Deciding Factors to go to ProgPower

[Oakenson]

I'm just curious to see what everyone's decision process is concerning the attendence of ProgPower? Do you go simply to go, because you love the event and people? Do you go because of certain bands? For me, for now on, I am going to base my decision off of the bands playing. If two bands I love are playing, I will then definitely go. But if it is mostly bands I don't like, and only a couple I like, I probably won't go - depending on money.

Anyhow, I just thought this would be an interesting topic to start.

 

[Wishmaster]

Because it's there.

--Mike

 

[mtlheart]

I go if there are any bands I want to see which, given the state of the US Metal scene these days, is almost guaranteed.

 

[adaher]

It all depends on the 4th and 5th slot bands for me. At least two of the four have to be bands I really want to see. Even if my favorite bands had all the other six slots it wouldn't be worth it to just see each of them for 45 minutes and then see 6 hours of bands I don't like.

 

[tooobad71]

I will go b/c the festival is like non other in the United Stated and b/c of the way it is handeled and the quality of the bands and the ability to meet any band if you wish. No other festival in the US offers this quality of a show for the money it cost. The festival could be $100.00 more then last year and I would still go.( Don't get any ideas Glenn). Some of the bands you might not ever get the chance to see again, so don't miss your opportunity.

 

[Pellaz]

I will go b/c the festival is like non other in the United Stated and b/c of the way it is handeled and the quality of the bands and the ability to meet any band if you wish. No other festival in the US offers this quality of a show for the money it cost. The festival could be $100.00 more then last year and I would still go.( Don't get any ideas Glenn).

hahaha.

"In other metal news, promoter Glenn Harveston has announced that ProgPower USA is now an all-sponsor event, with tickets costing $225. On the other hand, everyone's a sponsor, so try to get in line early for Catering!"


I make plans for ProgPower every year because I trust Glenn to produce a well-managed, technically near-flawless show with a decent variety of bands, many of whom are either making US debuts or are playing rare shows. Even with bands whose material I don't know all that well, my tastes are diverse enough that I'll enjoy almost anyone when presented in Earthlink Live's setting (among the best in the Southeast for a concert). I've been a band sponsor for the last three years (and hope to make it a fourth) because I truly believe PPUSA is the best-run and best-situated progressive- and power-metal festival in the world, and one of the best-run musical festivals in the world.

I attended the first ProgPower ever (in Holland), and the first ProgPower in the US (up near Chicago), and I don't plan on missing any of the US ProgPower fests for the foreseeable future. My roommate and I helped Glenn secure Earthlink Live for ProgPower USA 2.0, and I remain convinced that it's darn near perfect for a festival of this caliber.

Granted, I live within ten miles of the venue, but I get a hotel room every year......which leads me to another reason why I'd go almost regardless of who was playing: a lot of my online friends attend, and this is the only chance I have to see or meet most of them. Some end up staying in the room to share costs. I'd attend ProgPower even if Glenn had to move it to New York or Chicago or something -- not too likely, thank goodness -- but I might not be able to afford a sponsorship in that case.

 

[adaher]

I would go every year myself simply because I want to support what Glenn is doing.

However, if the bands are not really something that will excite me, I won't deny someone else a chance to go who really wants to. If the festival wasn't selling out in a week I would think differently. But I'd feel bad about going and only kinda liking it while someone who was dying to go has to stay home.

 

[Nightmare1z]

I live about 20 minutes from Earthlink Live, so until it moves from that venue - I'm going no matter whose playing.

If it moves - then I'll have to decide if I'm going based on the bands playing since it'll be a more financially expensive concert then.

 

[MetalRose]

I went last year to see Savatage. I'll go this year because I met so many great people there last year.

-MetalRose

 

[King Lek]

Last year was our first trip. Other than financial stress or timing conflicts, I do not see why we would not continue to go, reguardless of who is playing (ok...maybe not reguardless, but close to it).

"One of the best shows and productions we have ever been to"...."an all around wonderful experience" raves the Lekworld News.

 

[nightwish58]

I have been attending since PP 2 and have been a gold badge member who has purchased my badges priior to an announcement of a date, bands, or location. Other than a catastrophe, I plan on continuing to follow suit for years to come. Although this year I have a wedding I must attend in September. I'm praying the show is not that weekend!

Simply put, PP is the best thing to happen to the prog/power metal scene in the US. The bands are always top notch and Glenn never seems to dissapoint.

 

[Soundscape]

Lineup (a must see band should be there, and Pain of Salvation is 1 so there is 3 of the 4 PPUSA's alone I went for)

Financial Status (can i find an affordable airfare and how far in debt I might be at the time)

Time (does it conflict with other things. Truth be, I didn't realize it at the time, but this past year it fell on Rosh Hoshanna and I'm jewish. I went anyway, but had I known that and there wasn't a must see band like Pain of Salvation, I likely would have not gone)

Kyle

 

[Yippee38]

It's purely a financial decision for us. In other words, as long as both of us are still employed, we will go.

Time is not an issue for us as we arrange our schedules AROUND PP rather than the other way around.

 

[Tess]

Yah, as much as I hate to say it , I think Nightwish58 said it best. Basically, as long as PP USA continues to happen, I will be there with bells on!

 

[wayland smithers]

Clearly the main reason for going is this is the only festival in the States that provides an opportunity for this type of Metal to play here, that is until the last two years you had the BW&BK fest which also supports this genre.
It also gives the bands the chance to then do some other dates around their festival appearance. I'm still waiting for Stratovarius and Running Wild to hit one of these two fests.
Check with www.thatssometal.com as it regularly supports Prog/Power bands.

 

[Purveyor Of Evil]

Financial status is the main thing for me. I'm pretty diverse musically (Metal genres only) , so I don't have a problem with the selection of bands. Plus, the perfection of how the show is done will always bring me back.

 

[AngraRULES]

The only deciding factor to me is the fact that there IS Progpower. =)

 

[Oakenson]

I wish I was in the position to attend yearly, as many people here have stated, unfortunatly, for some of us, the finances are just not there. They were, but now they're not (for me) - damn, I hope the line-up is great every year so I have a definite excuse to go!

 

[zekeyou]

I go for 3 reasons:
1) My next door neighbor has 2 gold badges
2) I live only about 2.5 hours away
3) It's the best organized metal event I've ever been to

I've loved metal for 20 years but generally like things of the much heavier variety, but I've had a blast the last 3 years and intend to keep going as long as I can. Actually the only bands I've enjoyed in the 3 years have been Rage, Into Eternity, Nightwish, Evergrey, and the Sava-thingy.

 

[Oakenson]

Xasthur rules zekeyou - good choice!