TOP 10 PROGPOWER MOMENTS

[SavaVIDude]

Just thinking about how much fun I have had at PP - I have gone to all of them since PP V. I have also had life-changing experiences here. Here is my list (I also include the Wednesday-Thursday shows):

10. Catching (barely) Lars from Manticora when he suddenly stage dove. BTW, he is a big dude!!

9. Tad Morose with Urban destroying the Center Stage.

8. My friends from Six Minute Century getting to play the big stage (thanks, Shane!!).

7. Seeing Krucible do one of their very few shows (too bad that never came together).

6. Seeing my friends in MindCrime (the first time) when Pamela Moore reprised her Sister Mary part. That slayed!!

5. Seeing Freak Kitchen for the first time and going, "WTF was THAT????".

4. Finally getting to see Rhapsody (thanks, Nathan!!).

3. Seeing Helloween and Gamma Ray. WOW!!!!

2. WOMD - nuff said!!!!

And the number 1 greatest moment for me at PP (drum roll, please):



1. Meeting a beautiful woman that a mutual friend introduced while waiting to get into the venue to see MindCrime (see #6). We discovered not only did we live in the same city, but had a dozen or so mutual friends!! We celebrated 3 years of marriage today.

I am guessing that this time next year, I would probably add Jon doing STREETS!!!

I was also trying to look at the big picture of things Glenn has accomplished. He effectively launched the U.S. careers of Volbeat and Sabaton. He got bands like Edguy and Evergrey to play the U.S., or people like us in the states would have never got to see them. I think he greatly helped U.S. bands like Symph X gain popularity. Also, it has been my dream for some time to hear Jon sing all of STREETS and Glenn is making that happen this year. So - much thanks to Glenn for all the goodness he has brought into my life.

So - what are your top ten PP moments??

Chris

 

[DADRocks]

Well, I've been to them all from VI on, so one less than you. Here is my top moments, hard to rank, so I'll just list them:

- Getting to see Pink Cream 69, where else could that of been possible.
- Being introduced to the band and getting to see Raintime in the front row.
- Being introduced to the band and getting to see Circus Maximus 3-4 times.
- Having the chance to see Freak Kitchen twice.........never thought that would ever happen..Thanks Glenn!!!!
- Seeing Redemption, then being able to see them early in the morning for a repeat performance.
- Seeing the All-Star Jam........wow, was that cool!!
- Catching Amorphis' headline performance.........hoping for a return trip from them, just a solid awesome band....
- Getting to see Kamelot's performance w/ Circus Maximus' singer belting out the songs...
- Getting to see Vanden Plas plugged in and their acoustic morning set..
- Catching Haken's set, and being able to get their cd before its release....
- Being able to see Kingcrow live....
- Seeing Amaranthe's killer set..
- Even though they had to pull out of an earlier PP, Serenity making it over to PP and putting on one of the best performances I've ever seen!!!!!!
- Ashes of Ares and Myrath just blowing me away by their performances....

* Oh yeah, from PP1.....getting to meet Symphony X and seeing them live for their V cd!!!

Well, that's more than 10 moments, just couldn't leave any off the list. I can't wait for this year, I'm sure I'll be adding some.

 

[TwizstedJesus]

2003- Nightwish blew my mind. Just recently I had become a fan, and they & CircleIICircle were the main draws for my 1st ProgPower. Pagans Mind was so much better than the disc that I had heard. The vocals were a million times improved from the disc. Evergrey was killer! I was looking forward to their set, & became a lifelong fan at that point. Secret Sphere. One word...RAMON! He tried so hard to impress us, and he was unintentionally hilarious! The band wasn't too bad either.
Top 10 moment # 10- Ramon and Secret Sphere

2004- So much fun the 1st time that I had to come back. This was the year of the hurricane. We had difficulties getting into Atlanta due to the storm. By the time we arrived we had been on a plane for 8 hours. We got off at the wrong stop from the Marta and had to walk over a mile to our hotel...Bad start. Tad Morose kicked ass, followed by an incredible Kamelot show. Roy Khan wasn't stellar on that night but they were so damn impressive! WOMD was the reason I was there, and Jon was legendary! What a show! They even played "Hyde"! I actually got to talk to Jon about the set out by the bar later. Great guy, great time! Brainstorm was very impressive, working the crowd into a frenzy. By the time P.O.S. and Edguy played I was in so much pain from what I later learned was a developing bloodclot in my leg that I vaguely remember the show. POS was a big reason for my return but I just remember it being a very trippy show.
Top moment #9- Weapons of Mass Destruction/meeting Jon Oliva

2006 Pre-party- Circus Maximus made a lifelong fan that night. Leatherwolf...Wade Black...weird. CircleIICircle once again were great. Got to hang out with Zak a little bit during the weekend.
2006- Freak Kitchen...my 1st WTF moment at Prog Power. Evergrey...damn! Zero Hour did no wrong. I know they didn't go over well but that was a very impressive show! Mercenary was the 1st oddball type band that I really dug. Epica- I discovered them at Kens table/Lasers Edge the previous year and this show was one of my most anticipated. They did not disappoint! Jorn's Whitesnake medley was damn good as was the rest of the show. We Brought The Angels Down indeed!
Top moment #8- Epica
Top moment #7-Freak Kitchen

2007- Not the most memorable year for me. Redemption was the band I was there for. Pagans Mind was good, not as good as their debut performance but still...Primal Fear...METAL IS FOREVER! The All Star jam was amazing! That was a brilliant idea, Glenn.
Top moment #6- Redemption- Sapphire
Top moment #5- All Star jam

2009- Finally! Fates Warning! Diablo Swing Orchestra was my #2 WTF moment! The Crimson Glory tribute to Midnight was touching and fun and also our 1st taste of Mr Todd LaTorre! Circus Maximus. BANG! Orphaned Land was a surprise. The Fates Warning headline set was fantastic! I just wished that Glenn would draw John Arch there...I held out hope to the very end...
Top moment #4- Fates Warning

2010- Leaves Eyes, while not my favorite band, was visually impressive (thanks Liv!) and I really enjoyed their show. Seventh Wonder was great, but being unfamiliar with most of their material didn't leave me with many lasting memories. Tyr were interesting. Nocturnal Rites...WOW! Kamelot with the replacement singer...WOW! Delain was good but Hammerfall? WOW!
Top moment #3- Two power metal masters in one year. Hammerfall & Nocturnal Rites

2012- Amaranthe- Elize Ryd impressed the hell out of me with her vocals, strong stage presence and that hairflipping headbang (not to mention the fact that I still, to this day, want to eat those leather pants). Serenity blew me away. Epica yet again was impressive. Mayan was musically as expected, and the constant vocalist changing onstage was fun to watch. Symphony X "Divine Wings of Tragedy".
Top moment #2- Symphony X playing Divine Wings of Tragedy
Top moment #2A- The beautiful ladies of Prog Power

2013- Circus Maximus. 3rd time is a charm! What a set! What a show! CM may just be my favorite band right now! Seeing Armored Saint was special. The legendary metal band did not let me down! Myrath just stole the show! They slayed the proverbial dragon on this night. Wolf was my surprise band of the weekend..."Speed On" fella's!
Top moment #1- Circus Maximus.

In writing this, I found a pattern in my Prog Power attendance. 2 years there-one year off-2 years there- one off. 3 consecutive times. That pattern dies this year as my 2014 tix are already purchased, The gold badge keeps me wanting to come back every time. So many memories, so much money spent in the merch room, so many black metal shirts!

See ya soon!

 

[Pellaz]

Quite a few amazing memories from PP...wouldn't want to set a definite number or ranking, though.

-- Pain of Salvation at PPUSA 1. To this day their performance ranks as one of the Top 5 most amazing live performances I'll ever see. There were grown men crying in the front row.

-- Nightwish and Marc Brueland. I was a sponsor that year for Nightwish, and their show was amazing...but little did I know how important that show would be.

-- Therion...both times. A band I never thought I'd ever see live in the U.S....and I never would have had it not been for Glenn booking them that first time. I was their sole sponsor (mostly because no-one else would ever have suspected it was remotely possible). A return visit from them was roundly declared as virtually impossible...but in this case, lightning struck twice and I was once again a sponsor. An especially amazing moment was their performance of "The Wild Hunt" that year, which I had requested by email wayyy in advance. Afterward Christofer Johnsson told me it was the first time in the band's career they had ever played a song at a fan's request.

-- Freak Kitchen's special Thursday night performance. I had helped with the Thurs. show and had a VIP badge for access in front of the barricade. That was realllly cool...and then about halfway through the set I suddenly noticed that I was the ONLY person still left in front of the barricade. I was mortified, thinking maybe I was supposed to leave after a certain number of songs or something...but I figured by that point I might as well stick around and face the music later. Just an astonishing performance made even sweeter by being right there on top of it.

-- Amorphis. I sponsored them and they were amazing. I went completely apeshit when they performed "Towards and Against," which was my song of the year. I got spattered by Tomi's hair-whipped sweat but it was worth it.

-- Midnight at 6 a.m. For those who happened to be there, it was an off-the-record, unofficial ProgPower moment that could never have been predicted and, sadly, will never happen again. (And I miss that Fairfield Inn, too.)

There's so much more, but I'm tired...and tomorrow I have to be at work at the unseemly hour of 8am.

 

[TheLongshot]

PP1 gets an entry all to itself. From the announcement that Symphony X and Pain Of Salvation were going to share a stage, to riding in a car overnight with Glenn Fitzgerald, to Russell Allen at Karaoke night, to Tom Englund getting his hair stuck in the ceiling, to getting blown away by Evergrey, but not being able to buy a CD, to the bands living up to the hype, to the friendships made that continue on to this day.

PP2 - The Symphony X meet-and-greet with the mailing list. Also seeing Superior kick ass.

PP3 - Seeing the mixed reaction to Devin Townsend from the audience as he tells everyone to fuck off.

PP6 - Getting to see Conception, who I never thought I'd ever get to see live. Having Therion blow me away.

PP10 - Having DSO and Sabaton blow me away.

PP12 - Having Therion blow away even my highest expectations.

 

[bwrightson]

Wow, this is a fun thread. Here are my favorite moments in no particular order:

PP2 overall - This was my first year at ProgPower, and I was blown away by the overall experience and have been hooked ever since. Thanks to all the bands who went ahead and traveled over to PP despite the 9/11 fears! And of course to Glenn and his crew for making this a weekend I will never forget.

Superior at PP2 - This was the band that convinced/forced me to travel to ProgPower and I was not disappointed. It was an awesome set.

Brainstorm - Their set at PP5 kicked my ass from the first note.

Shadow Gallery - It was a dream come true to finally get to see SG live after years of no touring. To have DC Cooper join the set was icing on the cake.

Jon Oliva workshop - This was really fun and different. I could have sat there for hours listening to his stories. And now I can brag to my son who is an aspiring musician that I got recorded/published before he did!

Circus Maximus - Everytime they have played PP has been awesome but the first set at PP6 will always stand out for me.

Being a sponsor - It has been an honor and a thrill to support Glenn and this festival as a long time sponsor and original gold badge member before that. I don't know what I will do with all the extra vacation and cash when this goes away I wish I had made the trip to go to PP1 so that I could be an original attendee!

While Heaven Wept at PP12 - Their set was awesome, but getting to hang out with the band off and on for the rest of the night was just as awesome. What a great band and bunch of guys/gal!

Redemption - Sponsoring them for PP13 (and getting to attend both shows) was an ultimate high for a band I have been following since the first CD and subsequent performance at PP4. Nick has been gracious all through the years and it has been a pleasure to talk to him most every year if for no other reason than to say hello and see how he is doing.

Threshold - One of the many bands I have come to know and love because of PP. This was my first band to sponsor and I had a great day with them going from their soundcheck to having coffee with Damian to the fan lunch and the eventual set. I was also really glad to be able to see them at PP3 with Mac as well (RIP).

Honorable mentions for me include Sabaton, Freak Kitchen, Angra, Vision Divine, and all Savatage related sets

Thanks,
Bill

 

[drmetal8]

1. Meeting Blind Guardian, Gamma Ray, Angra, Silent Force and Edguy at PP3.
2. Having a beer with Gus G at PP8.
3. Running into and talking with Floor Jansen at PP8.
4. Weapons of Mass Destruction's set at PP5.
5. Meeting Midnight at PP5.
6. The All Star Jam at PP8.
7. Rob Rock's set at PP9.
8. Cage's set at PP10.
9. Accept's set at the Showcase of PP9.
10. Crimson Glory's set at PP10.

 

[LunaTEKKE]

OK, I’ll play…not a top 10, but by festival…

VII – First time at ProgPower…flew across the country to see Circus Maximus, Leatherwolf, and Circle II Circle at the showcase and thought, “what the hell…I might as well stick around for the other two days.” Talk about life-changing! Absolutely blown away by Michele Luppi doing vocals for Vision Divine.

VIII – Jon Oliva special set, Redemption, Zak Stevens doing “Children of the Sea” at the All-Star Jam. Got my ass completely kicked by a band I was *determined* not to like, because of the harsh vocals – After Forever. Am now a dedicated Floor fangirl.

IX – JON OLIVA’S PAIN!!! Bawled through “Believe”. Circle II Circle at Midweek Mayhem. Mustasch – not really my cup of tea musically, but holy crap, what a tight set.

X – Circus Maximus, Fates Warning, and Crimson Glory in one weekend! Sabaton – again, not really my “thing”, but what an awesome show! Pamela Moore with Mindcrime. I didn’t have a laptop with me and missed the announcement on the forum…to say it was a huge surprise would be a *huge* understatement!

XI – Illusion Suite, Kamelot, and DGM. And a little nostalgia with Accept doing “Balls to the Wall” at the Showcase.

XII – Haken, Labrynth, and after a huge disappointment in a prior year, VANDEN PLAS!!!!! Bawled through “Gethsemene” and “Boat on the River” at the special GB show. Voyager – yet another band that doesn’t really fit my musical taste, but how could you NOT have a smile on your face after that set?

XIII – Symphony X doing THE ODYSSEY!!! Also, Redemption, Beyond the Bridge, and getting my ass unexpectedly kicked by Serenity. How had this band fallen under my radar? Jon Oliva songwriting workshop. I laughed, I bawled, I sang (shouted) backing vocals!

XIV – Myrath, Myrath, Myrath, Circus Maximus, Myrath, Circle II Circle doing Wake of Magellan at the Showcase, finally getting to see Shadow Gallery live (although a little bittersweet without Mike Baker). Did I mention Myrath?

Probably managed to leave out something important! Fully expect Seventh Wonder, Pagan’s Mind, and Jon Oliva’s Pain to be highlights for XV – but who knows what dark horse might come out of left field to kick my ass? Just remind me to bring extra Kleenex for “Streets” and “Mercy Falls”.