The Future of ProgPower USA

[AMBR]

It is a different scene than a decade ago and no amount of promotion will change that.

Guess what I meant was we need to spread the word to our friends to get them to buy tickets. That sort of promotion. I think the economy is the main problem. It is only May, I feel there will be a lot more sold in the summer. Just my gut on that.

 

[RagePSV]

You may have to raise the gold badge price a bit, or bring in a few less bands. I don't know how you bring in so many top notch bands only charging us GB holders $150, while I in now means have a lot of dispossible income, I wouldn't blink at $200/$250 GB ticket price in order to see all of these caliber out of country bands. I know you don't have that luxury with the reg ticket prices getting the casual fan to attend, but I'd sure rather spend a few extra bucks than not have the festival any longer. Just my opinion.

+1

 

[No Username]

I am sorry, but, would you spend $150 for a ticket and not attend and not even be able to sell it? This is veryyy wishful thinking I may say!!! Plus, even if 50 more tix are sold, then the fest is not happening again anyway! Not even in a good economy would people spend $150 to save a fest, and even if they do thinking that next year they'll be able to come, who guarantees that they will be able? Just my thoughts...

I buy the ticket every year, with hopes that I make it. If I knew I could not make it this year due to economic circumstance, I would buy the ticket anyway, especially with this knowledge in hand.

If I thought I could not make it this year because of any other issue, I would buy the ticket anyway.

People say they love the festival, but cannot go due to economic reasons "this year". The ticket price is one of the smaller parts of this economic equation, but it is the ONLY thing that we have to buy that will help keep the festival around.
I was going to sponsor a band for next year; maybe I will just buy an extra ticket instead...

 

[Bamafan]

I buy the ticket every year, with hopes that I make it. If I knew I could not make it this year due to economic circumstance, I would buy the ticket anyway, especially with this knowledge in hand.

If I thought I could not make it this year because of any other issue, I would buy the ticket anyway.

People say they love the festival, but cannot go due to economic reasons "this year". The ticket price is one of the smaller parts of this economic equation, but it is the ONLY thing that we have to buy that will help keep the festival around.
I was going to sponsor a band for next year; maybe I will just buy an extra ticket instead...

Well said.

 

[BABS]

I sympathisize with what Glenn is up against with the "Xbox Generation". These kids seldom leave the comfort of their rooms or socialize outside of texting -can't imagine getting them to go to a show! For years, my daughter has wanted HIM to play at Progpower. I could see a band like that having cross-over draw and possibly In This Moment another good pick as well. Not sure about all the dub step stuff tho...

 

[PureXul]

I sympathisize with what Glenn is up against with the "Xbox Generation". These kids seldom leave the comfort of their rooms or socialize outside of texting -can't imagine getting them to go to a show!

Perhaps this isn't the proper setting for an argument, as everyone here has the shared goal of keeping PPUSA alive for years to come...but that is one of the most absurdly misguided comments I've seen in a long time. Kids go to shows in droves with far more dedication than older fans. It's to the point where I feel a little old at a lot of shows, and I'm only 28. The 30+ crowd have responsibilities, kids, budgets...teenagers have disposable income and far more free time to go to concerts.

Logically speaking, it's harder for teenagers to get the resources together to take a road trip to Atlanta, I know some of the people on this forum started going at 16/17, and admire their dedication for making it happen, but a lot of teenagers can't swing it, especially a couple weeks into a new school year.

Perhaps PPUSA's crowd trends a little bit older (unsurprising in many regards), but that's not indicative of the general audience for this genre of music and you're doing a disservice to the younger generation of metalheads by pretending they don't support the scene.

 

[Hammerlock]

I think the major issue is the cost of the fest. And not ticket prices, it's all the things that Glenn CAN'T control. For years now, hotels have hiked their rates on rooms for that weekend. The ticket was an easy purchase, but those nights in the hotel hurt me this year. Not to mention travel costs, for planes/gasoline. Those are a good chunk of change too, putting total costs for me near the $1,000 mark. I have a pretty good job, and I can afford it if I skimp the rest of the year, but many people are not so lucky.

Every time I go to a show here in CO and talk about ProgPower, everybody says "God, I wish I could go". So awareness isn't the issue, the fest is legendary enough from word of mouth. Everybody who pays attention knows that ProgPower is the best there is. I think there are just a lot of people that look at the price tag of the overall package and conclude that they can't afford it. With the economy the way it is, I think ProgPower is a luxury that some people are having to cut out.

 

[BABS]

PURXUL: I don't see your opinion as anu argument at all. We are all here giving different insights to the current situation. Perhaps my statement was a generalization, but my view is sometimes a bit jaded. Everyone is saying that the current economics are to blame, yet I work on a college campus were it appears there is more than enough money for spring break trips, traveling abroad, taking semesters off to "get their head together" so I get puzzled by it all.

 

[BABS]

And we do have students that rarely leave their rooms outside of class, then they are back studying and don't even socialize. So it is sorta scary to see that. Again, this is just my perspective...

 

[broegaard]

I think the major issue is the cost of the fest. And not ticket prices, it's all the things that Glenn CAN'T control. For years now, hotels have hiked their rates on rooms for that weekend. The ticket was an easy purchase, but those nights in the hotel hurt me this year. Not to mention travel costs, for planes/gasoline. Those are a good chunk of change too, putting total costs for me near the $1,000 mark. I have a pretty good job, and I can afford it if I skimp the rest of the year, but many people are not so lucky.

Every time I go to a show here in CO and talk about ProgPower, everybody says "God, I wish I could go". So awareness isn't the issue, the fest is legendary enough from word of mouth. Everybody who pays attention knows that ProgPower is the best there is. I think there are just a lot of people that look at the price tag of the overall package and conclude that they can't afford it. With the economy the way it is, I think ProgPower is a luxury that some people are having to cut out.

it comes down to priority! If you save 60 $ a month from (october to september you will have enouth money to travel, pay a cheap hotel, food, tickets, gas/bus tickets). I put metal in front of almost everything and I am 45 and married.

Im my yearly budget I reserve a good portion for myself and my (cds, tickets, DVDs, Airfare, etc...), but I am a DIE HARD metalhead

 

[Kilroy Murdoch]

Ok, I don't post here very often but I am an avid lurker and have supported this and all other progpower festivals for the genre over the last ten years or so in one way or another. Sadly, I've never had the opportunity to attend PPUSA but as an outsider I think it’s clear some amazing things have happened through and around the PPUSA festival and some things people didn't think would happen have been achieved. It has moved beyond being merely a festival to almost a movement.

Thus hearing this is very sad news. I think many comments here are getting at certain sections of the issue. From my side, the efforts Glenn and co. have done to find that balance in the line-up to bring the right crowds mixing old and new has been near spot on. The biting economy and increased prices of many other things - along with that 'lazy' generation who don't care for live music - has indeed made it a considerable challenge to keep festivals like this going. As you may know, Fused festival in the UK had to cancel this year despite a relatively successful first year...this trend will continue with more festivals biting the dust left right and centre.

From my side the primary issue with monetizing the progpower genre is the diversity and spread of fans. We have some great online communities, around metal in general I would say, but this wouldn't always translate to the kind of buzzing scene going on in your local town or city. On the flipside, ProgPower fans - as you can see from some fans flying round the world to make festivals PPUSA included - are some of the most dedicated out there. I’d say that alternate funding streams are needed to make the most of this and they could also bring excitement and joy to many others. For instance, I know some bands have gone into the business of 'livestreaming' their concerts and charging a fee. Perhaps this could work for PPUSA? I know I would certainly be willing to part ways with my cash to listen in to some of the spectacular things going down in Atlanta despite sadly not being able to make a flight from Germany all the way over to attend.

Regardless of alternate funding streams, I guess I will have to bite the bullet next year and buy a plane ticket over to Atlanta

Thanks Glenn and all for providing not just a great fest but for cultivating a great community and I hope this all works out for the best.

 

[dcowboys311]

I feel like one of the biggest issues, and this is not new and the topic has been discussed to death, is the genre itself.

The same bands people want to see headline in 2012 are the same bands people wanted to see headline in 2008 and 2002. There haven't been any 'newcomers', aside from Sabaton, probably, who could headline. It's tough to throw in new blood when there is none.

 

[hoodaman]

I feel like one of the biggest issues, and this is not new and the topic has been discussed to death, is the genre itself.

The same bands people want to see headline in 2012 are the same bands people wanted to see headline in 2008 and 2002. There haven't been any 'newcomers', aside from Sabaton, probably, who could headline. It's tough to throw in new blood when there is none.

there's always new blood. Just because bands like Symphony X and Everygrey keep putting out albums doesn't mean that bands like Haken and Spheric Universe Experience won't be headline material someday (provided they keep releasing quality albums of course)

 

[AngraRULES]

there's always new blood. Just because bands like Symphony X and Everygrey keep putting out albums doesn't mean that bands like Haken and Spheric Universe Experience won't be headline material someday (provided they keep releasing quality albums of course)

Quality albums does NOT equal headlining material. A string of great albums doesn't make a band a headliner. You need sales, a solid fanbase and you need to be a band who draws people to the show. You need mass appeal to be a headliner, otherwise what's the point?

 

[hoodaman]

one would hope a band doesn't accrue all those things by releasing shitty albums

 

[AngraRULES]

one would hope a band doesn't accrue all those things by releasing shitty albums

Right. Ever heard of Creed? Nickelback? Any other super popular "deathcore"/"emo" band?

 

[delainnation]

Let's get creative folks and get people in those seats. Now is the time to fight for our friend Glenn and show him how much we love him and Jen.

 

[TheLongshot]

I feel like one of the biggest issues, and this is not new and the topic has been discussed to death, is the genre itself.

The same bands people want to see headline in 2012 are the same bands people wanted to see headline in 2008 and 2002. There haven't been any 'newcomers', aside from Sabaton, probably, who could headline. It's tough to throw in new blood when there is none.

I think there are plenty of bands that could headline and draw. The problem is, are they willing to play for what Glenn is willing to pay? He's hinted a few times that some bands just aren't possible because they price themselves out of this festival. It is unfortunate, because I think this festival is an experience that most bands can't get elsewhere in this country, but that's the way it is.

 

[hoodaman]

Right. Ever heard of Creed? Nickelback? Any other super popular "deathcore"/"emo" band?

True.

 

[Black Swan]

Glenn - is there any chance you could get Ticketmaster (or even Enter the Vault) to send an email about ProgPower to those who bought tickets to one of the Nightwish/Kamelot shows?

For the rest of us, I think there have been a lot of good ideas in this thread. Obviously the ideal situation would be if the rest of the tickets were sold and for there to be no need to buy extra tickets, make donations, etc. But maybe that's just not going to happen this time around. What if we give it a couple months (or a little more/less - Glenn what do you think)? A couple months to see how sales are doing, to see if the Nightwish/Kamelot shows have helped to make a dent, and to if we've been successful in convincing others to go by word of mouth. Check back in with Glenn to see how many tickets are left and if he's feeling better about the situation.

If not, each of us does what we can at that point. Those who can buy an extra or ticket or two, would do so at that point. Those who couldn't but still wanted to help out could maybe make a smaller donation to the festival. If things suddenly turn around and the festival is sold out and people are looking for tickets, I'm sure we would be allowed to sell our extras on this board.