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04-07-2003, 11:46 PM
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#1 of 25 
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Local Time: 01:58 PM
Local Date: 09-07-2008
Posts: 5,073
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NEARfest and prog revival
Oh man, I am so excited! Tickets for the North Eastern Art Rock Festival (NEARfest), June 28-29, were sold out before I had a chance to order a ticket. People come from all over the world for this weekend-long celebration of prog, and the darn thing is right next to me (Trenton, NJ).
Thank God for the internet and NEARfest's messageboard. Some dude from Calgary is selling me an extra ticket in exchange for letting him crash at my place and driving to and from the show both days. Sweet!
Dig the lineup:
Flower Kings
One of my favorite modern prog bands- gorgeous melodies and wonderful arrangements. I think I've even gotten a couple HTFers digging the flower power.
Magma
Crazy-ass French 70s weird alien rock thing. This should be a doozy in concert.
Kraan
Some ol' German band I never heard of before.
Camel
Heck, I didn't even know they were still around. The last album of theirs I have is from the mid-70s, so I have a lot of catching up to do. Easily the most popular band performing this weekend.
Anglagard
Great Swedish prog revivalists. I thought they, too, were no longer around. I only have one of their albums and adore it, so I need to find the other one somewhere...
Glass Hammer
I've read many good things, but never heard them.
Tunnels
featuring John Goodsall (Brand X) on bass! I saw them open for Porcupine Tree- real avant-gard, nutty instrumental stuff. Just my bag.
Other bands: Sleepy Time Gorilla Museum, Alamaailman Vasarat, and High Wheel.
Today, I ordered a couple of Camel and Magma albums, and one each by Tunnels and Glass Hammer. I haven't bought this much prog since college. It's like revisiting an old friend.
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04-08-2003, 10:23 AM
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#2 of 25
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Jason
Member
Join Date: May 2000
Local Time: 09:58 AM
Local Date: 09-07-2008
Posts: 4,439
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Cool, I might actually get to meet you then.  I've managed to go to all of the NEARFests so far, and I always enjoy it. Nothing quite tops the 2001 lineup, tho. Probably the best lineup ever with bands like Porcupine Tree, Banco, After Crying, CGT, Birdsongs Of The Mesozoic, Under The Sun, White Willow and Djam Karet. All of those bands were outstanding.
Quote:
Magma
Crazy-ass French 70s weird alien rock thing. This should be a doozy in concert.
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It is. I saw a bit of the last American appearance at ProgFest. (I lucked out by being able to work that weekend in San Francisco.) I'm looking forward to being able to see the whole show.
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Glass Hammer
I've read many good things, but never heard them.
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I've tried geting into them for years, and they still do nothing for me. I don't know what it is, but they are missing something....
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Camel
Heck, I didn't even know they were still around.
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I think Camel toured a couple of years ago. Guy Le Blanc, of Nathan Mahl (Another great NEARFest performer), toured as their keyboardist, and may be performing this year. (I know he shows up every year to sell his CDs.)
Jason
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04-08-2003, 10:48 AM
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#3 of 25
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Local Time: 01:58 PM
Local Date: 09-07-2008
Posts: 5,073
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We should definitely hook up at the show.
I ordered a Glass Hammer CD, I'll let you know what I think about it.
2001 was the first time I'd heard of NEARfest, again to late to find tickets. But at that time I wasn't into Porcupine Tree and Banco yet.
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04-08-2003, 01:43 PM
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#4 of 25
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Jason
Member
Join Date: May 2000
Local Time: 09:58 AM
Local Date: 09-07-2008
Posts: 4,439
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We should definitely hook up at the show.
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We should at that. I assume from your location that you'll be comming in from your home rather than staying at a hotel. We'll talk more once we get closer.
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But at that time I wasn't into Porcupine Tree and Banco yet.
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That show was actually my first exposure to Banco. To say I was blown away was an understatement. More like a religious experience.  It made me understand why the California Guitar Trio weren't the headliners.
Jason
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04-08-2003, 04:40 PM
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#5 of 25
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2001
Local Time: 08:58 AM
Local Date: 09-07-2008
Posts: 99
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Last year was my first Nearfest and it was fantastic. Decided right then I would be going to all of them if I could get tickets. This year, I went for the Patron program and got row C. Rob and Chad do a great job with diverse acts and run a first rate festival. Beautiful place. Just wish the vendor area was a little bigger (and my wallet was a lot fatter).
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04-08-2003, 04:45 PM
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#6 of 25
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Member
Join Date: May 1999
Local Time: 01:58 PM
Local Date: 09-07-2008
Posts: 8,065
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Every fall/winter I think about going to NEARfest, and every February I forget about getting tickets.
3 years in a row!
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04-08-2003, 05:45 PM
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#7 of 25
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Local Time: 09:58 AM
Local Date: 09-07-2008
Posts: 578
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Too bad Transatlantic and Spock's Beard are no more...
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04-08-2003, 11:09 PM
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#8 of 25
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Jason
Member
Join Date: May 2000
Local Time: 09:58 AM
Local Date: 09-07-2008
Posts: 4,439
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Too bad Transatlantic and Spock's Beard are no more...
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Whataya mean? Just because Neal left doesn't mean Spock's Beard doesn't continue. They are in the studio as we speak, working on a new album.
Jason
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04-08-2003, 11:59 PM
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#9 of 25
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2001
Local Time: 06:58 AM
Local Date: 09-07-2008
Posts: 48
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Too bad I live on the other side of the country, and currently unemployed otherwise I would have definitely signed up. I did make it out to the 2001 , headlined by PTree and Banco with a bunch of fellow prog geeks online. Had a great time even though I wasn't as hard core into it as they were. As much as I loved Banco, I had already seen them at Progfest 2000 (although personally, Kenso stole that festival) and wanted to see PFM.
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Magma
Crazy-ass French 70s weird alien rock thing. This should be a doozy in concert.
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They've been touring on and off since the 70's. Christian Vander and his posse's shows are pretty intense. I'd love to see these freaks live.
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Anglagard
Great Swedish prog revivalists. I thought they, too, were no longer around. I only have one of their albums and adore it, so I need to find the other one somewhere...
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This is the band I've been waiting for to see. I hope they find their way out here in L.A. I did see Mattias the drummer play for Deadwood Forest when they played Progwest a year and a half ago. Dude is a first rate drummer. Hybris and Epilog are classics in my book. Epilog is long out of print, but I've heard they've threatened to put it back in print. They're playing at least 2 new tunes at the Nearfest gig. I'm sure I'll hear them down the line.
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Tunnels
featuring John Goodsall (Brand X) on bass! I saw them open for Porcupine Tree- real avant-gard, nutty instrumental stuff. Just my bag.
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I haven't heard any Tunnels, but if you like avant garde stuff get a load of Sleepy Time Gorilla Museum, and Alamaailman Vasarat, both of which I have albums from. Sleepy Time is more quirkish, while AV has a bit of the pumped up klezmer goin for it. Wonderful.
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Just because Neal left doesn't mean Spock's Beard doesn't continue. They are in the studio as we speak, working on a new album.
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Right you are. As of the last Progwest, Nick D'Virgilio will be handling singing duties, a la Phil Collins with Genesis.
For those who aren't going to Nearfest, Progday, which happens later in the year in North Carolina, is another great prog festival to hang out. The only other one I know off hand is Progwest that's supposed to be put on in November in Southern California. I don't know about a revival, but there seem to be more and more of these each year. Don't pout just because you missed Nearfest. Check out the others.
NP: KBB - Lost and Found |
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