ProgPower USA: Where the Magic Happens...

[Harvester]

Things I'm proud of..

U.S. debuts:

Adagio
After Forever
Andromeda
Angra
Angra
Ark
Balance Of Power
Blind Guardian
Circus Maximus
Communic
Conception
Delain
Devin Townsend Band
DGM
Diablo Swing Orchestra
Dreamscape
Edguy
Elvenking
Epica
Firewind
Freak Kitchen
Gamma Ray
Illusion Suite
Into Eternity
Iron Savior
Manticora
Mercenary
Mustasch
Nightingale
Nightwish
Oceans Of Sadness
Orphaned Land
Pagan's Mind
Pain Of Salvation
Pathosray
Pink Cream 69
Pyramaze
Rage
Raintime
Sabaton
Saint Deamon
Savage Circus
Secret Sphere
Seventh Wonder
Silent Force
Spheric Universe Experience
Spiral Architect
Stormwarrior
Stratovarius
Superior
Symphorce
Tad Morose
Tarot
Threshold
Thunderstone
Vanden Plas
Vision Divine
Wuthering Heights


Things you never thought you would see...

Conception Reunion
Weapons of Mass Destruction
All-Star Jam
Crimson Glory Midnight tribute show

Special Guest Appearances:

Rick Mythasis with Angel Dust
Jon Oliva with Circle II Circle
Midnight with Kamelot
Michael Erikson with Conception
Jake (Amaranthe) & Johnny (Nocturnal Rites) with Hammerfall
Pamela Moore with Primal Fear (first appearance)
Marco with Delain
Truls (Circus Maximus) with Pagan's Mind

Other stuff:

Pain of Salvation's "Fans Pick the setlist"
Jorn in corpse paint
Evergrey performing "Trilogy of the Damned"
Evergrey with the String Quartet & 2 1/2 show
Mercenary covering "Cowboys from Hell"
Devin Towsend covering "Summer of '69"
Symphony X performing "Edge of Forever"
Zak Stevens with Jon Oliva's Pain
Orphaned Land acoustic show
DC Cooper acoustic show with the fans as the backing band
Jon Oliva, Zak Stevens, Urban Breed, and others doing metal karaoke
Kamelot with Michael Erikson (Tommy from Seventh Wonder appearance also)

I have no doubt I'm leaving stuff out. Feel free to add more...

 

[Metalmilitia2000]

You doing the chicken dance then stagediving during Cowboys From Hell makes me laugh my ass off every time I see that video...

 

[Diabolik]

I have always said that it is because of PP that we get power and prog tours in the US. If that 3rd year did not happen I think it would have been many years later for lots of the bands we see now to even get here. I think that was a benchmark year for metal in the states. It showed bands and people that metal is alive and people are here who want to see it. I honestly think that if that huge line up didnt happen...lots of bands would have taken longer to eventually get over here. Even though I have not been to the fest....I thank thee.

 

[DADRocks]

You should be proud of the number #1 music festival in the USA. And be proud you've done it at minimal cost to the festival goers. I don't know how you've been able to pull it off. Man, I never thought I'd be able to catch Freak Kitchen or PC69. Be proud of the unknown bands you've been able to expose people to (Raintime, Oceans of Sadness, and Circus Maximus to name a few.).

 

[ApolloFC]

Circus Maximus' 80s cover tunes Wednesday night

 

[nailz]

How can you not be proud of your balls of steel award?

 

[Guardian of the Blind]

I thought Rob Rock and Timo Kotipelto singing with Edguy was pretty bad ass!!

 

[J-Dubya 777]

THAT is a lot to be proud of! I went to the first one to see Synphony X, & Evergrey...was stoked to see SY-X replace Nevermore, although seeing Nevermore would have been cool. You made me a fan of the fest for 6 years where it was my only real vacation every year, and I am honored to be part of the crew, something I do not take lightly. Cheers n' beers for many more of these to come, and lets double the size of this list! :Smokedev:

For the other stuff catagory, lets not forget the AWESOME Eklundh & J-Mac clinics!

 

[Pellaz]

"Midnight at 6am"
Epica covering "Crystal Mountain"


Also, the fact that ProgPower USA was the 'triggering event' for Therion's first-ever US tour. Granted, overall the tour was a bust, but we would never have had a chance to see them in the States if it hadn't been for PP. (And now we get to see them again, for the last time.)

 

[mel_progson]

ProgPower 10. You managed to get 4 of my all time favourite bands on the bill at once; Fates Warning, Crimson Glory, Pagan's Mind and Circus Maximus. Bands that will never play here in Aus. I couldn't not come.

Also, I've gotten to model two amazing vacations around PP, met some amazing people and seen alot of that great country.

 

[Palabra de Dios]

What are the US debuts this year? I would assume Haken, since they're so new, Red Circuit, maybe Dream Evil, Arcturus, Labyrinth, Voyager and Mob Rules? Are all of these US debuts???

 

[Metaldrumz]

Dream Evil has played a gig in the USA.

 

[DarkOne]

Oliva playing a one man set, and including things like a Eleanor Rigby/Savatage medley.

A new all-star version of 'Stars'.

Of the things you mentioned, the best ones for me were the All Star Jam and Weapons of MD. Never thought either of those could be pulled off. Kudos for those and the rest.

Steve in Philly

 

[Smitdawg]

I am so glad that Glenn has brought many of these bands that I never thought I would get a chance to see here in the U.S.

Although I thought that After Forever (who is still my favorite performance period at any of the ProgPowers I have been to) played at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas the year before they played ProgPower. Why, I have no idea, but I thought I remember that they were there from an interview they did or something. Of course, I could just be imagining things from lack of sleep.

Regardless of that though, getting to see After Forever, Epica, Delain and Tarot, as well as being introduced to Pyramaze, Freak Kitchen, Firewind, Circus Maximus and Pagan's Mind has been amazing. I can't wait to see some of these new U.S. debuts this September. Thank you Glenn for what you do.

 

[General Zod]

Cool list. I'd add, pushing on with the show in 2001, shortly after 9/11. Not a full house for PPII, but a much needed catharsis (I suspect) for most everyone in attendance.

 

[Palabra de Dios]

Agree with Smitdawg on being introduced to new bands through ProgPower. Each year there have been bands that I haven't listened to before (more when I first started going than lately). Still, this festival has made me fans of Freak Kitchen, Riverside, Mustasch, Serenity (even though they didn't play), DGM, Paradox (even though they didn't play), Circus Maximus, as well as likely indirectly making me fans of TONS of bands though this forum, buying CDs based on PP merch recs, and generally being around the ProgPower crowd. It's crazy the influence this festival has had on my liking of heavy metal music.

 

[ICEDEARTHFAN]

For me,I've only been to 2 Progpower events.But IX will forever me special for me because of the Helloween and Gamma Ray show on the Thursday night.2 of my all time favorite power metal bands back to back!!!

 

[Claus / Intromental]

If not for ProgPower USA I would have never met my wife. For that I'm eternally grateful!
c.

 

[Mardoch]

I think one of the biggest achievements is the atmosphere of the festival. Even though I know almost no one there and it's over 500 miles from home, it still feels like coming home. I've been to the show three times (9, 10, and 11), and it always manages to feel like I belong there. That says a lot of what Glenn brings to this particular show to make someone as asocial as me to feel at home in a strange place.

 

[ConnieOH]

PP has been a big and wonderful part of my life for the past 5 years that I've been going. I've been exposed to many new bands thru the fest and the forum, and have gotten to see many I never dreamed I would get to see.

The biggest of those are Evergrey, Fates Warning (esp. Ivory Gate of Dreams!), and Seventh Wonder!!

Keep doing what you're doing Glenn, and thanks!