The Official First Impressions/Updates/Reviews of this year's ProgPower

Okay, so for the bands I actually went in and watched...


Illusion Suite - I lasted about 2-3 songs. Not my bag.

Seventh Wonder - I missed them at ProgPower Europe due to my little medical misadventure, and they were one of the bands I was really looking forward to then and this time around. Yes, I've been grumbling for the last year, year and a half about the crappy voiceovers on Mercy Falls (which really grew on me after a while), but only because a. they're crappy and b. they get in the way of listening to Tommy, who totally brought it. They all did. I expected the show to be good, but I didn't expect it to be that freaking good. It took the collective crowd about three songs to realize it, but by that point, it was hands in the air on the whole floor.

Kamelot - I did the "give it a chance" thing, because I am *not* a Circus Maximus fan - again, not my bag. (And in the interest of being honest, the only Kamelot disc I really like is The Black Halo, but they're a fun experience live.) But the *only* reason I got up and left is because I was so exhausted (and maybe a leeetle bit drunk) that I couldn't see straight anymore. Michael did an amazing Khan. He did everything right, without coming off like he was trying to imitate him. Props and cheers.

Delain - Another "give it a chance" attempt - I keep trying to like them, and it keeps not happening. But it's not surprising; if you know my tastes, I much prefer the women who sing loooooower not hiiiiigher. (cf. Johnette Napolitano, Anette instead of Tarja.)

Tarot - what fun! I'm not really familiar with them at all, other than having given a couple albums a couple of spins, nor am I much into Nightwish apart from their instrumental disc, but they were a blast to watch on stage. Marco was also incredibly nice and accommodating - I saw him walking around the hallways and the Vinyl all weekend, chatting with absolutely anyone and everyone who approached him. (most of the bands did, but I expected him to get mobbed.)

HammerFall - lots of fun as well.


PS: @MetalMilitia. I do SO like more than two bands. Who do you take me for, BenMech or something? I like at least five or ten bands!
 
This was my first progpower... everyone was awesome!

Friday...

Illusion Suite:
Good start to the evening. Was good enough that I think I'll check out their catalog at some point.

Blackguard:
One of only two bands here I've seen before. I'm not normally a fan of death metal, but they have such energy and stage presence that I find it hard to not enjoy their show.

Leaves' Eyes:
Awesome! I loved Elegy... some of the other tracks I had trouble hearing the vocals clearly, but it was still great.

Seventh Wonder:
Wow. I had not heard of them prior to the concert, and they were incredible! It's such an amazing experience to come in with no expectations and be totally blown away. I know some people weren't fans of the prog wankery and excessive solos, but I thought all their members were awesome. Especially liked the bassist and vocals (lead and backing both). Definitely one of the highlights of the trip for me.

Tyr:
Along with Blackguard, in the 'fun show, but not really my type of music' category. It was entertaining and interesting, but I wouldn't go out of my way to see them again.

Nocturnal Rites:
They were good, but I just couldn't get into it as much as others have. I think I probably did not give them enough of a chance, as at this point I was really tired and really wanting to see Kamelot.

Kamelot:
This trip would've been worth it for me -just- to see this show. No one can take the place of Khan, but Michael is amazing. I have to admit I was terrified for the show after what happened with Ghost Opera, but it turned out to be excellent. All the guest vocalists were great as well... Seventh Wonder's vocalist seemed to have some mixing and feedback issues which kind of disappointed me, otherwise it might have been my favorite song. Loved the band, the guests, the setlist, everything about the show.

Saturday...

Stormwarrior:
Not much to say... it's speed metal, which mostly sounds the same to me. They were good, if generic.

Oceans of Sadness:
They were really good live, but I'm still undecided if it's really my type of music. I'm intrigued though... I'll definitely check out their albums.

DGM:
Excellent show. Along with Seventh Wonder, one of the most proggy sets there was, so the same comments apply. Not quite as good as Seventh Wonder IMO, but still really enjoyed them and will have to listen to them some more.

Delain:
This was incredible. I think one reason they got such a good reception was because they were so unique for the show. In an event (and genre) that's so much dominated by guitars, I thought it was a great to see a band that featured the keyboardist and symphonic elements. And of course Charlotte's voice is beautiful, and Marco was great as a guest. I think this is tied with Hammerfall for my favorite show on Saturday.

Tarot:
Another entry in the 'fun, not my type' group. Marco and the other vocalist are pretty crazy so the show was entertaining. Speaking of the vocalists, they were both really good. The music was kind of bland to me, though. Still, thoroughly enjoyable.

Hammerfall:
Pretty awesome. Hammerfall is a band that I really enjoy but I don't know if I would normally go to see. I'm glad I got the chance to, and will definitely catch them again if I have the chance. Their sound transfers very well to a live setting, and they were really tight and well-mixed, probably the best show of the event in terms of sound quality.
 
Six Minute Century - didnt see

Borealis - I arrived part way through their set and found it enjoyable.

Leprous - nice surprise with these guys. had some cool music and a nice stage show

Accept - I am a hardcore UDO fan so i was worried a bit. Excellent show and it was a pleasure to see the gang on stage playing my favorite songs.

---

Illusion Suite - interesting but not really my thing.

Blackguard - Great Show, my wife's favorite. These guys work very hard and deserve respect.

Leaves' Eyes - My favorite of the event.

Seventh Wonder - interesting stuff. I had not heard them much before so i will check out their catalog.

TYR - Missed the entire set meeting Leaves eyes. I do like Tyr but i was not worried since I am seeing them in January on 70k tons anyway.

Nocturnal Rites - fun show and i like their music. They had great energy.

Kamelot - like most i was dissapointed in the news about Kahn. The show came off well and Mikhael did a really great job. The stage show was very cool and I look forward to the rescheduled tour.

---

Stormwarrior - awesome show and great energy.

Oceans of Sadness - intersting stuff and i liked their singer.

DGM - Not really my thing but they had a solid performance

I think the AC broke around this time cuz it got crazy hot

Delain - Very solid performance. I enjoyed their stuff live more than on disc.

Tarot - awesome to finally see Tarot live. Excellent show.

Hammerfall - They rocked it hard. Excellent closer and thankfully with the heat their show kept my adrenaline going long enough to stay standing.
 
Hey guys!

Tijs-OOS signing in.

We wanted you all to know that we had an incredible blast this past weekend and were AMAZED by the reactions in the crowd! One show we won't forget and Glenn can ask us back any time!

Please send us all pictures, videos and other links you guys might have to info@oceansofsadness.com and help us spreading them ALL OVER this thing we call the worldwide web! If we get stuff through we will post them on our official pages as well.

You rocked! :devil::devil::devil:

My wife and I really liked your set. I liked what little I heard of Oceans of Sadness before the fest, and was blown away by your performance. My wife didn't expect to like you guys, and you ended up being her favorite of the weekend.

It was great to meet you and have a laugh. I have to say, that shade of lipstick worked for you. ;)

I'm only disappointed that when I went to buy your CD, it was sold out. But that's great news for you guys!
 
My opinion on the show in general....

Thursday:
---------

Six Minute Century - Listened to their CD ahead of time and really didn't care for it that much. Same with their set. Just wasn't there for me.

Borealis - Great up and coming band! Amazed me on how well they sounded.

Leprous - Very interesting technical prog band. Their CD was OK, their show was pretty darn kickass.

Accept - Never knew them in their heyday, but Mark Tornillo really was a great frontman. The band looked like they were having a ton of fun up on stage and it showed. Not bad for old school metal.

Friday:
-------

Illusion Suite - When I first listened to their CD, I thought they were going to be another cookie cutter power metal band. Boy was I wrong! Great technical prog band! They did a pretty good job.

Blackguard - They did a good job for what they do. Just not my cup of tea. Great stage presence, but definitely the oddball band of the night.

Leaves' Eyes - Though I really dig Liv Kristine's voice, they're pretty much a "Beauty and the Beast" female fronted band. They did a good job, but they're not impressionable IMHO. I do wonder if their set was cut short due to the technical gremlins?

Seventh Wonder - Dictionary definition of melodic prog! These guys kick solid ass! Love them! And their new song Alley Cat - hope the rest of the new album sounds so good!

Tyr - These guys are so weird but so amazing at the same time. Glad they were able to play at the show. My personal favorite was The Wild Rover and glad they ended their set with that.

Nocturnal Rites - Another straight-up power metal band that did a pretty good job. I loved how Jonny shook hands with the African American security guards who obviously don't like our music :lol:. Glad he had a sense of humor!

Kamelot - First of all, I have never seen them live so I don't know what they really are like. But Michael coming in and learning the lyrics for all those song IN ONLY A WEEK AND A HALF?? He did an AWESOME job considering the circumstances! Kudos to them for *NOT* cancelling the show. A class act all the way around!

Saturday:
---------

Special SW show - GREAT show. Started off acoustic and then went electric. And they played Alley Cat again! (I wonder if they played it because I asked for it when I saw them at the Artmore?)

StormWarrior - An interesting band. Didn't leave me with much of an impression but had a good stage presence.

Oceans of Sadness - Great sounding band, had a great stage presence. But not my cup of tea either.

DGM - HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!! And not just speaking as a co-sponsor, but they really blew the roof off the place! Mark Basile really is awesome and so is the rest of the band! A great band all the way around.

Delain - As much as I like Liv Kristine, Charlotte Wessels is above her with her singing ability as well as being a great person (saw some behind the scenes stuff backstage). Also liked the duets with Marco! I had a feeling he'd be out there. Even though they're a female fronted band, I just like these guys better than Leaves' Eyes.

Tarot - FINALLY ON U.S. SOIL!! I love these guys! They really kicked ass! Really wonderful hard hitting power metal. But they didn't play some of the songs that I really love off of Crows Fly Black. Other than that it was a great performance!

HammerFall - Though I'm a fan, I'm not really that big of a fan. Seen these guys before with Edguy several years ago. They seem like a typical formula power metal band. Not bad, but not that great either. I was so damn tired that I almost bailed on these guys. Of course my favorite song from them was their last song Hearts On Fire. That was the only reason why I watch curling during the winter Olympics. :lol:

Overall I liked the show. Very impressed with the selection of bands, the musicianship and most of all the impression that these guys loved to perform for us. For many of them it was their first time in the US and played as if their lives depended on it. It showed and was a great time.

(And yes, I'll be back next year!)
 
ALso more sad is that my Fiancee wouldn't let me wear my planned t-shirt with my avatar printed on it with the text "Special delivery: Here's your package, Love Geoff"

I was hoping to meet you this weekend!!! That t-shirt would've helped me spot you... then send me into hysterics.. I actually met a girl at PP that flew to Seattle to see the first 3 shows - she was greatly disturbed 'cause it seems as if Tate's wife is also in next to nothing and his daughter is one of the dancers..
 
Wednesday:

Seven Kingdoms - Had some things to attend to so I missed them.

Vangough - really interesting and heavy sound. I loved it!

Ross the Boss - what a privilege to get to see this set! Ross is a kind and genuine man and the set was so full of energy!

Thursday:

Six Minute Century - I have a soft spot for these guys and they made me fall for them once again. I'm so happy they played The Perfect Picture!

Borealis - surprise of the night for me. Super heavy and incredible energy. Great time!

Leprous - I had to skip their set but I've heard nothing but great reviews! Wish I would have seen them.

Accept - Did anyone expect this to be a bad show? They were out of this world!

Friday:

Illusion Suite, Blackguard, Leaves' Eyes, and Seventh Wonder I missed. Really wanted to see SW though!

Tyr - gods amongst men! Love this band and eventhough I've seen them do better, it's always nothing short of awesome to watch them!

Nocturnal Rites - Just amazing! Love the new guitarist. Hope they'll be back to finish their encore :-\

Kamelot Maximus - I'm speechless. Michael was incredible, Elize was perfect, and Jake was stellar! Thomas makes it look effortless.

Saturday:

Stormwarrior - Super excited but I had no energy to give to the band. They deserved a bigger reaction from me.

Oceans of Sadness - Knocked my socks off completely and gave me a massive energy boost. They made a new fan!

DGM - tight with great energy. You can tell they love what they do.

Delain - missed their set entirely.

Tarot - saw the first two songs from the photopit and it was exceptional! Spent the rest of the set listening from the VIP areas while watching from the balcony. They seemed to be having the time of their lives.

Hammerfall - I was beyond exhausted and the fact that they played their same set, albeit perfectly, I was only able to enjoy them from the seats this time.
 
I just want to talk about Michael Eriksen's performance. So far I have been reading he did a great job since he had only one week... he forgot couple of lines but that is ok etc.

One thing was different for me with Kamelot's performance last Friday night. I did not worry about or was curious of what will happen when their song was coming to a point where vocalist has to hit high notes. Was that part will be rearranged or was the key going to be changed, since Roy was steering away from these high notes live. Please do not take this as I am trying to put Roy down as he has an unreal color to his voice and he creates incredible vocal arrangements. He just does not want to go there live anymore.

Michael just smoked "Nights of Arabia" chorus, vocally one of the most difficult piece of music to deliver live. With power, with emotion , with conviction. Bunch of us new that this was going to happen knowing Michael live, unlike couple of d****e bags who did not know him and posted negatively here when Roy's illness was announced.

So I want to thank Michael not because of covering for Roy last Friday to help him , Kamelot and the festival. I want to thank Michael because I was able to see a Kamelot show where incredible vocal lines were delivered with its full original range. So thank you Michael Eriksen......
 
Tyr ended with Ramund Hin Unge, not The Wild Rover.

My opinion on the show in general....

Thursday:
---------

Six Minute Century - Listened to their CD ahead of time and really didn't care for it that much. Same with their set. Just wasn't there for me.

Borealis - Great up and coming band! Amazed me on how well they sounded.

Leprous - Very interesting technical prog band. Their CD was OK, their show was pretty darn kickass.

Accept - Never knew them in their heyday, but Mark Tornillo really was a great frontman. The band looked like they were having a ton of fun up on stage and it showed. Not bad for old school metal.

Friday:
-------

Illusion Suite - When I first listened to their CD, I thought they were going to be another cookie cutter power metal band. Boy was I wrong! Great technical prog band! They did a pretty good job.

Blackguard - They did a good job for what they do. Just not my cup of tea. Great stage presence, but definitely the oddball band of the night.

Leaves' Eyes - Though I really dig Liv Kristine's voice, they're pretty much a "Beauty and the Beast" female fronted band. They did a good job, but they're not impressionable IMHO. I do wonder if their set was cut short due to the technical gremlins?

Seventh Wonder - Dictionary definition of melodic prog! These guys kick solid ass! Love them! And their new song Alley Cat - hope the rest of the new album sounds so good!

Tyr - These guys are so weird but so amazing at the same time. Glad they were able to play at the show. My personal favorite was The Wild Rover and glad they ended their set with that.

Nocturnal Rites - Another straight-up power metal band that did a pretty good job. I loved how Jonny shook hands with the African American security guards who obviously don't like our music :lol:. Glad he had a sense of humor!

Kamelot - First of all, I have never seen them live so I don't know what they really are like. But Michael coming in and learning the lyrics for all those song IN ONLY A WEEK AND A HALF?? He did an AWESOME job considering the circumstances! Kudos to them for *NOT* cancelling the show. A class act all the way around!

Saturday:
---------

Special SW show - GREAT show. Started off acoustic and then went electric. And they played Alley Cat again! (I wonder if they played it because I asked for it when I saw them at the Artmore?)

StormWarrior - An interesting band. Didn't leave me with much of an impression but had a good stage presence.

Oceans of Sadness - Great sounding band, had a great stage presence. But not my cup of tea either.

DGM - HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!! And not just speaking as a co-sponsor, but they really blew the roof off the place! Mark Basile really is awesome and so is the rest of the band! A great band all the way around.

Delain - As much as I like Liv Kristine, Charlotte Wessels is above her with her singing ability as well as being a great person (saw some behind the scenes stuff backstage). Also liked the duets with Marco! I had a feeling he'd be out there. Even though they're a female fronted band, I just like these guys better than Leaves' Eyes.

Tarot - FINALLY ON U.S. SOIL!! I love these guys! They really kicked ass! Really wonderful hard hitting power metal. But they didn't play some of the songs that I really love off of Crows Fly Black. Other than that it was a great performance!

HammerFall - Though I'm a fan, I'm not really that big of a fan. Seen these guys before with Edguy several years ago. They seem like a typical formula power metal band. Not bad, but not that great either. I was so damn tired that I almost bailed on these guys. Of course my favorite song from them was their last song Hearts On Fire. That was the only reason why I watch curling during the winter Olympics. :lol:

Overall I liked the show. Very impressed with the selection of bands, the musicianship and most of all the impression that these guys loved to perform for us. For many of them it was their first time in the US and played as if their lives depended on it. It showed and was a great time.

(And yes, I'll be back next year!)
 
Okay, so I know I am late on this, but I ended up getting sick on the way back home and needed sometime to recuperate! :) That being said, here are my thoughts on the weekend:
Six Minute Century - I am from Houston and get to enjoy them live all the time...but they still brought it to PP XI!! Chuck is one of my fav singers ever! Great job boys!!
Borealis - They were quite impressive. I normally look up all the unfamiliar bands before I go to PP, but I missed this one. I am going to find their music tonight for sure though, they amazed me!
Leprous - Ummmmm, I wasn't really into these guys.
Accept - Not a big Accept fan, so I left by that time. I heard that they put on a really great performance.
Illusion Suite – I think these guys are awesome! I loved the CD when I got it and really looked forward to seeing them. They did not disappoint.
Stormwarrior – I missed these guys. I heard some of their music beforehand, but it just wasn’t up my alley.
Leaves Eyes – I think that we left for them. I listened to their music, but I just couldn’t get into it. She has an amazing voice though.
Seventh Wonder – Ohhhhh, these guys are my boys!! This band was the main reason for me to travel from Houston…and they did not disappoint. I wish that I had a gold badge to see their special set on Saturday though! I am just livid reading all the reviews from everyone who saw it! All I can say is that they were my fav band there this year!
Tyr – I am not a big Tyr fan, so I missed it.
Nocturnal Rites – I was really looking forward to checking these guys out and WOW!! They did an amazing job! Spectacular show!
Kamelot – I am a new Kamelot fan and was truly excited to see them! When I heard that Michael Eriksen was going to sub for Roy, I was super happy! Michael Eriksen is probably one of my top 5 vocalists, so that news made it even better. (I hope to see Kamelot on tour with Roy when he is better!) The music was awesome and his vocals gave me goose bumps!! Kamelot was probably my second favorite performance of the weekend!
Oceans of Sadness – Had a rough night, so I didn’t get ready in time to see these guys. :)
DGM – EXCELLENT!!! These guys were so bad ass and such a pleasure to hang out with later!! I plan to share the word about these guys! Amazing vocals!!
Delain – Missed them.
Tarot – WOW…Tarot was amazing! I love their music and the singer has one of those original sounding voices that I just love. They put on a great performance and sounds pretty much the same from CD to live. So happy they played Crows Fly Black! Third favorite of the weekend!
Hammerfall – I am not a big Hammerfall fan only because I haven’t heard enough of their music yet. I liked the stuff that I heard though and they put on a great show. I went in and watched a few songs, but then went out to watch a few more from the other area cause it was so darn hot inside! What I saw, I liked and I plan on buying more of their albums.

I will see you all next year for Prog Power XII! I was floored when they announced Sanctuary as the headliner for Friday night!
 
Danae! Wow that was quite a review you got there.

Yeah I heard about that singing session backstage.....that must have been quite a moment to remember.

This ProgPower was super cool on many facets!

See you next year!
 
Hey guys!

Tijs-OOS signing in.

We wanted you all to know that we had an incredible blast this past weekend and were AMAZED by the reactions in the crowd! One show we won't forget and Glenn can ask us back any time!

Please send us all pictures, videos and other links you guys might have to info@oceansofsadness.com and help us spreading them ALL OVER this thing we call the worldwide web! If we get stuff through we will post them on our official pages as well.

You rocked! :devil::devil::devil:

Glad to hear that y'all enjoyed playing ProgPower as much as I enjoyed your performance. You guys kicked so much ass. :headbang:
 
Thursday:
Six Minute Century: Ehhh.
Borealis: Oooooh, shiny. I liked that. Also, Blackguard appearing next to me to cheer for them took me completely off-guard.
Leprous: HOLY FUCKING SHIT THAT WAS AWESOME

Left before Accept because I realized I really needed food. :( Heard they put on a good show, though!

Friday:
Illusion Suite: Sounded exactly like they do on disc, which is a good thing if you like them on disc. Though I'm not a huge fan of their stuff, they were very tight and solid live, and it was worth it just to see my fanboy friend rock out to them. :)
Blackguard: Great, as usual. This was the third time I saw them, and I still love their energy.
Leaves' Eyes: Despite their technical issues, I was really happy to see them again after three years, and Liv sounds great when she's high in the mix. Yay, Ragnarok! Yay, Frøya's Theme! Wish there was more older material, though.
Seventh Wonder: OOOH BAY-BEH! :D Simply awesome. They PACKED the place.
Týr: Only caught the last four-five songs of their set. I really wish I saw more, but at least I arrived just in time... for HAMMERTIME. :tickled: I must see them again!
Nocturnal Rites: Only saw their last two songs. Decided it wasn't really my thing.
Kamelot: Yeah, I was really, really scared when the Ghost Opera Incident (TM) occurred... but Mike pulled off the rest of the set with flying colors. Now that I've seen "Nights of Arabia" and "Sailorman's Hymn" in person, I believe I can die happy. And the other guest appearances were pretty awesome, too. My boyfriend hates me now for getting to see Karevik sing "EdenEcho". :lol:

Saturday:
Stormwarrior: My friend and I left after two songs. I was expecting to get my ass kicked, but for some reason I wasn't feeling them at all. :(
Oceans of Sadness: OOOOOOOOH YES. I'm pretty sure I annoyed everyone around me with my loud "YEAHHHHH" when they announced "Roulette" as their closer. I do not care. SO BADASS.
DGM: was planning to catch them, but was really worried about my friend's well-being and opted to go hang out with him instead. Heard they rocked, though!
Delain: Heard the tail end of their set while in the Seventh Wonder signing line. Realized that Charlotte's voice is, sadly, not up my alley.
Tarot: Oh, that was fun. I love how relaxed, jokey, and vulgar they were on stage. :lol: "Satan is Dead" and "Rider of the Last Day" were definite highlights.
HammerFall: My personal "surprise" band of the weekend. "Hearts on Fire" actually became somewhat of a Rickroll among my circle of friends, and I had avoided them like the plague after hearing it, but I wandered in a few songs into their set and -- by the gods, I liked them! They were fun, catchy, and I loved their stage banter. ("How many are you are seeing HammerFall for the first time? ... WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN THE LAST TWELVE YEARS?!")

I will definitely try to come back next year (HAKEN AND ARCTURUS OMG), and learn to pace myself better!
 
I work on the crew. Depending on the person and the question asked, they might not know the answer. If you asked me about signing sessions for a specific band, I wouldn't know as I don't work up front. I DO know that there is usually a sign or greaseboard up in the front area where you walk into the venue, as well as a listing in the program. Sometimes there are changes, and the greaseboard/sign is the one to look at for the most current times. If you asked someone in the lobby about technical stuff like what gear is being used, they wouldn't know You're not real specific here. Any member of the crew should have been able to point you toward the vendor area.


There are SOOOOOOO many variables to consider here, it's not so cut & dried, good or just ok. I think a lot has to do with positioning, and whether or not hearing protection is used. Not only do ear plugs protect you, but they might help you hear things better across the board.


Not all band members hand us off their gear, some go straight back to the dressing room guitars in hand, or still on shoulder.

Well said, John!!

As far as sound, I've found that it is generally really good. Especially in recent years where we have used the house sound guy. He knows the system and the room and does a fine job. As a fan and a crew member, I love that venue!

This. Believe me, I was just as upset over that incident. I wanted to see/hear those last two songs too. Unfortunately, stuff happens at times. Hopefully, it won't happen again. We always try to learn and improve on things from year to year.
 
Hey guys!

Tijs-OOS signing in.

We wanted you all to know that we had an incredible blast this past weekend and were AMAZED by the reactions in the crowd! One show we won't forget and Glenn can ask us back any time!

Please send us all pictures, videos and other links you guys might have to info@oceansofsadness.com and help us spreading them ALL OVER this thing we call the worldwide web! If we get stuff through we will post them on our official pages as well.

You rocked! :devil::devil::devil:
Hey Tijs! You guys did a great job and were awesome to work with. I have some pictures, but not from the performance. I will send them to you guys anyhow. Look to the Pictures thread for pictures from the performance. The guys that do that are incredible and no one with a point and shoot are going to come anywhere close to the quality that they put out.

I'm sure that we will see you again!

Tot ziens!