ProgPower USA IX Roster Discussion

Serenity, Astral Doors, Elvenking, and Iron Savior already make it worthwhile to me. JOP too, if he does at least 50% Savatage material.
So, we need two more headliners? When is that Helloween/GammaRay tour hitting the states?
 
I'm extremely excited about Andromeda...as I've been hoping for them for years now. Also Riverside I'm pretty excited about. Other than them and Oliva, I don't know the other bands at all. I'll have to wait to see the last 2 slots to decide for sure whether I will go or not.
 
As soon as I saw the lineup, I wanted to just hand over next year's badge money to Glenn. Apparently I have to wait for sales to start.
 
As soon as I saw the lineup, I wanted to just hand over next year's badge money to Glenn. Apparently I have to wait for sales to start.

+1

Kudos to Glenn for giving the people what they want! I have seen countless posts on these forums for Riverside, Elvenking, and Andromeda. Also there have been numerous posts asking for some semblance of Oliva/Savatage, and quite a few for S.U.E., Astral Doors, Iron Savior, and Serenity.

The loudest pops last night at the show were definitely (in no particular order) for Riverside, Elvenking, Andromeda, JOP, and Iron Savior.

Pathosray is still quite new on the scene and Volbeat appeared to be the band that covered the "HUH?" spectrum. heh heh. I think you could hear a pin drop when that name came up. :p Sorry Glen, I have heard of them but have never bothered checking them out. I can tell you this though - I liked what I heard on the video. *thumbs up*

I told Glenn more than once this year that PPVIII may have been his strongest lineup ever. But looking over the PPIX roster again today... I could be wrong.

:worship:

and we still have two bands to be announced. Holy Mother of GOD! o_O
 
I'm excited about Jon Oliva's Pain, Andromeda, and Volbeat, but my return was solidified when Riverside was announced.

As for Volbeat... I suspect they will live up to the oddball tag quite well, and I'm looking forward to seeing them and hearing how their rather unique sound translates from CD to stage...
 
This is an interesting list of bands.

I just discovered Pathosray a few days ago (from the forums). Just bought their CD at the show and this thing kicks ass! :OMG:

The other bands... most of them I have heard of, but don't know their music. I guess I'll be doing some serious listening between now and next PP.

These bands do tend to be more obscure than the ones in the past. Give Glenn credit for trying to break new ground. I just hope this is a gamble that will pay off. Or the other two yet to be announced bands are more popular. Otherwise the chances of a sellout may be slim.
 
As soon as I saw the lineup, I wanted to just hand over next year's badge money to Glenn. Apparently I have to wait for sales to start.

So you decided it's PP again next year? I remember you said you were wanting to attend a European fest but that would depend on if you liked the PP roster or not.
 
I'm baffled to say the least and I thought I'd NEVER say that. I guess I'd better get to work checking some bands out.


Not only was this NOT Pretty Maids but it's like my goddamned nightmare come to life here! I love power metal and even then, for me, Iron Savior is a 2 slot. My oh my.....I guess I'm more disappointed that I don't even have to make a choice here. :cry:

Maybe next year I'll be sending my Pretty Maids shirts with someone else to wear in honor of my ongoing boycott. :)
 
Elvenking - This is going to be cool! I have two of their albums, but yet to hear their latest one! Maybe a third-tier or 4th-tier slot?

Iron Savior - I only have Megatropolis and thought that kicked some serious ass! I still need to go check out their back catalog! I think this will be awesome for this show - guessing a second-tier slot, although it could very well be the other headliner, but doubt it.

Pathosray - Just only found about these guys and via that one sample and really liked what I heard. Bought the album and listened to it on the way home from the airport in the car - kick-ass! Will probably be the opening act.

Volbeat - Who??!!?? :confused: I went and checked them out on Wikipedia as well as eMusic. At least eMusic has thier first album, so I'll have to grab it when my account resets to at least check them out. Sounded really cool from the sample I heard during the announcement. Probably be the other opening act.

Astral Doors - I just only discovered these guys due to me trying to use up some eMusic downloads so they don't go wasted! I got the current album and thought it also kicked total ass. Probably a 3rd-tier slot.

Riverside - Again, another who??. Also looked up on Wikipedia and eMusic, which also had their first album. Will need to grab it as well to give it a good listen. I saw their latest album at one of the vendor tables and even looked at it, but did not buy it as I did not know what they sounded like. Also liked what I heard on the sample played during the announcement. Probably a 4th-tier slot.

Andromeda - Another one that I've listened to quite a bit and really liked. This is awesome that I'll finally get to see these guys live. Probably either the other 3rd or 4th-tier slot.

Serenity - It was definitely a "Holy Shit!" moment for me when that was announced. I only found about these guys about a month or so again (again, thanks to eMusic) and was completely blown away (even listened to them on the plane ride home today)! Am I the only one that thinks the vocalist sounds like Tony Kakko? The first time I heard this, I thought it was Sonata Arctica, as I was streaming the AOL Radio "power-metal" channel, but in another part of the house doing some cleaning when the first time I heard these guys! Once I realized it did not sound like any Sonata Arctica track I was familiar with, I had to run to the computer to find out who did that awesome track (was "Canopus 3" off of their album). Was glad eMusic had their album so I immediately downloaded as I still had some downloads in my account at the time. I wanted to get an actual CD of this album, but completely forgot - I guess I'll order it online, but continue to rock out with my eMusic download in the mean time. However, most likely a 5th-tier slot, though.

Spheric Universe Experience - Yes! I picked up their first album last year (on a very strong recommendation by Lance) and it friggan blew me away as well. Of course, I did pick up their new one at the show this year (had not had a chance to listen to it yet, though, but hear that it is very good indeed!) Probably the other 5th-tier slot

Jon Oliva's Pain - I have just about all of Savatage's as well as both of the J.O.P albums (not to mention the T.S.O stuff). However, I saw Jon at BAR Fest and thought it was awesome, but was somewhat underwhelmed. However, I am probably just going to right that off in that I was just so dogged ass tired that night that it was just getting to the point that I wish the damn thing would end so I can go back to my room and go to bed (pretty much how I felt with Freak Kitchen this year - they are cool and a lot of fun to watch, buuuut.... :guh: ). So needless to say, I am looking forward to seeing this again. I heard he kicked ass this year on Wednesday (I could not afford the extra day off from work, plus I really, really wanted to see Sonata Arctica and Firewind at Jaxx, even though, yes, I was going to see them again at PP - but seeing them in such a tiny, intimate place like Jaxx is just so awesome in its own right - I get to hang out with many of these bands unlike even at PP like I do at Jaxx!) This is most likely going to be one of the headliners, or at the very least a second-tier slot.

Who I would love to see added, especially to balance out the pretty prog heavy lineup - Nocturnal Rites (the other headliner and Metalium (either a headliner or second-tier, depending on how J.O.P is scheduled in, most likely J.O.P as a headliner and Metalium as second-tier)!

Maybe we can start a pool here, but this is how I predict how it will line up:

Headliner
Jon Oliva's Pain
(TBA - Would be sweet if Nocturnal Rites)

Second-Tier
Iron Savior
(TBA - Would love Metalium)

Third-Tier
Astral Doors
Elvenking or Andromeda (I'd put Andromeda to oppose the power Astral Doors)

Forth-Tier
Riverside
Elvenking or Andromeda (I'd put Elvenking to oppose the proggy Riverside)

Fifth-Tier
Serenity
Spheric Universe Experience

Sixth-Tier/Opener
Pathosray
Volbeat

Overall, I am stoked about this lineup and have already decided that I am going to make every effort to attend, God willing!
 
Riverside - Again, another who??. Also looked up on Wikipedia and eMusic, which also had their first album. Will need to grab it as well to give it a good listen. I saw their latest album at one of the vendor tables and even looked at it, but did not buy it as I did not know what they sounded like. Also liked what I heard on the sample played during the announcement. Probably a 4th-tier slot.

some may disagree, but i like to think of riverside as the new porcupine tree.

second life syndrome is such a killer album
 
some may disagree, but i like to think of riverside as the new porcupine tree.

second life syndrome is such a killer album

It looks like it got some very positive reviews by other folks on eMusic - so definitely can't wait till my eMusic account resets itself so I can get this. If they are anything like this Dead Soul Tribe (A Lullaby for the Devil), that I am currently listening to right now (which I picked up at the show) , I am sold!