Well, I figure I'll type this part up after the day, as I remember it best.
I arrived at the venue about 5:15, 15 minutes before redemption started.
First thing I noticed was how they changed the layout for ProgPower, setting up the vendors differently. *For example, The End Records was on the complete other side, away from the bathrooms* This got two huge thumb ups from me, as it kept the walking traffic much better, and it didn't feel as crowded this year, as compared to last.
Concering the vendor's, a great selection of items between them all. Spent a lot of cash last night, and I've got some more to spend tonight...=)
Concerning the acts:
Redemption: I got seated right after they started. They only played 45 minutes, but I could only take about 20 minutes of it. For one, I felt they were too loud, as it seemed overly distorted and more like noise...
Second, I just found their setlist boring. They say for fans of Savatage on their album, but I found no similarities. After 20 minutes, I went to browse CD's, as they just weren't entertaining for me. *To each his own*. For those not there, Fates Warning Ray Adler sang a song for Redemption, but even that couldn't satisfy the act for me.
Mercenary: I had bought EverBlack before the festival, because I wanted to see what they would be like and I enjoyed Seize the Night and Screaming from the Heavens.
Mercenary did not disappoint. People say their the oddball this year, but I thought they fit great. Heavy, two singers *Growler and main*, and just a good setlist. Highlights I remember from the set...
Everblack, Bloodrush *Awesome playing and singing when they got to "Show me the way, Bleeding the trail!", Screaming from the Heavens, they played one from their new album coming up - sounded good, and they finished their set with "Seize the Night". *This wasn't all the songs, just the ones I remember*
Killer way to end the set, and they ranked right up there for one of the top acts of the night.
And by the way, the new Mercenary guitarist....killer chops he has. Blazing leads and rhythm proves that he's a valuble asset if Mercenary keep him.
Vanden Plas: I didn't know anything by them going into the night, but I was impressed and enjoyed their performance. They really got the crowd going with some head-banging songs, and it was a solid set list. Great job by them
Nightwish: Nightwish takes the award from my perspective for the best performance and the most energy. All the band members were top notch in the playing and performance.
Before Nightwish got on stage, it was like PP3's Gamma Ray, how the crowd was chanting "NIGHTWISH! NIGHTWISH!". Really had the place up.
Nightwish's set, the same to the one posted here I believe, was killer. Even Crazy Train got the place going, and they did a great cover of it.
Highlight from their set for me was "Slaying the Dreamer"... Just amazing...
I know for sure I'm getting the new Nightwish DVD now...
All in all, an amazing act. There's so much to write on it, the price of PP4 was worth that act alone.
Symphony X: Symphony X got a little late starting, but they provided a great set as well. Russell sure does have a voice, and Romeo is insane on the guitar. They played a decent amount of tracks from the Odyssey, which is to be expected.
Highlight had to have been the encore: the 24 minute epic "The Odyssey". Really got the place rowed up at 1 AM in the morning :Spin:
It's what I was hoping they would play, and they preformed it beautifully. A great closer for a great night...
-----------------
Conclusion: While I think PP3's lineup can't be beat, I still think the quality of bands was right up there with them. Redemption was disappointing to me, but the last 4 bands surely made up for it, and all 4 gave solid performances.
Concerning the venue, it's an amazing place. I liked it for PP3, and I love it now. It just has everything you need, places for the venues, standing room, sitting room, decent size stage, just a good venue.
There were 2 problems I encountered though:
1) Was I blind on the autograph sessions?
I'm not sure if I was looking in the right spot, but I didn't see Jon Oliva signing when he was supposed to, nor Circle 2 Circle, etc. I did find C2C's guitarist, but no band with him... I don't know if I just wasn't looking in right spot *I checked usual areas that they were in PP3*, but I never found them. Not too bad a bummer, I realize these things are set in stone, and I just wanted to get a picture with Oliva...
2) The sound system at Earthlink...
It seemed like there were some problems with the sound feedback *I don't know if it was Earthlinks fault or the bands themselves*. The sound was fine, it was the occasional squeal from feedback... *Like Nightwish's...that damn high pitch squeal sound was annoying*. Another problem during Symphony X, etc. It was still a great sounding concert, but there seemed to be a couple of kinks this time compared to PP3.
Still, it was an amazing night.
Congrats to Glenn for pulling it off again, and I'm looking forward to tonight's conclusion. CircleIICircle and Secret Sphere I'm looking forward to the most...but I'm ready to be surpised and impressed like how Vanden Plas did.
-Jon
I arrived at the venue about 5:15, 15 minutes before redemption started.
First thing I noticed was how they changed the layout for ProgPower, setting up the vendors differently. *For example, The End Records was on the complete other side, away from the bathrooms* This got two huge thumb ups from me, as it kept the walking traffic much better, and it didn't feel as crowded this year, as compared to last.
Concering the vendor's, a great selection of items between them all. Spent a lot of cash last night, and I've got some more to spend tonight...=)
Concerning the acts:
Redemption: I got seated right after they started. They only played 45 minutes, but I could only take about 20 minutes of it. For one, I felt they were too loud, as it seemed overly distorted and more like noise...
Second, I just found their setlist boring. They say for fans of Savatage on their album, but I found no similarities. After 20 minutes, I went to browse CD's, as they just weren't entertaining for me. *To each his own*. For those not there, Fates Warning Ray Adler sang a song for Redemption, but even that couldn't satisfy the act for me.
Mercenary: I had bought EverBlack before the festival, because I wanted to see what they would be like and I enjoyed Seize the Night and Screaming from the Heavens.
Mercenary did not disappoint. People say their the oddball this year, but I thought they fit great. Heavy, two singers *Growler and main*, and just a good setlist. Highlights I remember from the set...
Everblack, Bloodrush *Awesome playing and singing when they got to "Show me the way, Bleeding the trail!", Screaming from the Heavens, they played one from their new album coming up - sounded good, and they finished their set with "Seize the Night". *This wasn't all the songs, just the ones I remember*
Killer way to end the set, and they ranked right up there for one of the top acts of the night.
And by the way, the new Mercenary guitarist....killer chops he has. Blazing leads and rhythm proves that he's a valuble asset if Mercenary keep him.
Vanden Plas: I didn't know anything by them going into the night, but I was impressed and enjoyed their performance. They really got the crowd going with some head-banging songs, and it was a solid set list. Great job by them
Nightwish: Nightwish takes the award from my perspective for the best performance and the most energy. All the band members were top notch in the playing and performance.
Before Nightwish got on stage, it was like PP3's Gamma Ray, how the crowd was chanting "NIGHTWISH! NIGHTWISH!". Really had the place up.
Nightwish's set, the same to the one posted here I believe, was killer. Even Crazy Train got the place going, and they did a great cover of it.
Highlight from their set for me was "Slaying the Dreamer"... Just amazing...
I know for sure I'm getting the new Nightwish DVD now...
All in all, an amazing act. There's so much to write on it, the price of PP4 was worth that act alone.
Symphony X: Symphony X got a little late starting, but they provided a great set as well. Russell sure does have a voice, and Romeo is insane on the guitar. They played a decent amount of tracks from the Odyssey, which is to be expected.
Highlight had to have been the encore: the 24 minute epic "The Odyssey". Really got the place rowed up at 1 AM in the morning :Spin:
It's what I was hoping they would play, and they preformed it beautifully. A great closer for a great night...
-----------------
Conclusion: While I think PP3's lineup can't be beat, I still think the quality of bands was right up there with them. Redemption was disappointing to me, but the last 4 bands surely made up for it, and all 4 gave solid performances.
Concerning the venue, it's an amazing place. I liked it for PP3, and I love it now. It just has everything you need, places for the venues, standing room, sitting room, decent size stage, just a good venue.
There were 2 problems I encountered though:
1) Was I blind on the autograph sessions?
I'm not sure if I was looking in the right spot, but I didn't see Jon Oliva signing when he was supposed to, nor Circle 2 Circle, etc. I did find C2C's guitarist, but no band with him...
I don't know if I just wasn't looking in right spot *I checked usual areas that they were in PP3*, but I never found them. Not too bad a bummer, I realize these things are set in stone, and I just wanted to get a picture with Oliva...2) The sound system at Earthlink...
It seemed like there were some problems with the sound feedback *I don't know if it was Earthlinks fault or the bands themselves*. The sound was fine, it was the occasional squeal from feedback... *Like Nightwish's...that damn high pitch squeal sound was annoying*. Another problem during Symphony X, etc. It was still a great sounding concert, but there seemed to be a couple of kinks this time compared to PP3.
Still, it was an amazing night.
Congrats to Glenn for pulling it off again, and I'm looking forward to tonight's conclusion. CircleIICircle and Secret Sphere I'm looking forward to the most...but I'm ready to be surpised and impressed like how Vanden Plas did.
-Jon
