Showcase announcement. 1st 3 bands!!!!

[The Invisible Guest]

Epica isn't worthy of headlining anything. They are a fine band, but far from being a headliner .. in my opinion at least.

I'm thinking that with the three rather under the radar type bands named so far the headliner should be pretty big.



Britt

 

[Jibrille]

They went from selling maybe 150 tickets to a sellout in NYC 3 years later.

 

[The Invisible Guest]

Who knows .. maybe they are bigger now than I perceive them to be. Personally I'd be extremely displeased if Epica was named as the headliner.

I'm still hoping for Volbeat, Nevermore, King Diamond, or Vanden Plas. Vanden Plas is even suspect as a true headliner in my opinion. They would work better with a co-headlining scenario with another similarly successful band.


Britt

 

[OrbWeaver]

I'm still hoping for Volbeat, Nevermore, King Diamond, or Vanden Plas. Vanden Plas is even suspect as a true headliner in my opinion. They would work better with a co-headlining scenario with another similarly successful band.

I'd be displeased if any of those bands, other than Vanden Plas, were announced as headliner.

Just because you're not a fan of Epica doesn't make them a bad choice, any more than the first three bands you mentioned. Now, if they really do NOT have the drawing power to be a headliner, then yes, they'd be a poor choice for headliner. But given the success of their recent US tour, I believe they would make a good choice. Two of the three bands you mentioned certainly have more drawing power than Epica. But how realistic is it that Shane would be able to get Nevermore or King Diamond? I imagine King Diamond would possibly want more money than Shane could afford, and we all know that Nevermore isn't exactly a reliable band to book for this festival.

And as for Vanden Plas...I'm starting to doubt the USA is ever going to allow them back in this country.

So that leaves Volbeat as, what I believe, the most likely band out of the four you mentioned. And I think they have about as much drawing power as Epica.

 

[nomisofsiman]

Who knows .. maybe they are bigger now than I perceive them to be. Personally I'd be extremely displeased if Epica was named as the headliner.

I'm still hoping for Volbeat, Nevermore, King Diamond, or Vanden Plas. Vanden Plas is even suspect as a true headliner in my opinion. They would work better with a co-headlining scenario with another similarly successful band.


Britt

I would go nuts (in a good way) if King Diamond was announced, but I highly doubt it due to his health issues. He would go over really well with this crowd even if he's labeled "black metal" which I never considered him to be, even when he was with MF. I've always thought his stuff was more in line with power metal, but with a slightly heavier and darker sound, not to mention a different style of vocals.

 

[The Invisible Guest]

So that leaves Volbeat as, what I believe, the most likely band out of the four you mentioned. And I think they have about as much drawing power as Epica.

I guess in the US I have no idea ... I'm under the impression that Volbeat is pretty huge these days in Europe. They also got that Metallica US tour stretch this past year which leads me to think that they have a decent status in the music community.

The part I really wouldn't like about Epica being the headliner is that there is no real exclusivity to it ... they tour the states all the time. Volbeat playing a headlining show in the US would be kind of special.

As for the King .... he'd make sense as a one-off if the price was right. I have no idea what he would cost. His health is in question with the bad back, but I'm led to believe he could make it thru a handful of shows. He's also lives in the Dallas area ... I think 3 of 5 members are now pretty much US based, so the travel costs are not sky high.

Nevermore .... they rarely get to show their stuff in a headlining capactity, and it's been several years since they've toured. Glenn might have given up on them ... maybe Shane hasn't.



Britt

 

[Dolamite S. Biffle]

DREAM EVIL!!! DREAM EVIL!!! DREAM EVIL!!! DREAM EVIL!!! DREAM EVIL!!! DREAM EVIL!!!

 

[No Username]

Volbeat headliner==build the time machine and buy tickets NOW.
Neveragain headliner==save money on hotel and come in one day later.

Trying to figure out how two days heavily weighted towards power metal means we should have a band like Nevermore headline the pre-party.

Aren't we all about balance?

 

[Dolamite S. Biffle]

Volbeat headliner==build the time machine and buy tickets NOW.
Neveragain headliner==save money on hotel and come in one day later.

Trying to figure out how two days heavily weighted towards power metal means we should have a band like Nevermore headline the pre-party.

Aren't we all about balance?

Nah Bring On The POWER!!!! Besides last year was Prog heavy, its only fair that us power-heads get our year too

 

[The Invisible Guest]

The Prog doesn't seem to produce sales as compared to the power oriented stuff. Given the three bands that are signed up for the Showcase so far they are going to need a pretty good draw for that headline spot. I'm guessing Power of some sort. I hope it's something that is somewhat exclusive, but figuring it probably won't be.



Britt

 

[gorobschnitt]

I'm just coming in on the discussion but it seems to make economic sense to have a US band as headliner. Would a band like Iced Earth for instance tick the right boxes or are they now too big for this kind of show!

Volbeat are ace and a very different act to everything else.
Sabaton are fucking amazing and they put on a brilliant headlining show in London just before Christmas.
Epica are still on my 'to do' list - so wouldnt mind one bit

Do the Showcase evenings sell over a 1000 tickets then?? To me, that would be something special!

 

[OrbWeaver]

If there's one thing we can all agree on, it's that we're hoping for an announcement soon.

 

[The Invisible Guest]

Agreed ... agreed !!



Britt

 

[nomisofsiman]

I'm just coming in on the discussion but it seems to make economic sense to have a US band as headliner. Would a band like Iced Earth for instance tick the right boxes or are they now too big for this kind of show!

Volbeat are ace and a very different act to everything else.
Sabaton are fucking amazing and they put on a brilliant headlining show in London just before Christmas.
Epica are still on my 'to do' list - so wouldnt mind one bit

Do the Showcase evenings sell over a 1000 tickets then?? To me, that would be something special!

Iced Earth has toured too much in the last couple years in my opinion. I doubt it and I wouldn't really want it to be honest even though I am a fan.

Volbeat I still don't think have a bunch of drawing power in terms of being a headliner in any form.

Epica I personally would like, but due to they're currently on a US tour I doubt they will come back for the Showcase.

Sorry, I don't mean to be negative here, I'm just being realistic. I'm banking on Blind Guardian at this point. Possibly Sabaton, despite my desire to wait another year or so to see them. I think the headliner has to have some MAJOR drawing power as people have said. In other words, I doubt it'll be a prog band since all the others this night are prog.

 

[Pellaz]

Concur. Blind Guardian, Sabaton.....maybe Nevermore.

 

[MetalRose]

Do I strike you guys as the type of person who panics easily?

Why yes, yes you do Chicken Little.

Volbeat I still don't think have a bunch of drawing power in terms of being a headliner in any form.

They did a couple of tours here last year. Not major ones, but let me tell you when I saw them the brought the house down, even more so than the headliners. So I'll disagree with you there.

I'd love to see Sabaton back or Freak Kitchen.

If it's Nevermore or Blind Guardian or Epica or Nightwish (Sorry J-man) I'll pass.

-MetalRose

 

[The Invisible Guest]

I like Sabaton, but I would prefer to see them back as a near headliner .. after they release another disc or two. I don't like the idea of immediately bringing bands back the following year. There are still tons & tons of bands who have not played the fest once. So yeah .. bring Sabaton back .. just do it after they release some new material or something.

Freak Kitchen ... like them a lot, but they have played the fest a few times already. I'd rather have some new blood, or at least a band that hasn't played the fest in a long time.

Iced Earth .. no thanks. They just played two years ago .. don't have anything new to play. That is the size of band I am thinking will be the headliner.


Britt

 

[J-Man]

Why yes, yes you do Chicken Little.




They did a couple of tours here last year. Not major ones, but let me tell you when I saw them the brought the house down, even more so than the headliners. So I'll disagree with you there.

I'd love to see Sabaton back or Freak Kitchen.

If it's Nevermore or Blind Guardian or Epica or Nightwish (Sorry J-man) I'll pass.

-MetalRose

Sources say Nightwish will not tour again until 2011, after they finish they new album

 

[General Zod]

With both Delain and Leaves Eye performing at the main festival, Epica brings very little to the table with regard to overall festival appeal. And I'd guess that's something that's heavily weighted.

Blind Guardian isn't likely to come over for a one-off. I'm guessing if they were available, they'd be headlining the festival.

Volbeat is an amazing live act. And I'm sure if they had played ProgPower when they were scheduled, they would made enough fans, that they'd have positioned themselves to headline the pre-party.

I wouldn't be surprised if Sabaton is Shane's safety band. They have both drawing power and would love to come back, probably even as a one off.

While those who know me will suggest the comments that follow are biased, I believe it makes them no less true. Nevermore, assuming Shane can get them and Glenn won't put the kibosh on it, is a home run. They have drawing power, they'll help sell tickets to the main festival, they satisfy a cross-section of both Power and Prog fans, and they have a fanatic enough following, that people will travel to see them. Plus, as it's been pointed out, they've performed very few U.S. headlining shows since Dead Heart.

 

[General Zod]

Why yes, yes you do Chicken Little.