What's the difference between ProgPower USA/Europe?

[hunter]

Looking over the list of bands for each festival, it seems to me that PPUSA always gets the "upper eschelon" of bands. The really popular ones, the ones more people seem to know about like Kamelot, Symphony X, Nightwish, etc.

PPEUROPE sometimes has bands who double-bill for both concerts like Adagio and Threshold.

So is it more of a "financial" difference in terms of marketability for certain bands (or their labels)...depite the fact that most metal fans of Progressive/Power Metal bands are in Europe and neighboring countries?

 

[Creeps]

maybe Glenn has better taste hheh, I was going to start checkg out some of those bands that are playing over there this week. I haven't heard of quite a few of them.

 

[Walter_Langkowski]

I couldn't say how who gets booked where, but I'd have to agree that the American side always seems to get the better of the two, this year included, although with one exception. The Euro side has Amorphis playing (headling?) there, and I would love to see them again. They are an excellent band!

 

[Harvester]

You have to understand that Rene is up against a million festivals over there. There is simply no way he can compete from a financial standpoint as the "bigger" name bands command so much more money there. Thus, he mixes it up a bit more to keep things fresh. Plus, he is defintely more of a prog guy than a powerhead.

Glenn H>

 

[hunter]

That almost says something about musical tastes, culturally. Europe(ans) prefer the style and complexity of Progressive Metal, Americans' like heavy, hard-core, Power Metal. I think that pretty much sums up the difference in our cultures - think sonic attitudes.

 

[Jim LotFP]

PPUSA is an important festival, the prime of the US metal circuit, pretty much unique in its ability to get the cream of the crop as far as big name bands and not lose its ass financially, delivering a first class experience all the way.

PPEurope is an underground asterisk in the European festival out in bumfuck Egypt, delivering a wider assortment of more unusual bands.

 

[Demonspell]

The main differences are the lesser known names in Europe, more eclectic rosters, and less power metal, as some have already pointed out...

 

[JayKeeley]

That almost says something about musical tastes, culturally. Europe(ans) prefer the style and complexity of Progressive Metal, Americans' like heavy, hard-core, Power Metal. I think that pretty much sums up the difference in our cultures - think sonic attitudes.

I don't think the band rosters on the PP festivals are a reflection of the cultural differences in musical tastes. Power Metal is infinitely more popular than Progressive Metal on both continents.

To add, I would say that Progressive Metal (as in 'prog rock' or 'prog metal') is more popular in the US than it is in Europe.

 

[Angrafan]

The main difference, IMO, is that PPUSA is a PROG and POWER metal festival. Progpower Europe has a different meaning, the power of prog.

 

[SavaHexe]

Glenn got it perfectly right! ProgPower USA is a unique festival on the whole fuckin huge continent!!
PP Europe is one of the smaller festivals, one of hundred or more, on a fuckin small continent ....... that's the difference.

 

[Daybreaker]

Angrafan, I swear I was about to say the exact same thing that you just did.


Ben

 

[Edu_Falaschi]

Glenn already explained it, Progpower USA is a one of kind festival in the US but it's just another festival among a lot of other bigger festivals like the Wacken

 

[Jim LotFP]

Glenn already explained it, Progpower USA is a one of kind festival in the US but it's just another festival among a lot of other bigger festivals like the Wacken

I wouldn't say that, PP Europe's lineup is usually much better than the bigger festivals over there...

 

[alexxx]

I don't think the band rosters on the PP festivals are a reflection of the cultural differences in musical tastes. Power Metal is infinitely more popular than Progressive Metal on both continents.

To add, I would say that Progressive Metal (as in 'prog rock' or 'prog metal') is more popular in the US than it is in Europe.

That is absolutely right!

And I would add that the biggest fans of “prog” are from the US (some UK also)… in the rest of the world “prog” is not as big. “power” is way more popular around the world, but it seems that “power heads” are not much into writing in the forums.

Any way PP Europe makes a difference exactly in that; it allows “prog” lovers from Europe to get a chance to see those kind of bands.

 

[Edu_Falaschi]

I wouldn't say that, PP Europe's lineup is usually much better than the bigger festivals over there...

C'mon man festivals like Wacken they always have a shitload of bands playing.

 

[Jim LotFP]

C'mon man festivals like Wacken they always have a shitload of bands playing.

So by that same thinking, Koshick fests are better with better lineups than PPUSA because of number of bands playing?

 

[Daybreaker]

So by that same thinking, Koshick fests are better with better lineups than PPUSA because of number of bands playing?

gehhh. Good point.

But I still need to go to Wacken once before I die. If only to get pissed off between choosing to see Human Fortress or Testament when they're playing at the same time and one's in the wet tent where I'll suffocate to death and the other's on the main stage where I'll have to fight my way through a sea of metalheads to get a good spot. Ahhhhh.

Ben

 

[Edu_Falaschi]

Well you know what i meant by saying a shitload of bands, you know half of the bands are major bands that we don't get to seem them around here in the US

 

[aztattooedsean]

So by that same thinking, Koshick fests are better with better lineups than PPUSA because of number of bands playing?

comparing wacken with one of koshick's festivals is like comparing going for a gourmet meal vs going to burger king.

 

[Demonspell]

Damn, Katatonia and The Gathering just got added to PP Europe...