Comments on: THIS YEAR’S PROGRESSIVE NATION TOUR NOT AS ROCKIN’ AS THE LAST

By: Keith Pereira

Keith Pereira — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:53:07 +0000

Even if the other acts are not as solid as last year’s tour. The cost to see ZPZ, Dream Theater, and the one off performance of Queensryche at the DC area show makes it totally worth it.

By: Duchess of Prunes

Duchess of Prunes — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 23:14:03 +0000

This post is pretty fucking funny. With the exception of Beardfish, how have you never heard of ZPZ and PoS? You would rather Muse play, hahahahah.

SonOF: ZPZ and PoS are HUGE in every “prog circle” or proggy fan I’ve ever encountered. I wouldn’t worry about the draw – many people will pay over $50 for ZPZ alone, not to mention PoS hasn’t been to the states for many years. Anyone else wondering if they’re playing much off Scarsick, with the lyrics and all… I guess it would actually be a blessing if they didn’t, since that album IMO left much to be desired. I can’t really keep a straight face watching youtube vids of a short-haired Daniel fronting a disco song.

I’ve seen ZPZ 4 times, and no to those who asked – Vai, I’m pretty sure, will not be there. The first few shows I saw Vai, Bozzio, and Nappoleon Murphy Brock were there, but now I think it’s Ray White and the core band members (who are relatively unknown but absolutely amazing!). I can guarantee you are missing much more from Napi and Bozzio than from Vai’s disappearance from the line-up. Napi is one hell of a front man.

I’m only sorry I can’t go – wouldn’t you know the one time PoS leaves Sweden for the U.S., I’ll have just left the U.S. for neighbor Norway…

By: Simon

Simon — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 01:38:49 +0000

As it’s been said, it’s called PROG Nation, not Metal Nation. If Prog is not your thing, then don’t do an article about a Prog tour. Sure the other bands are not as popular as DT are and that’s exactly the point, Portnoy wants to make good bands known.

By: His Dudeness

His Dudeness — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 16:05:20 +0000

Dream Theater will sound like a bunch of amateurs, when you hear ZPZ play stuff like Echidna’s Arf (Of You), Inca Roads and the Black Page #2.
Not that DT are bad musicians, but compared to ZPZ? Not a chance. And Portnoy knows it!

By: alliaphagist

alliaphagist — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 18:39:30 +0000

how can you not know PoS?? The only band on that list that I think is not great is Beardfish.

By: Jason

Jason — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:12:49 +0000

“Or if I’m offered a free ticket; that’d be rad, too.”

Way to make sure that you will not be offered said free ticket by anyone on the tour:

“I’ll just go ahead and say it: this lineup blows.”

Don’t let your ignorance get you down, Vince. ZPZ and DT will draw all by themselves, guaranteed. Maybe you should buy a ticket and inform yourself by checking out the show. What a novel idea!

By: Johnny

Johnny — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:02:24 +0000

if Steve Vai is with ZPZ consider me there

By: I know more about metal than you

I know more about metal than you — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 20:01:17 +0000

Hey! You went to far you fucker! Its not like I owed you any money man, this is different. You claim to like metal, but not Pain of Salvation? Fucking communist. They should remove you from writing anything having to do with music. This lineup is the tour of the century. Go eat mayonnase out of moms buttcrack.

By: SonOF

SonOF — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 22:02:59 +0000

On a side note, some bands that I think would have made for an excellent prog-type tour:

Symphony X
Porcupine Tree
Into Eternity
Agalloch
Aletheian
Baroness
Cult of Luna
The Human Abstract
Giant Squid

obviously my tastes fall on the metal side of “progressive” ….I get confused by the whole “progressive” moniker sometimes anyway. I would even think bands like Mono, Mogwai, Mouth of the Architect, Russian Circles, would fit the bill, but most would consider them “post” whatever the hell and not progressive. So it goes.

By: SonOF

SonOF — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 21:48:21 +0000

That tour was awesome last year. I don’t know enough about this year’s acts to comment one way or another on the talent (this could be a friggin awesome show for all I know), but I sure don’t think this year’s bunch will have the drawing power of Dream Theater and Opeth. Unless Zappa Plays Zappa and Pain of Salvation are incredibly HUGE in some prog circle that I am completely not a part of, I don’t think this year’s tour will do as well financially (which is why I wonder why the promoters didn’t put a bigger name band on the bill).

By: heavyprog

heavyprog — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 17:43:45 +0000

Beardfish is actually really sick, Pain of Salvation is brilliant, and Zappa is just Zappa (is Vai in on that?). Still, I think this lineup was chosen in response to the last lineup which was very heavy. My guess is that DT’s new album will be more prog focused and less metal, meaning that they want to make this a prog fest, not a progressive death metal thing like last year (which was the best show I’ve ever seen btw). Still, I have very high hopes for this.

By: Plastik

Plastik — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 17:19:39 +0000

I personally think this line up is amazing

Pain of Salvation is an amazing band with amazing musicians and Daniel’s vocals are fucking amazing

Beardfish is also an amazing band with great musician ship too

I love them both

By: Richaod

Richaod — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 06:19:45 +0000

Admittedly my impression of Beardfish is something in the vein of Spock’s Beard, who to me sound EXACTLY like Peter Gabriel-era Genesis… though Portnoy does love them.

By: Richaod

Richaod — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 06:18:35 +0000

Pain of Salvation are just amazing. Vince, a first listen alone will tell you very little about the band, given the depth and diversity of their music. They pretty much stand apart in metal as one of the few bands whose music emphasizes the emotional aspect above the melodic; but they do the latter brilliantly as well.

Frank Zappa, and by extension Zappa Plays Zappa, are also fantastic. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that a less heavy lineup automatically means it’s worse.

By: pokesmot

pokesmot — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 03:51:50 +0000

lol setlist?youre a real bright guy!!!

By: lev

lev — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 02:14:06 +0000

rofl.. it’s funny how all you noobs think last years was better.. now of course you had dream theater opeth and between the buried and me..those were the top bands of last years..three was still good.. but you cant compare it to this years.. it’s absolutely out of this world… and your not even aware of the great bands presented,noobitches. first of all.. this site is shit, second you guys are all fags and dont know shit, this years setlist shits on last years.easy.LOL

By: Hunter Gilley

Hunter Gilley — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 01:28:13 +0000

Awesome bill. Definitely worth seeing PoS. In the next few go arounds of PN, I think they should include some more experimental or maybe even instrumental bands such as God Is An Astronaut, Tetrafusion, Scale The Summit, or maybe do a few LTE songs. If they take the metal route next go-around, maybe some Blotted Science.

Porcupine Tree would’ve still been killer.

By: Revrant

Revrant — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 00:09:56 +0000

Aw, Three was on that tour? Those guys are just fantastic, I could care less about the rest, makes me wish that fucking tour had come anywhere near me, I’d of gone just to catch them.

By: PoS Fan

PoS Fan — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 00:00:51 +0000

Pretty funny. Pain of Salvation has the top 2 prog metal albums, according to users of the site linked by Plasma above and y’all don’t know who they are? LOL!

http://tinyurl.com/apgtws

By: Plasma

Plasma — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 23:35:39 +0000

This package tour has taken a turn to progressive rock and away from progressive metal is all. Or perhaps it’s simply a little more balanced. I think it’s a great idea if folks (on both sides of the prog aisle) will keep their minds open. The common denominator of all these bands is the level of talent contained within each of them. There are opportunities for people on the prog metal side of things (Dream Theater and PoS fans) to gain a little exposure to some bands on the prog rock side of things (ZpZ and Beardfish) and vice versa.

Beardfish are criminally unknown, but extremely talented and prolific (particularly leader Rikard Sjoblom who is also involved in a multitude of other quality projects)…but if you NEED metal in order to like them you will be disappointed.

I’ve seen Zappa Plays Zappa twice and they never fail to impress. With all due respect to Dream Theater, I think they are the most accomplished and capable band on the bill. But if you don’t like Zappa’s music, I can’t help ya. FWIW, Dream Theater do a tune that is a direct nod to Zappa on Scenes From A Memory.

Pain of Salvation is another great band headed by Daniel Gildenlow…an extremely talented musician, songwriter, and singer (he has a ridiculous vocal range). This should please any fan of prog metal. I’d say they are more truly “progressive” and…unique (?) than Dream Theater, actually.

Personally, I’m familiar with all of these bands and have great respect for all of them (and I say “well done, Mike Portnoy!”).

I’m 43 years old (old, beer-drinking fart in the back?) and my 21 year old son is also a big fan of all four bands…so this bill can cut across generational lines. There’s lots of great music out there, why ignore huge swathes of potential enjoyment.

And to that end, check out this site: http://www.progarchives.com

Cheers!

P.S. $50 too much?!!! Considering the talent to price ratio of some ridiculously expensive mainstream acts, $50 is so low it should be illegal…in fact, I was expecting the tickets would be more.