How is Prog received where you live?
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Topic: How is Prog received where you live?
Posted By: A-JCharron
Subject: How is Prog received where you live?
Date Posted: January 01 2013 at 22:42
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Hi everyone! First off, I'm in Montreal, so I know the North American prog scene well enough. For example, in Montreal, Prog does not go over very well. We get the occasional show (recent years, Greg Lake, Steve Hackett, Saga and a couple more), plus a small prog festival which started a few years ago, but not much else. No media coverage either. There are almost 3 million people, so obviously a few fans here and there, but as much as Montreal used to be a huge prog town in the 70's, prog is not well seen anymore. Didn't stop me from releasing an album, but then again, nobody around here is interested in covering it in any way. I was wondering how the prog scene is doing elsewhere in the world? Can you tell, where you live, does it get any coverage at all from the media? Do you get a lot of shows? I'm really interested in learning as much as possible. Thanks for your replies; I do appreciate them! A-J ------------- Humouring Gods; Where Classic Meets Rock http://www.ajcharronmusic.com" rel="nofollow - http://www.ajcharronmusic.com <a href="http://[email protected]" |
Replies:
Posted By: Ambient Hurricanes
Date Posted: January 01 2013 at 23:02
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Here in St. Louis, we're probably pretty average for our reception of prog; we get our every-tour Rush show, and the media is pretty indifferent, as usual. In local music, the blues and jazz scene is more prominent here. Most of my friends dismiss or dislike progressive music, but there are a few musically open-minded ones who appreciate some prog. I don't know any other real progressive rock fans, though, outside of this forum. ------------- I love dogs, I've always loved dogs |
Posted By: Argonaught
Date Posted: January 01 2013 at 23:19
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I think pretty much everywhere in the world "prog" would be a predominantly urban pastime. Where we live, at the local flea markets and second-hand record stores you will find a generous supply of the pre-Buggles Yes, early Tull, ELP, most of Genesis, pos-Barrett Pink Floyd, and plenty of US fusion records. But looking for the likes of Ozric Tentacles, Pendragon, Magma or Porcupine Tree would not be terribly productive. Does it give an indication of the prevalent tastes? I don't know if this is indicative of anything, but Steven Wilson is scheduled to be playing with his "traveling band" in Washington, DC in April in the Howard Theater, which holds 1,200 persons. Not yer arena rock venue. |
Posted By: paganinio
Date Posted: January 01 2013 at 23:27
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world's biggest proghead and soon-to-be world's most influential prog musician both live in my area, my house actually. Other than that, it's a dead scene. ------------- 
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Posted By: progger7
Date Posted: January 01 2013 at 23:30
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I live in Miami so it's practically a barren wasteland here. barely any bands come down here because over here it's all about overly commercialized music like pitbull and reggaeton and if there are people that are into rock or metal, they usually like bands like metallica or linkin park... I can count on my hand the amount of friends I know that are into prog but only one of them like it as much as i do that we make the effort to take 4 hour drives upstate to Orlando or Tampa because that's as far as most prog bands will come down to here in Florida. rarely do they ever come to Miami. Only a hand few of bands that I love have come down to miami once and that was for prognation when Opeth and Dream theater were headlining and another time, Porcupine tree came which was a real treat because the day before we had driven to Orlando to see them so we saw porcupine tree back to back one weekend. totally worth the sleeplessness. lol Deftones are coming this march as well but they're even more popular so it doesn't surprise me. ------------- 
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Posted By: progger7
Date Posted: January 01 2013 at 23:30
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and also, many people here think I'm strange just because of my music taste. even my own sister. =/ -------------
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Posted By: dawbakhos
Date Posted: January 01 2013 at 23:32
| Oh, I'm from Venezuela. And no, I don't know any other prog fan more that some Twitter people and the people from this forum. Art is dead here. :-/ |
Posted By: Dayvenkirq
Date Posted: January 02 2013 at 00:00
| Where I live there is no prog ... except probably in my apartment ... and Best Buy ... and probably Wal-Mart. A few songs by Yes and Rush, one by Tull ("Locomotive Breath"), and a s$%tload songs by PF get airplay. I know Tool came over here a few times. How were any of these things received, I don't know. All I know is that prog annoys the living hell out of my mother. |
Posted By: Polymorphia
Date Posted: January 02 2013 at 00:11
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Hi, I'm from Mississippi. Most of the people I have contact with are pretty open-minded, even if they aren't very knowledgable. Many of my friends listen to pop artists. Every folk/folk-rock band reminds them of Mumford and Sons, and any electronic element is perceived as dubstep influence. I don't necessarily fault them with this, though. Most of them are just starting to appreciate music in a new way, and I say that's good for them, as long as they're not arrogant about it. On the other hand, most musicians here know about prog. Every time I go to a record exchange at the local record store, I find lots of prog in people's collections. My former guitar teacher is a big prog fan. Most music fans period down here period dabble in some prog. Even those who aren't into prog are willing to give it an honest listen. |
Posted By: JesusisLord
Date Posted: January 02 2013 at 02:45
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In Hawaii ? Are you kidding ? Hula Prog ? Reggae Prog? Ukelele Prog ? ------------- And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Phillipians 2:11 |
Posted By: Dayvenkirq
Date Posted: January 02 2013 at 03:11
^ Seriously?  
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Polymorphia wrote:Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: January 02 2013 at 03:31
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In my current country Belgium I don't know any Prog fan personally, but then I do not know many people here. A few big bands still include Brussels in their tour calendar (Yes, DT...) but not many. There's a small venue organising relatively frequent prog concerts for small bands (The Spirit of 66) but unfortunately it's quite far from where I live. I have met and chatted with a couple of Prog fans there but not got into an actual friendship, it's too far. Neighboring Holland has more Prog scene but it's also not that close for going frequently.
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: January 02 2013 at 03:54
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I like it, my wife likes some, my daughter knows the words to wish you were here, the cats seem non-plussed about it. ------------- What? |
Posted By: Astral Traveller
Date Posted: January 02 2013 at 06:50
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Here in CT we get every Rush, Yes, Tull, Waters,Musical Box and even Hackett tour. In Farfield County where I live, the Musical Box played a show at the Ridgefield Playhouse, which was an amazing show. Rush came in October, and Yes is stopping by in April.
-------------  A mistake is always forgivable, rarely excusable and always unacceptable. -Robert Fripp |
Posted By: Moogtron III
Date Posted: January 02 2013 at 09:03
Well, the same goes for me. When I still lived in the Netherlands (in Utrecht) I visited many prog concerts with my Dutch prog friends, especially in De Boerderij. Spirit of 66 is too far for me as well. Here in the countryside of East Flanders, prog seems to be virtually non-existent.
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Posted By: DanthraX
Date Posted: January 02 2013 at 09:17
I'm from Venezuela too, besides a couple of friends who like some bands (specially DT and PF) I'm the only one I know who is really a prog lover (almost addicted to it). Luckily I have a girlfriend who is really open minded with music (she had a nice rock background) and now loves almost all bands I do. On the other hand, here is all about salsa, merengue, reggeaton, etc, so prog is kind of an underground thing. Despite this, I've been able to assist to some excellent concerts: Peter Gabriel, Marillion x2, Yes, Asia, Dream Theater x3, Uriah Heep and of course Steven Wilson, best concert so far, incredible! ------------- I look up, I'm almost blinded by the warmth of what's inside me and the taste that's in my soul, but I'm dead inside as I stand alone... |
Posted By: HolyMoly
Date Posted: January 02 2013 at 09:39
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I live in Atlanta. Prog shows are pretty rare here, but we're the only city for hundreds of miles that has any chance at all of having a prog band perform. Usually, there is a very small but very dedicated crowd attending these things. Very easy to make friends at such events, especially if you choose your t-shirt wisely. As a "music scene", Atlanta is very well known for producing rap and R&B acts. Outkast is one of our homegrown success stories. And a good example, I might add. Could do a lot worse than Outkast. ------------- My other avatar is a Porsche It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased. -Kehlog Albran |
Posted By: Polymorphia
Date Posted: January 02 2013 at 10:40
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Posted By: Kotro
Date Posted: January 02 2013 at 10:43
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Prog is generally ignored in Portugal, both in the form of media attention (radio, tv, written press) and presence in record stores. Ironically, the country hosts what is probably the greatest annual Prog festival in Europe, Gouveia Art Rock. ------------- Bigger on the inside. |
Posted By: progbaby
Date Posted: January 02 2013 at 11:28
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where I live (midsection of the USA), prog is considered "loser music". So I'm a loser and glad of it. The kind of music that is king where I live is Rap/Death Metal/modern-country and anything "American Idol/Voice"-related. We're led to believe thru the airwaves in my region that nothing else outside those genres (especially anything that is not funded by the American corporate music business which helps funding the media who is telling us these things (American music business pays the media to tell us who to listen to so we buy the music that makes the American music business even richer, etc..)) is worth even bothering to listen to. Justin Bieber is king and Lady Gaga/Madonna/Christina Aguilara are queens in my region. I choose not to worship/serve them. I defect to non-commercial music like worship music and progressive rock. That makes me a loser in the eyes of many but at least I enjoy listening to worship/progressive music.
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Posted By: A-JCharron
Date Posted: January 02 2013 at 12:30
You've figured out a lot of it. I will be making another post on the state of prog; I've been promoting my album several hours a day every day since October and I've learnt a lot. Some of it surprising, some not. Anyway, you've got part of it figured out. A-J ------------- Humouring Gods; Where Classic Meets Rock http://www.ajcharronmusic.com" rel="nofollow - http://www.ajcharronmusic.com <a href="http://[email protected]" |
Posted By: Progosopher
Date Posted: January 02 2013 at 12:52
As to how Prog is received where I live, it is a mixed bag. Sacramento is mostly a metal and pop town, but the occasional Prog(ish) band comes by. I did see Ozric Tentacles play here, along with about 15 other people, and prog-metal bands like Mastodon have played recently. I think most of them stop here on their way to or from San Francisco. There are a couple of independent record stores that provide some Prog selections, but not much. The owner of one of them is even a big Prog fan and has a separate section, but it is very small. The S.F. bay area is not too far away though, and that region is much more open to Prog even though all my musician friends who live there are not too keen on Prog. ------------- The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty" |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: January 02 2013 at 13:06
Riots in the streets.  Atlanta actually gets fair amount of prog artists. I got to see Gentle Giant on their final tour. I'm not sure what brought them here as they skipped us on the Playing The Fool tour. ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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Posted By: kjprogger
Date Posted: January 02 2013 at 15:57
| I live in San Diego and this post is for here and in LA. Like everywhere else, prog is non-existent on the airwaves (except Holland I would guess. Gotta love the Dutch!) Thank God for Papa J who runs Cal Prog and gets us some top-notch shows in LA. I have seen Neal Morse at his last 3 LA shows and the crowds seem to be getting larger and more knowledgable about his music. Enthusiasm is at an all-time high! So I think it is definitely going in the right direction. But in general, I am usually a little disappointed in the crowd sizes at most prog concerts I attend, considering there are 22 million inhabitants in SoCal. |
Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: January 02 2013 at 16:00
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Posted By: presdoug
Date Posted: January 02 2013 at 16:03
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Posted By: presdoug
Date Posted: January 02 2013 at 16:23
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Posted By: Nogbad_The_Bad
Date Posted: January 02 2013 at 17:00
I live in SW CT for 10 years and it was great for music, primarily as I was a train ride away from NYC and pretty much everyone tours through there. I currently live in Cincinnati, it sucks ass here. |
Posted By: Inquietação
Date Posted: January 02 2013 at 17:16
As a fellow lusophone, I have to say that I know very few portuguese prog rock acts, though those I know are outstanding. It surprises me that Portugal doesn't give it a better treatment, but I have to say that I don't really think prog has the treatment it deserves anywhere in the world. Anyway, Brazil's prog community (at least where I live) is, in a way, very narrow minded and somehow conservative. People listen to one kind of sound, and don't view those who don't have same opinion as an opportunity to learn and expand their tastes. This results in bands having, most times, a not challenging approach to music, never trying to give a new direction to their genres. Media mostly ignores it too, so things develop in quite an underground manner. ------------- Enfim, que resta ao fim, senão a inquietação e a mim. |
Posted By: martinprog77
Date Posted: January 02 2013 at 17:23
more of 40 people ,anyways they put a great show} ------------- Nothing can last there are no second chances. Never give a day away. Always live for today. |
Posted By: The Doctor
Date Posted: January 02 2013 at 17:50
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via the ears. how do they do it where you're from?  ------------- I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you? |
Posted By: Manuel
Date Posted: January 02 2013 at 20:13
| Not much interest here in San Diego CA. We get the occasional show, but that's it. Not many prog bands in town either, at least to my knowledge. |
Posted By: JesusisLord
Date Posted: January 03 2013 at 03:27
Problem is i can't take the Uke seriously..... Jake is talented but when I hear the Uke it will always sound like a toy guitar to me ------------- And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Phillipians 2:11 |
Posted By: Earthmover
Date Posted: January 03 2013 at 06:50
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Prog is not received where I live. At all. -------------  |
Posted By: ginodi
Date Posted: January 03 2013 at 09:00
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Since finding this site from a Persephone's Dream CD a bit over a year ago, I feel like I've rediscovered music heaven. I listen to Prog and nothing else anymore (and I played in a progressive metal band back in the 80's and 90's--local, not major). Most people I discuss music with don't know how much prog is out there--they know the big names, but nothing more. I tell everyone to check this place out as much as possible. Hell, one can get lost with the amount of stuff to listen to. I lean more towards the Italian era. My favorite hands down is Banco del Mutuo Soccorso.
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Posted By: RedNightmareKing
Date Posted: January 03 2013 at 09:28
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Denver's prog scene isn't too big. However, Dream Theater has stopped here like once or twice opening for Iron Maiden, and Roger Waters played two shows at the Pepsi Center (one of which I saw, and was just mindblowing). A PF tribute band called Brit Floyd was at Red Rocks in September, and put on a very good show. Rush has stopped at Red Rocks a few times as well.
------------- I consider drone metal to be progressive... |
Posted By: Dreaminginreallife
Date Posted: January 03 2013 at 10:10
| I'm also from St. Louis and I play in a progressive rock band in the suburbs. I am only 15 though, but I've gotten tons of my friends into progressive music. We all went to see rush in September, and we saw yes last time they came too. I also know a member of a progressive music appreciation society who lives in St. Louis. I think there is hope yet for my generation to keep prog alive(: |
Posted By: Manuelmoreno
Date Posted: January 03 2013 at 10:47
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Here in Barranquilla, Colombia, prog just doesn't exists. Roger Waters, Metallica, Iron Maiden, they came to Bogotá, but here in the caribbean coast... forget it.
I am lucky to have a small circle of friends interested in prog, but that´s all. Once in a year maybe they put Another Brick In The Wall in a local bar; this is a sterile land for prog.
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Posted By: HackettFan
Date Posted: January 03 2013 at 11:25
| I've been living steadily in Oklahoma for the last 5-6 years. I've gone through the standard explanation of what progressive rock is, as probably each of us has. I know one person who remembers and liked Jethro Tull, but is not really a Prog fan beyond that. I don't know any Prog fans here. There no Prog bands that come here. None that I know of that come from here. |
Posted By: Loren
Date Posted: January 03 2013 at 12:07
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I'm actually surprised how much of a following there is here In Fort Wayne Indiana. The average Joe most likely knows nothing of it, but if you go into any of the handful of record stores around here, everyone is into it. On top of that There is a place called Sweetwater Sounds, which is one of the bigger distributors of instruments and recording equipment in the united states. I've been there many times, and everyone who works there is really into prog too. |
Posted By: The T
Date Posted: January 03 2013 at 13:27
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In South Florida you basically can't escape prog. There are billboards everywhere advertising the latest Yes and Dream Theater, streets are named after Genesis albums, FL radio stations appear to have nothing but Can and Zappa in their catalogue, people discuss prog while having breakfast and dinner, Steven Wilson runs second only to Obama in popularity contests in the urban areas, public schools have Prog 101 as subject. I mean, S FL IS prog. You can't get any proggier than that. Which is unfair to the dozens of pop, reggaetton and rap artists that want to carve a niche for themselves in this very selective market. ------------- 
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Posted By: lazland
Date Posted: January 03 2013 at 16:40
My cat loves it ------------- Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org |
Posted By: lazland
Date Posted: January 03 2013 at 16:45
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I'm glad to report that the Welsh scene is fairly healthy. We even get some gigs! Also, we even have prog CDs in the local independent record store. When I went on last week, The Wall was blasting out. I was proud as punch when my son said to the chap behind the counter, "great taste, mate!" ------------- Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org |
Posted By: rogerthat
Date Posted: January 03 2013 at 19:17
Pretty much. I was pleasantly surprised when the in flight magazine of one of our local airlines published an article on prog rock. We've had Porcupine Tree and Karnivool here - and JT came twice in the space of around 3-4 years (both of which I missed
 ) - but this was more on the basis of their independent following here, not because of a huge community of prog rock lovers. I ordered my copy of SEBTP online in desperation when the best music store in my city said they hadn't stocked that album in the last 6 years or so. Another (actually a books/music/movie store, where I picked up albums of Gentle Giant, Can, Hatfield and the North in a delightful haul), shut down for renovation and hasn't reopened since in the last two years. So much for receiving prog rock. |
Posted By: Dayvenkirq
Date Posted: January 03 2013 at 20:17
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^ Sucks about the shutdowns, ... but how did you manage to miss two Tull concerts?
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Posted By: rogerthat
Date Posted: January 03 2013 at 20:19
First one...was still in college and couldn't justify the tickets. The second was scheduled just a weekend after the terrorist strike of 26/11. I was all set to go - though hadn't booked my ticket - and then it got rescheduled to a weekday and had to give it a miss again. I am not sure if there'll be another chance.
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: January 03 2013 at 20:20
 nice.In our small Hampshire town this is one of the local brews:
 And most of my immediate neighbours are Pink Floyd / David Gilmour fans of a certain age.
We have several summer festivals that manage to put on one or two prog acts on the bill, this year's Weyfest had Asia, Steve Hackett, Anna Phoebe, Curved Air, Karnataka and Martin Barre's JT tribute band (see http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=59678&PID=4609516#4609516" rel="nofollow - here for my semi-humourous non-review review). And local(ish) venues regualrily host prog acts such as The Enid, Steve Hackett, Touchstone, The Tangent, Jadis, The Reasoning, Pendragon, Haken, Threshold... erm, well the Who's Who of modern Britsh Prog really.
Oh look, the band I once managed on a double-headline with Haken in 2009:
 ------------- What? |
Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: January 04 2013 at 02:30
These British, still spelling Dream Theatre
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Posted By: Pelata
Date Posted: January 04 2013 at 07:37
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Where I live, aside from "Classic Rock", Prog itself is pretty scarce. None of the local or regional original music bands play it. The closest they come, I suppose, would be some of the technical mathcore bands. To most in my area and age bracket (I'm 41), "Prog" is actually "Classic Rock". Even that, is relegated to the most mainstream of that lot...Rush, Kansas, Yes, Pink Floyd and, to a lesser degree, Genesis (Phil era only) can be heard all day, every day on the local Classic Rock station. As for my friends, most of them are musicians. They all know the above bands, as well as some slightly more underground (by comparison) bands like Spock's Beard, Dream Theater, Fates Warning, Opeth, Radiohead (if I can count them), and Porcupine Tree. An even more select few of us followed the late-90s/early 00s wave of Inside Out and Magna Carta bands. I've turned my son (who is 19) on to Rush (who I am really only a casual fan of), Kansas & Pink Floyd (both personal favorites). He found Tool on his own (a band I also dig). My wife likes select songs from the likes of Kansas, Porcupine Tree, Fates Warning, Queensryche and Radiohead. She also counts herself a big Pink Floyd and old Queensryche fan. |
Posted By: lazland
Date Posted: January 04 2013 at 07:57
I'll see if I can get my local to order that brew. Seven pints of that, and Comfortably Numb is what I would be! Nice review of Wayfest. ------------- Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org |
Posted By: Moogtron III
Date Posted: January 04 2013 at 09:26
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Posted By: elbownut
Date Posted: January 04 2013 at 13:09
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Where I live in Northamptonshire in the east midlands section of the UK there are not too many visits from prog bands , however you dont have to venture too far to catch some live prog.
I saw Opeth & Anathema in November in nearby Nottingham and saw Rush in Birmingham couple years ago ( going to see them again in May )
It is an hour on the train to London where I saw Pure Reason Revolution in 2011 and have seen Steven Wilson twice ( and going again in March )
The is also a great small venue in Wolverhampton ( about 90mins drive ) called the Robin 2 in Bilston. They have a lot of prog bands . Caravan are playing their soon, so may try to get along to it. Last year they had several prog bands perform there, including Gong, Focus, Mostly Autumn and Touchstone.
Back to my neighbourhood, I have a close friend who I have known since childhood and we often meet up to discuss our music and recommendations to listen too.
That said, I dont know too many younger folk who are into prog but I do try to spread the word if I can. ------------- "Music was my first love and it will be my last" - John Miles "Music" |
Posted By: eduardofoxx13
Date Posted: January 04 2013 at 15:25
 I'm form Venezuela too, I'd like to move someday, but I think of my family
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Posted By: zeqexes
Date Posted: January 05 2013 at 01:28
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In NSW Australia (or at least in my community), no-one really cares about prog, all that Nicki Minaj and Gangnam Style crap is everywhere. ------------- 
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Posted By: A-JCharron
Date Posted: January 05 2013 at 02:10
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First, thanks everybody for taking the time to answer. You hear lots of things, like prog is big in Europe, or at least in certain parts. South America is often pointed out as being big on prog, too. I never really believed it, but I figured you'd be the right crowd to ask! Here, in Montreal, and pretty much anywhere in Eastern Canada, you can't even mention that Rush is a prog band, nobody believes you. People call them straight rock. It's the word they don't like, not the music. Six years ago, I found out that Carl Palmer's band was playing here on the day of my wedding. I know his publicist (at least the one he had at the time) very well. I told her Palmer should reschedule (as a joke, of course). She got this idea of having the wedding at the show. My wife was ecstatic; a true rock'n'roll wedding. Palmer was against the idea at first, but he eventually agreed. But his management wanted to get some publicity off of it. Both my wife and I understood this and had nothing against it. Imagine that; the city that most glorified ELP, and not a single local media was interested in covering the event. Not one. So, we got married elsewhere and missed the show, unfortunately. I do want to note though that my wife offered to reschedule the wedding. Understand why I married her? Also worthy of note: Palmer offered us a space in the audience for the reception. Unfotunately, we would've lost at least half the people on our way there... ------------- Humouring Gods; Where Classic Meets Rock http://www.ajcharronmusic.com" rel="nofollow - http://www.ajcharronmusic.com <a href="http://[email protected]" |
Posted By: rdtprog
Date Posted: January 05 2013 at 03:53
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Prog? What? Here's its Celine Dion, Lady Gaga, The new stars of Reality TV and tribute bands that plays Pink Floyd....
------------- Music is the refuge of souls ulcerated by happiness. Emile M. Cioran |
Posted By: Suedevanshoe
Date Posted: January 05 2013 at 05:38
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Green Bay Wisconsin is certainly not a progressive hotbed. ACDC Ozzy Osbourne fans mix with the Rascal Flatts types here. I have to go to Madison or Milwaukee just to see Umphrey's Mcgee, and if Rush is touring, I'll have to go to Chicago. I don't have any friends that will even listen to Fragile or Selling England by the Pound, let alone Acquiring the Taste or If I Could Do It All Again, I'd Do It All Over You. |
Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: January 05 2013 at 11:43
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Hi,
The Pacific NW is a sad case. It is getting run over by Country and Western, and on occasion some grunge/wannabe shows up and no one will ever heard from them again!
All in all, this area is "owned" by corporate interests in radio and there are no independents. I tried a couple of years ago to do radio at KBOO and the lady, thought she was being really cool when she asked me the "social significance" of my idea of playing "progressive and experimental" music. I looked at her, and said ... "sorry madame, but you do not have the talent to know the difference or understand that difference. Thanks for your time and good luck." I had written it all down on the "resume" that I put together for them, and she was too egotistical to even look at it!
I've had enough of those folks in radio and do not need them. Besides they are a dime a dozen, and their station is a crapper and going down faster than that burning up public money that is drying up quicker than quicksand!
All in all, there are some weird things here ... Portland/Seattle stink ... but Return to Forever can sell out Eugene, and not play Portland ... which ought to tell you how much appreciation this town even has for Chick Corea ... even the jazz festival at Mount Hood, that is run by the oldest men you ever met, finally ... I mean FINALLY, brought in an act that was on ECM! And they are too proud to show a Keith Jarrett, or Return to Forever, that sold out Eugene! Gong was sold out in Eugene (pictures on my website), but not in Portland!
Tangerine Dream does not even do the Pacific NW anymore ... and I think Miramar has a lot to do with it, and they made sure they buried their name as fast as possible after the huge ripoff.
All in all, it helps me ... stay ever more focused ... but one of the folks from Portland that I yapp with at the time in another board, is as boring as crap in his tastes for music and supposedly he is a professional guitar player! He does listen to a couple of different things, but eventually it is sort of ... can he steal a chop or two here in there for him to use ... which he can't anyway ... typical ... what else is new?
This area is run and dominated by top ten way too much ... and that is what most of the folks around me know and like ... only a couple of folks I know in this Call Center, even appreciate the stuff I work with and share with them. ------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: HemispheresOfXanadu
Date Posted: January 05 2013 at 12:03
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I live about an hour away from Toronto and if, say, Peter Gabriel were playing a show he'd be talked about as a "classic rock legend" on radio commercials. If Muse were doing a show radio commercials would talk about "their revolutionary work" or "playing all their hits" etc. Never heard a radio ad call a band progressive, though DJs sometimes do. Rush is obviously the largest prog band where I live, but most people would call them rock or their early stuff metal.
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Posted By: elyougo
Date Posted: January 05 2013 at 12:21
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I live in France, play in La Théorie des Cordes a Jazz Rock Prog band and we are received like s*** by the concert halls and festivals.. What's paradoxal is (because we still keep on playing in the streets like pirates..) the audience love it!! Either melomanes or newbies, kids or adults or grandpas, everyone loves it, but the official gigs are very rare.. I'm starting to be annoyed here.. We've been looking for a manager for so long (3 years) and i'm desperate, I feel like searching for the f***** sacred graal here.. Is it that disgusting no one can offer us proper life and gig conditions?? hell.. >> http://www.latheoriedescordes.com" rel="nofollow - www.latheoriedescordes.com Even Gong or Magma or Jack Dupon don't have a proper audience and venues in France!!! Miserable.. Cheers.. ARTAUD
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Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: January 05 2013 at 14:04
My sister, is a fairly well respected "artiste" and lives in Paris ... and she was "fed up" with it and bought a ticket for 6 months and came here to the US and enjoyed her time off. She was not able to find work here, and most of the academic work was not interested, and the one chance in Eugene, went awry ... they hired the local girl ... not an artist! She went back to Paris, and she wrote me thanking for being able to stay here for a while and gain some perspective. She is feeling better already she says and things in Paris are much better than they were here, where they don't believe in the arts!
Suggestion ... get mixed up with painters, writers and other aritsts and make a group that starts getting attention for various reason ... and before you know it ... you have a chance.
All the groups, here in Portland get to play the bars and the lousy venues ... and the high schools around here are too stupid to rent their hall one night per month and make some easy money!
Make sure you make your point ... if you believe in the music, the venue is not an issue ... and you can always create a fake movie with an audience on a stage and no one will ever know! That would give you tube some fun! ------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: Tapfret
Date Posted: January 05 2013 at 14:14
I always wondered where the beach locations were for the "Girls Gone Prog" videos. Mystery solved. ------------- https://www.last.fm/user/Tapfret" rel="nofollow">  https://bandcamp.com/tapfret" rel="nofollow - Bandcamp |
Posted By: elyougo
Date Posted: January 05 2013 at 14:34
The message, the path and the ears are here, just on the streets, so we pick them up.. Long perseverance ways but truly. (i sell sextoys on the side to bring food on the table to my fellow band companions..)
 ------------- LTDC - penetrates your mind www.latheoriedescordes.com |
Posted By: rdtprog
Date Posted: January 05 2013 at 14:36
I am surprise about that. Maybe i should go live there for the rest of my life. During my trips to this state i have never heard radio stations play any prog, only classic rock and some big prog bands, occasionally. If it's the case, i think that it's fair that prog has more recognition then rap or pop. ------------- Music is the refuge of souls ulcerated by happiness. Emile M. Cioran |
Posted By: lazland
Date Posted: January 05 2013 at 14:58
That is the same the world over. It's called popular culture ------------- Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org |
Posted By: Sumdeus
Date Posted: January 05 2013 at 15:10
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just like pretty much everywhere else prog is pretty under the radar here but there's a decent amount of prog fans around... enough at least that one of my buddies used to have a "prog club" where we'd meet up once a week and listen to an album and discuss it, although we quickly realized that it was just like 4 or 5 actual prog fans and like 10 people coming to get stoned and comment on how strange the music is. ah well, such is life.
------------- http://sumdeus.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - Sumdeus - surreal space/psych/prog journeys |
Posted By: Dayvenkirq
Date Posted: January 05 2013 at 19:04
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^ Is it just me who finds it ironic that the potheads don't dig prog?
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Posted By: ProgEpics
Date Posted: January 05 2013 at 19:30
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In south ga you can expect country music and southern rock. ------------- Come on you target for faraway laughter, Come on you stranger, you legend, you martyr, and shine! |
Posted By: Prog_Traveller
Date Posted: January 05 2013 at 19:59
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I live in the Philadelphia PA area(in the US)and there is much talk about how huge prog is around here but I personally don't see it much. I would say in the nostaligia sense it's probably true but I don't see much of a scene and if you were to ask people what newer prog bands they know of or like you would probably get funny looks(then again you'd probably get funny looks if you just said prog). I think that the fans around here are hardcore and vocal and online there seems to be a lot of fans from PA and NJ but in reality it's not really the case so much. The internet has a way of giving us a false sense of reality. I don't really think prog is significantly bigger in some places than in others proportionally speaking. In other words there will always be more prog fans in bigger cities because there's more people. That said, I suppose if any one city in the US MIGHT stand out as being a prog town it could possibly be Philadelphia PA mainly because of it's history with CLASSIC prog music namely Yes and Genesis. |
Posted By: Progosopher
Date Posted: January 05 2013 at 20:18
 ------------- The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty" |
Posted By: elyougo
Date Posted: January 05 2013 at 21:21
Actually when we played in some festivals crackheads bought our CD's instead of dope!!  same effect!!does that make us dealers...?  ------------- LTDC - penetrates your mind www.latheoriedescordes.com |
Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: January 06 2013 at 04:04
I'm not very fond of Uke as a main instrument but it can be nice to add some nuances here and there, as Brian May did in some Queen songs. I believe that he had an electrified one, I have some video somewhere where he played it live for a few bars, I think it was on Bring Back That Leroy Brown, from around '74.
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Posted By: Sumdeus
Date Posted: January 06 2013 at 04:05
But I'm a pothead and I love prog. and to clarify, everyone at those prog clubs was a pothead. I just mean a lot of people came by just for the toking and didn't care much about the music. It did rub off on some though. For instance one of my friends mainly listens to EDM and ska and knew nothing about prog at all but now he is familiar enough with some of the big bands that he would know what people were talking about in a conversation about King Crimson or Yes or Genesis ------------- http://sumdeus.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - Sumdeus - surreal space/psych/prog journeys |
Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: January 06 2013 at 04:09
Correction, it was a miked acoustic Uke-banjo |
Posted By: TODDLER
Date Posted: January 06 2013 at 10:34
| Where I live it is not received at all with the exception of a 20 year old who works the rodeo in Cowtown with his middle age mother who grew up on King Crimson and Steve Hackett. This young man tells me that he has drawn the conclusion that there is something seriously wrong with his generation and a majority of music played on radio , internet and T.V. and that he would like to change it. Good luck kid! |
Posted By: Ivan_Melgar_M
Date Posted: January 06 2013 at 11:28
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We have a 5,000 persons strong and faithful community (11 millions in Lima). But most of us are aging already. Iván ------------- 
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Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: January 06 2013 at 11:47
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With a bottle of Chianti, a steaming foot rub and the odd perverse compliment... ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: Dayvenkirq
Date Posted: January 06 2013 at 11:54
| ^ ... which is ... ? |
Posted By: Rivertree
Date Posted: January 06 2013 at 11:57
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some time ago we had the pROCKclub and pROCKfest here in East-Westphalia, I could enjoy many bands playing nearby my hometown - unfortunately though it was a financial desaster for the organizer in the end and he had to quit
------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Rivertree" rel="nofollow">  |
Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: January 06 2013 at 12:03
..the way prog is received where I live.... ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: January 06 2013 at 12:06
Yeah that's just sad. So many brilliant ideas, gatherings and venues we all could use, but when people then neglect to support them - the overall chance of something illustrious happening on the prog rock calendar nearby you, is damn near impossible We've seen something similar in Denmark too, just with progressive metal shows. ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: hightea
Date Posted: January 07 2013 at 09:18
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Well living close to NYC you can see plenty of prog shows. Then again anyone who tours america comes thru NYC. The big thing is can you get people to call it prog. Sure their are the true obvious prog acts that play to a big enough fan base that they can get a full audience but for the most part bands today label them self as anything but prog. Last year Roger Waters was the fouth highest grossing performer. However, ask the people that went to the show if they just saw a prog act and the answer is no. Secondly, look at all the modern bands that are popular in many circles and in my eyes are influenced or should be considered at least partially prog. I understand that they have many other influences too but the fact that all these bands ignore the fact that a piece of the puzzle is prog is well puzzling. Radiohead, Sigur Ros, Muse, GYBE, Spiritualized, The Decemberists etc. but you will never have any of them state or classify themself as prog or they will alienate their fan base. If you ask them influences they will stick the classic rock label on it over prog. When I look at the current indie scene I see tons of bands that have been influenced by prog (or 2nd generation influence(band that influenced them was influenced by prog) or back in the day could have been classified as prog but absolutely would never want to be classified that way. I got into a deep arguement with a writer for a popular mag about how the prog label is and always has been thrown under the bus. Everyone loves to state Velvet Underground (john Cale and Eno), Brian Eno, Roxy Music, Queen, Pink Floyd as influences today heck now I see Robert Wyatt's name mentioned but no none of them are influenced by prog? He is part of the reason: Dominic Howard (of Muse) has said: "I associate it [progressive rock] with 10-minute guitar solos, but I guess we kind of come into the category. No Dominic prog isn't about 10 minute solos that can associated with classic rock not prog. Once again prog is mislabeled. |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: January 07 2013 at 11:38
I would have loved to go but finances prohibited. We also had The Musical Box doing The Lamb. I did drop in the Atlanta Jazz Festival to see this guy last year:
http://www.nadavremez.com/" rel="nofollow - http://www.nadavremez.com/ ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted By: Ady Cardiac
Date Posted: January 07 2013 at 12:05
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i live in a small town in oxfordshire,.......witney. i dont hardly know anyone in my town who enjoys what i listen too.....yeah you got a bit of an alterntive crowd( whi think they know what alternative is).....then i chip in with a few bands i like and they have no clue what i'm on about....so i'm a bit of a lone prog fan here.
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Posted By: geneyesontle
Date Posted: January 07 2013 at 16:44
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You are from Montreal, so am I (in a suburb). There are, yes occasional interesting shows. But don't say that there aren't new fans of prog. I started to get interest in prog really when I was 12. But I am the only one in my class (with another one who loves Rush but dosen't know other prog artists) that is really interested in prog. So it's exactly your description. ------------- Poseidon wants to Acquire the Taste of the Fragile Lamb - Derek Adrian Gabriel Anderson, singer of the band Geneyesontle |
Posted By: Knots
Date Posted: January 11 2013 at 17:37
| Dallas, Texas is about as far as possible stylistically from a city that would appreciate prog...The Musical Box, a Genesis tribute band came through about a year ago and attracted a small, but devoted crowd. However, prog based acts rarely visit and, if they do, are generally in the smaller venues. I'm glad I didn't grow up here or I may have never been exposed. Luckily, I grew up on the Jersey coast outside of NYC ! |
Posted By: ProgressiveMike
Date Posted: January 11 2013 at 18:43
| Hello, I'm Mike from Colorado Springs, Colorado. I work at a record store so I have extensive time and resources to research and listen to music, as well as talk to people about what they like and listen to. No one here comes in looking for prog rock. Well that's not true, I come in looking for prog rock but seldom do I find it. You might get lucky and find the occassional Porcupine Tree on the shelf (since K-scope has been re-releasing much of their catalogue of late) and other than that all we have is what I bring in. For instance when I purchased the Rush sector boxed sets I brought in my Rush Mercury era albums to trade (all fifteen have sat on the shelves since then). Very, very rarely someone will buy or talk about prog, and even more rare is finding someone who will sell us prog. Mostly older men, one such who showed me Nekter, another such that showed me Gentle Giant. But in general people here listen to complete crap. I don't mean to offend anyone on such a positive website and forum but the gutteral sound is too much for me. In Prog Magazine when they listed their top 50 prog albums of all time I actually threw in Opeth and was very pleasantly surprised. For about 86 seconds before they album went to complete trash, in my opinion. So to say that the prog scene here is next to non-existant is an overstatement only because the stylings of Mastadon, Tool, and Opeth do not suit me. I've noticed though that alot of who is and who isn't considered a prog band has to do with the band itself admiting or denying any prog related allegations. For instance the Mars Volta (who are very much a prog band) don't generally go around screaming about how prog they are whereas a band like Mastadon is constantly reitterating their musical identity. My next experiment will be the Flower Kings and I hope they sound nothing like Opeth for my sake. I'm thinking about starting a prog club since there seems to be none around here where we can listen to and discuss progressive rock over a couple of drinks. I know there have to be people how ever they may try to hide, that appreciate music that I appreciate, and don't listen to Carly Rae Jepsen or In This Moment or Yellow Wolf or any of these other bands that have been a product of a dying industry and popularized on the internet. |
Posted By: lmaorofllollmao
Date Posted: January 11 2013 at 20:33
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i live in freaking albuquerque...i guess you could say that its the biggest craphole that just happens to be a large city. seriously, if a prog band even dared to come here, they'd loose their tires from our pothole covered roads. ------------- EATTTT YOUURRR BEEEEEETTTSSSSS!!!!! 
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Posted By: Progosopher
Date Posted: January 11 2013 at 21:53
------------- The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty" |
Posted By: Progosopher
Date Posted: January 11 2013 at 22:09
------------- The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty" |
Posted By: ProgMetaller2112
Date Posted: January 11 2013 at 22:54
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Not good at all I live in an area where its all modern music from the radio
------------- “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.” ― George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four "Ignorance and Prejudice and Fear walk Hand in Hand"- Neil Peart |
Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: January 12 2013 at 02:43
I saw them live many years ago, late 80's or early 90's, great concert!
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Posted By: CPicard
Date Posted: January 12 2013 at 10:25
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I tend to believe that Progressive rock is in a poor state in most of the countries where it could develop. In France, it's hard to say: it's true that we have a handful of festivals that work for 10 years or more, but it doesn't attract a huge following. As an example, the Hellfest festival attracts more people than the Crescendo festival or Prog Sud. Here, in Paris, I don't see a lot of young progressive bands touring (maybe, some progressive metal bands) and I never heard about venues specialized in progressive rock. Jazz, metal, punk, avant-garde... yes. Straightforward progressive rock à la Yes/Genesis or even Canterbury-like bands seem to be very rare and not very lucky. |
Posted By: Bren Rodmar
Date Posted: January 13 2013 at 12:23
I'm from Mexico, in generaly the most of the people in my country don't even know that the progressive rock exist, and knowing the way that the people is here and what they like, i can say that probably that huge mass of people would not like this genre. But theres a minority of people who like it a lot: at least in my city there's a radio station that broadcasts a weekly two-hour dedicated to progressive rock.  despite everything (especially the media blitz) and the little diffusion, in my country is organized the festival BajaProg (in fact, next april will be the 2013 edition), considered as one of the best in whole world!, so I'm proud of that. 
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Posted By: rdtprog
Date Posted: January 13 2013 at 16:55
I got the impression that the majority of people who listen to popular music can't have more devotion in their love for music as the progressive rock fans. Because i can't understand how you can enjoy passionately music that gets forgotten after a few years, and that people listen in their radio almost by accident. They're something stronger in the progressive rock music that you can enjoy for a longer period of times. I don't want say that people who enjoy only pop music are stupid, but that music is not very important in their life. ------------- Music is the refuge of souls ulcerated by happiness. Emile M. Cioran |
Posted By: rogerthat
Date Posted: January 13 2013 at 18:15
I'd strongly dispute the notion that they do in fact forget their favourite songs from few years ago. If anything, they associate it with nostalgic memories just like any other music listener. It is more profitable for the industry to promote new singles so they don't try too hard to revive the works of old artists. Even so, several pop artists from the 60s, 70s and 80s are well remembered to this day, just not all of them.
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Posted By: King Manuel
Date Posted: January 14 2013 at 00:06
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Here in South Africa I don´t know any prog fans. However at the local cd shops in East London you stumble across some prog albums and many years ago I saw Jethro Tull live in Cape Town. ------------- Don't Bore Us, Get To The Chorus |
Posted By: Marty219
Date Posted: January 14 2013 at 02:16
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My friends and others of my age (around 21) generally think it's "weird music", but most of them can appreciate the artistic quality to it. I got them to like some more melodic kind of prog songs and they tend to like Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield. The latter probably because the opening piano theme is used in a well known Dutch kids series. It's a shame that Focus is not known at all amongst most of the youth here. But most people above 40 know them, or at least Jan Akkerman.
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Posted By: Eerichtho
Date Posted: January 15 2013 at 15:11
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I'm in a very small country. Estonia. It's between Finland (capital is a few hours by sea), Russia, Latvia and Sweden. And actually, we do have press coverage and some interest in this kind of music. Mainly because in the soviet era we were as "Western" as possible, most so of the union, and the music scene thrived nicely enough with the few excellent prog bands being enough for the 3-4 million people (these bands *were* pretty popular). Prog had an important place in the stuff enthusiasts managed to get from abroad, and as such prog holds some special notice. Many people here on campus (in a Uni-city) like at least some proggieness to their music. We don't get many big concerts though, except the usual Tull, Yes, Neo(Genesis) - like The Watch, and such. Robert Fripp once gave a nice show in a church. And Keith Emerson was amazing a few years back. But if you want to see DT or the likes, you'd have to go across the gulf to Finland. They have relatively many such bigger concerts (we do have big venues, but the sound is horrible in these). But, as mentioned, there *are* pretty lively groups of people that bring more interesting bands to obscure concerts here. Anekdoten and Anglagard have visited an island of ours. More-metal oriented bands are stuffed in little venues - we had Opeth, Isis, will have Agalloch shortly. Actually, there's quite a lot of that "prog-metal" stuff going on. But the big names are somehow stuffed in really small venues. |
Posted By: Neon Eyes
Date Posted: January 16 2013 at 01:13
| In my country (Croatia) prog was never popular form of music. Lots of musicians and bands have prog elements in their music, but prog as prog is mostly unknown as a form. Young generation prefer more modern and aggressive types, such as djent/math core/tech progressive death metal etc. |