What About Vanden Plas?

[yngwieuli]

How Was Vanden Plas? I wanted to find out about the Vanden Plas performance. Vanden Plas has always been interesting! How was the fan response? :hotjump:

 

[YtseJammer]

They were incredible..my favorite from Night One, possibly the entire show. A great setlist, a great crowd response..and some of the coolest guys I've ever had the pleasure of talking too.

I can only hope they come back and do a tour with some other great European bands..

 

[Vision]

I can only second Ytsejammer's reaction. Vanden Plas were awesome. They followed Mercenary and, in my not so humble opinion, made them look look like amateurs. It was nice to see how the professionals do it!! Vanden Plas were tight, clean, and powerful. Several very nice guys, too.

 

[alexofbodom]

Vanden Plas were great. They played very tight as a band and had tons of energy. The setlist was also great. I had no problems with the sound personally, but I guess it always varies depending on where you are located during the concert.

 

[ThXinc]

Awesome!!!!!!!!!They were incredible! I'm still trippin!! Better than I expected and I expected a lot from what I've heard on Spirit of Live.
Great guys to hang with. Friendly and no chip on their shoulder. I hope they come back! Badly!!

 

[sh0kr0k]

Quite possibly my favorite show of the event! Also one of the few bands I had previous knowledge of before seeing them live. I joined their forums at www.faroffgrace.com

~Sh0k~

 

[mgirishfan]

From my notes:

Band 3 – Vanden Plas: WOW!!!! I was really looking forward to seeing these guys, and they were even better than I thought they’d be!!!!! Andy Kuntz is an incredible, high energy, kick ass front man who knows how to play up to the crowd and Stephan Lill simply rules on guitar!! Totally AWESOME! They did stuff from all of their CD’s, including I Can See, Soul Survives, Iodic Rain, Nightwalker, Cold Wind, and of course Rainmaker!!! (I know I missed some – that isn’t the complete set list! Sorry! I can rarely remember set lists unless I write them down – and who had time for that!?!?!?!) A wonderful, moving, thrilling performance. They flew into first place on my personal hit list and I am thinking it is going to be tough to budge them! If you don’t know this band, hop online right now and get both Beyond Daylight and The God Thing. It was sooooooo cool to hear other people after the show and even still the next day commenting on how great Vanden Plas was, or how they didn’t really know them, but ran out and got the CD right after they saw them, etc….I think that stuff is so cool! And SO WARRANTED!!!!


PS - They stayed #1 for me for the whole 2 days, despite the stunning, thrilling and fan-pleasing Circle II Circle performance on Saturday - with Jon Oliva, no less.

~Mare

 

[Bryant]

VP has been my favorite band for about five years so I am a bit biased, but although I expected them to be very tight, energetic and have a great sound (bass was fine from three people back from the stage and in between Gunter and Stephan.) What I did not expect was just how strong of a front man Andy Kuntz is. He was incredible not only as a vocalist, but his stage antics were great and not very repetitive. His years of experience in the theater (which he still is very active in) showed through very well. I was in awe watching his performance.

Bryant

 

[arglebargle]

Andy's a theater person, eh? I didn't know that. He's pretty damn charismatic on Spirit Of Live, so it kinda doesn't suprise me.

 

[Pixelherder]

My friend and I both came out of PPIV agreeing that Vanden Plas was a surprise hit. I only have the "Beyond Daylight" CD, and it's solid stuff if not memorable -- but then again, I only heard it twice before the show. But they completely tore up on stage. They were so tight and clean, with tons of energy, and they totally shocked both of us. Definitely the runaway hit of the evening.

It's funny -- day 2 seemed to mirror day 1, in my humble opinion:

Redemption/Pagan's Mind - solid, great performances.
Mercenary/Secret Sphere - weakest of the performances. Not that they were bad, per se, but they were up against bands that simply outdid them.
Vanden Plas/Circle II Circle - shockingly good, surprise hits. Immediately sought out CDs.
Nightwish/Evergrey - Totally fucking amazing.
Symphony X/Rage - Utterly fantastic.

 

[97reb]

Vanden Plas Kicked Ass as I knew they would
But, Mercenary was pretty Damn Good too and CIIC. I can't wait for something new from Vanden Plas.

 

[LuCinda]

Vanden Plas is the main reason for my visit to PP4. They were my first reason and Evergrey was my second. I thought all of the bands I saw did an excellent job. Unfortunately, I missed Secret Sphere because I was getting pics with my fav singer, Andy Kuntz. I would have even missed Evergrey for a chance to see Andy upclose...sigh!
Cindy

 

[Se7enChurches]

Mercenary/Secret Sphere - weakest of the performances. Not that they were bad, per se, but they were up against bands that simply outdid them.

I can't agree to this mirror. Mercenary were so much more solid than Secret Sphere that it isn't even funny.

Ryan

 

[sh0kr0k]

Hurray, I finally got my ProgPower pics back! None of my pictures during the actual set turned out well because I didn't want to bring my digital camera. Oh well, this is one of the pictures I brought my camera for anyways! ^_^ My friend & I got Andy to smile wide since he wasn't smiling at all in any of the other photos he had taken! haha!

~Sh0k~

 

[X man]

vanden Plas were great! They play on the level of Dream Theater but with better and more melodic songs-not a bunch of tecnononsense like DT is playing these days. They were the most professional performance-flawless and as good as their albums. You don't know if bands can pull off tunes live sometimes-but they were awesome. Their sound was great-very clear and powerful. The drummer played like a seasoned pro-everything so effortless. He made his drum parts look so easy-but they aren't!The vocals were outstanding and the whole band had a great vibe-very relaxed but energetic. I will finish buying the rest of their cds. Hope to see them again.

 

[kellsco]

Vanden Pas was the booking that sold me on this years PP. There was no way I was missing them. I loved them before and they are even more solid at the top of my list. I look forward to the next cd they give us. And possible another PP in the future!

 

[chazzyf]

As someone who has seen Vanden Plas quite a few times, I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy ther set, since I was pretty tired of their music (especially FoG and BD). However they came across as being much more energetic and 'fired up' than I expected and they delivered one of the best shows I've seen them play in years (since before FoG was released). The setlist did seem a little odd and the absence of a 'How Many Tears' or 'You Fly' was a major omission IMHO. Would have been cool to start the set with 'Feed The Fire' too. The crowd seemed to love 'em.

 

[sc]

As someone who has seen Vanden Plas quite a few times, I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy ther set, since I was pretty tired of their music (especially FoG and BD). However they came across as being much more energetic and 'fired up' than I expected and they delivered one of the best shows I've seen them play in years (since before FoG was released). The setlist did seem a little odd and the absence of a 'How Many Tears' or 'You Fly' was a major omission IMHO. Would have been cool to start the set with 'Feed The Fire' too. The crowd seemed to love 'em.

yeah, it was a little disappointment for me that they didn’t play two of my favor songs You Fly and How Many Tears. But over all, I think they did a excellent job and I enjoy the show very much.

 

[Pixelherder]

I can't agree to this mirror. Mercenary were so much more solid than Secret Sphere that it isn't even funny.

I should've rephrased that. Mercenary were solid; I agree. I just am not a fan of the growly vocals -- ergo, of the five Friday bands, they were my least favorite.

 

[97reb]

The smile on Vanden Plas' drummer Andreas Lill was great. He seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself or the drumset or something.