10 best prog bands with stage presence

harmonium.ro wrote: New bands have zero sense of showmanship? Well, you've got to be seeing the wrong bands.  Muse are good on stage, indeed, from the major acts, but there are smaller bands that are simply incredible. I can hardly think of something that compares to Tortoise, for example. They do an amazing show a la Gentle Giant + punk. Or The Mars Volta. Or Jaga Jazzist, when I felt that that hall will fall on us when the chick with the tuba started shaking the scene. Imagine nine guys on a stage, exchanging instruments! Battles are insane, too.

And it just so happens that Tortoise is coming to play in NYC, but on the only day this month I can't go to a show!

New bands have zero sense of showmanship? Well, you've got to be seeing the wrong bands.  Muse are good on stage, indeed, from the major acts, but there are smaller bands that are simply incredible. I can hardly think of something that compares to Tortoise, for example. They do an amazing show a la Gentle Giant + punk. Or The Mars Volta. Or Jaga Jazzist, when I felt that that hall will fall on us when the chick with the tuba started shaking the scene. Imagine nine guys on a stage, exchanging instruments! Battles are insane, too.

Prog bands, especially ELP and Genesis, really invented what became the arena rock concert experience, through a combination of effects and performance.

Pink Floyd all stand perfectly still and let the lights do the "show". Ian Anderson could be alone on stage with no effects or props and entertain the hell out of everybody.

Rush is very fun - Alex Lifeson has a wicked sense of humor, you can tell that Geddy can barely keep a straight face - must be a very fun guy to be in a band with!

Most newer prog bands have zero sense of showmanship. It can probably be blamed that bands don't have the budgets they used to, but there are few performers now who know how to own the stage and command an audience like the old masters. But that's also probably because touring is an impossibility for most bands now, so when they do get up on stage at a festival finally, they must be terrified...

Rotisserie chicken anyone?  Got Milk? 

yanch wrote: Gentle Giant had a great time on stage. Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull has a great stage presence and is all over the place.  Peter Gabriel, both with Genesis and solo has alot of fun and has props and interesting stages. Talking Heads-not really prog-had one of the best stage presences I've ever seen. The Tubes-also not really prog-put on an unbelievable show. The Dixie Dregs had good stage presence and had fun on stage. Stanley Clarke, when I saw him years ago, bounced all over, played down in the aisles, and had a blast.

The Tubes  ..a band I really wish I had seen

CyberDiablo wrote: Stage theatrics? Then you must watch The Wall tour of Pink Floyd. Songs aren't so good, but they build a large wall and break it down on the stage.

Prog bands are boring on stage, maybe you mean stage theatrics?...While I agree that Rush has a great stage presence, they do not move around too much because they are multi-tasking so much. Geddy will move some then he has to go back to point to sing, bass and keyboards and/or foot pedals, same with Alex.

The Sleepwalker wrote: Stage presence huh? Jaga Jazzist leaves not much space on the stage.

people while on stage, they are entertaining they move around and get involved with the crowd.

bands who do more then just stand there and play their music