You beat me to the punch...I didn't know how relevant this would be to the board, so I held off posting it myself, but yeah - Dragon*Con's musical line-up this year is overall the best I have ever witnessed for the convention.
From the moment I heard Stolen Babies last December, they were my "dream band" for Dragon*Con. Never in a million years that I had set a ball rolling that would result in them actually playing the D*Con stage...my favorite new band of the past five years, on stage at a convention that I am involved with. To say I am ecstatic would be the understatement of the year.
Bella Morte does have deep metal roots. Me and Pellaz have been friends with those guys for years, good guys and a great live show. They started off as a straightforward goth act, with vocals strongly influenced by Bruce Dickinson, of all things. Over the years they've moved into a more hard rock oriented style, with their own distinctive sound. I honestly can't compare them to anyone else, and yet, their songs are cohesive and really catchy. It's like they've stumbled onto a combination that should have always existed.
The Last Dance...more bro's of mine. If you want to know what I am always talking about when I am using the term "goth," this is the band to check out. Their album "Whispers in Rage" is probably the best gateway goth album for metal fans that I have ever heard. Their guitarist, Rick, is the finest guitarist I have ever heard in the goth rock genre.
Calabrese will also be performing. Imagine horror punk that isn't a simple ripoff of the Misfits. Yeah, you can tell the 'fits' influence, but Calabrese makes the style all their own. I expect a great show out of these guys.
Voltaire will be performing with his full band, which will be an event, and Cruxshadows always put on a professional show. They won't be to every metal fan's taste, but I recommend them to people who have an appreciation for the more substantial New Wave bands of years past.
I've heard about Vainglory and TTD playing, but have not heard the official word from my end. I hope they aren't against other bands I want to see, because I'd like to see a "metal metal" presence at DragonCon in future years. I really like TTD's "Crest of Martyrs."
