ray where the headliners).

 

[MadeInNewJersey]

Pyramaze & Wastefall are confirmed and announced.

I highly, highly doubt Evergrey would headline over Virgin Steele.

 

[General Zod]

...and I'm curious enough about 2 others (Isis & Riverside).

You need to hear these soon. Awesome music.

Zod

 

[General Zod]

I highly, highly doubt Evergrey would headline over Virgin Steele.

For this audience, they would. When they played last the fest, the place was crazy. Everyone left right after they finished, and Rage ended up playing in front of 300 people.

Zod

 

[General Zod]

I'm surprised that Glenn thinks it would be too expensive to have Helloween, GR, and Iced Earth on the same bill. OK Helloween aside, are GR and IE really any more expensive than, say, Angra and Stratovarius (PP6)? Or Nightwish and Rage (PP4)? Or Savatage and Edguy (PP5)?

As I understand it, Glenn and Jon talked about Iced Earth headlining PPIV. However, Iced Earth switched management companies and labels, and their new management company wanted a lot more money. Glenn didn't feel he could pay Iced Earth and still have a quality roster.

Zod

 

[JayKeeley]

For this audience, they would. When they played last the fest, the place was crazy. Everyone left right after they finished, and Rage ended up playing in front of 300 people.

Zod

Perhaps that has more to do with Rage.