NEARfest announces Accordo dei Contrari for 2011

After a long, one year absence of Italian progressive music, NEARfest returns to Italy and brings to you, the rock fusion workings of Accordo dei Contrari.

Accordo dei Contrari were formed in 2001 in Bologna, Italy; conceived as a vehicle for making original instrumental music that did not sound like the usual to anyone especially to the members of the band itself. For three years they worked as a trio with Cristian Franchi on drums, Giovanni Parmeggiani on keyboards and Alessandro Pedrini on guitar. In 2003 Daniele Piccinini joined the band on bass, but soon Alessandro Pedrini departed as Accordo dei Contrari were against the idea of working as a quartet. Oddly, they became a quintet in January 2004 with Cristian Franchi on drums, Giovanni Parmeggiani on keyboards, Daniele Piccinini on bass, Marco Marzo on guitar and Vladimiro Cantaluppi on violin.

After two years of rehearsals they understood that being a quintet was a simpleminded way of doing things. In 2006 Vladimiro Cantaluppi left the band, making the best choice at the worst time; just one month before recording. Paradoxically, Accordo dei Contrari, born to refuse to work as a quartet, recorded their very first work as a quartet and the album, "Kinesis" was the result. With two days of live-recording in studio in June 2006, with short overdubs of violin and sax in October-November 2006, AdC created a modern day rock/fusion masterpiece. Accordo dei Contrari's influences range from progressive rock music and rock-jazz of seventies, to contemporary jazz and classical music of 20th century.

With the recording of a new album already in progress, AdC is poised to ramp up their game with some special guest vocals, as well as a continued jaunt into rock fusion. Welcome the return of Italy back into the NEARfest fray as Jim, Kevin and I are pleased to present Accord dei Contrari as our 2011 Saturday festival opener.


http://www.accordodeicontrari.com/
http://www.myspace.com/accordodeicontrari

Some Festival news

PROGDAY:

THE MUFFINS is one of those amazing bands that you used to hear about from the 1970s...after it had disbanded. Formed in 1973, the band released its first official album, "Manna/Mirage," in 1978. This would later be hailed as one of the best all-time American prog releases from the 70s and an essential release for any progressive music collection. But while the band developed a cult following on the US east coast, notoriety on a larger scale was elusive. Despite continuing to create excellent music and working with artists like Fred Frith (the band backed Frith on his 1980 album "Gravity"), THE MUFFINS played it's last show of the period in 1981 and broke up soon afterwards.

However, the legend of THE MUFFINS continued to grow long after its demise and in 1998 the progressive music scene was given a reprieve when the original members decided that they still had something to say and reformed. Unlike many other "reunions," THE MUFFINS really DID still have something to say and the band started writing and playing music again like they had never taken a 17 year vacation. This culminated in the release of a new critically acclaimed studio album, "Bandwidth," in 2001. Since then the band has continued to record and perform, appearing at ProgDay in 2001 and 2002, and at NEARfest in 2005. We are very happy to host the return of THE MUFFINS to the Storybook Farm stage.

THE MUFFINS is joined by Half Past Four and Mahogany Frog at ProgDay 2010. ProgDay is the longest running progressive rock festival in the world. The 16th edition will take place on Saturday, September 4, and Sunday, September 5, at Storybook Farm in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. For more information, and to hear music from this year's bands, please visit us at http://www.progday.net



NEARFEST:

Signed for NEARfest 2011 are simakDIALOG (Indonesia) and Gosta Berlings Saga (Sweden). Bios to follow shortly, or alternatively:

http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=3083 (Gosta Berlings Saga)
http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=4831 (simakDIALOG)

http://www.nearfest.com



CALPROG:

German progressive rock band RPWL was signed this week as the 4th performer at the 7th annual CalProg Progressive Rock Festival. The event will be held on October 2 at the Center Theater in Whittier California. The complete lineup is:

Ambrosia
RPWL
District 97
miRthkon

Tickets go on sale Saturday July 10 @ 7am. All seats reserved.

Visit http://www.calprog.com for more details and to listen to audio samples of the bands.



SUMMER’S END:

The Summers End Festival to be held at Lydney Town Hall, Gloucestershire on October 8,9,10 is delighted to announce that day tickets will go on sale on 1st July from www.summersend.co.uk. We are also pleased to announce the draft day line-ups now that all the bands have been confirmed.

Ticket prices. Day tickets Friday - £17. Saturday and Sunday - £27.50 per day
A small booking fee will be applied to each order to cover the transaction fees for online purchases. Still available: 3 day tickets £60. 2 day (Saturday and Sunday) tickets £45

Draft line up - subject to change

Friday 8th October
The Defence of the Realm with 3Js and a P - featuring Jem Godfrey, Pete Trewavas and John Mitchell (UK)
Tinyfish (UK)
Unto Us (UK)

Saturday 9th October
Karmakanic (Sweden)
Agents of Mercy (Sweden)
Unitopia (Australia)
Ark (UK)
Haken (UK)

Sunday 10th October
The Watch (Italy)
Sylvan (Germany)
Phideaux (USA)
Dead Heroes Club (Ireland)
Multifuse (UK, France, Italy)

http://www.summersend.co.uk

NEARfest 2010 photos

Here are links to my galleries from NEARfest 2010.

Day One:
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v478/prjt2501/NEARfest2010/01_Riverside/
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v478/prjt2501/NEARfest2010/02_Hackett/

Day Two:
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v478/prjt2501/NEARfest2010/03_Astra/
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v478/prjt2501/NEARfest2010/04_Forgas/
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v478/prjt2501/NEARfest2010/05_Iona/
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v478/prjt2501/NEARfest2010/06_ThreeFriends/

Day Three:
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v478/prjt2501/NEARfest2010/07_Moraine/
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v478/prjt2501/NEARfest2010/08_PineappleThief/
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v478/prjt2501/NEARfest2010/09_Enid/

Eddie Jobson did not allow audience photography, so there are no pictures from me of his set.

There will be reviews to follow.

NEARfest 2010 dates announced

"Where to begin? With the first of many NEARfests under our wings, one thing is apparent: It ain't easy puttin' this thing together!!! A Salud to Chad and Rob for all the wonderful years of hard work and great festivals. A gargantuan thanks to you, the audience, the music fan, the beer lover for helping bring such a fine festival to fruition once again, we do it for you, for anyone who is passionate about their music. All the bands deserve a big hug for making the first NEARfest under the new guys, a rousing success. So many performances not soon forgotten, yet it's time to look to next year, which brings me to part two of this prose; NEARfest 2010 will be held on June 18th, 19th and 20th, 2010 - same great venue, same great people. Keep an eye out for more information, there's even a band announcement imminent. Jim, Kevin and I look forward to seeing you all back with us next year. It wouldn't be the same without you.


-------------
Ray Loboda, Festival Co-Director, NEARfest '0"

List: Officially released NEARfest shows

As inspired by tehcrazydiamond, here's what I believe is a fairly exhaustive, but probably missing a few, list of NEARfest performances which have seen official release. Performers with a NFR in parenthesis have seen their show released on NEARfest Records, otherwise the info in said parenthesis will generally list title and/or label the performance was released on.


NEARfest 1999
Mastermind (StellarVox)
Spock's Beard (part of Live at Nearfest and the Whiskey, Radiant)
Nathan Mahl (NFR)

NEARfest 2000
DFA (MoonJune Records)
Thinking Plague (NFR)
Nexus (Prog Media)

NEARfest 2001
Under the Sun (ProgRock Records)
Birdsongs of the Mezozoic (NFR)
Djam Karet (NFR)

NEARfest 2002
Caravan (CRP)
Nektar (CRP)
Steve Hackett (NFR/Camino)
Miriodor (Cuneiform, as part of Parade release)
La Torre dell'Alchemista (Marakash)

NEARfest 2003
Glass Hammer (NFR/Sound Resources)
NOTE: Magma did not allow filming or recording of their set.

NEARfest 2004
Hidria Spacefolk (NFR)
Strawbs (Witchwood Records)

NEARfest 2005
Kenso (Pathograph DVD)
Le Orme (Ice Records/Sonny Boy Management, DVD/CD)
IQ (Phantom, DVD)
Steve Roach (NFR)
NEARfest 2005 DVD (NFR)
Frogg Cafe (on Safenzee Diaries, 10T)
Proto-Kaw (3 tracks on DVD packed in special edition of The Wait of Glory, IOMA)

NEARfest 2006

NEARfest 2007
Izz (Doone)
Pure Reason Revolution (NFR, plus 2 songs on DVD in special edition of Vincit Amor Omnia, Superball)
NOTE: Hawkwind and Magma did not allow filming or recording of their sets.

Rumoured for possible future release (NB: these are just rumours based on best available information, and as such should be taken with as many grains of salt as you'd like):
Yezda Urfa (Marc Miller has been mixing, and in November 2008 mentioned he was close to a final mix)
Banco 2008
Camel 2003 (possible DVD)
Riverside 2006 (possible DVD, original rumour was that it would be packaged in Special Edition of their most recent album)
FM 2006

Please also note: NEARfest is far from the only festival to have some excellent performances released officially. ProgDay, 3RP, and ROSfest, among others, have seen some excellent live releases come from their festival performers and performances.

NEARfest announces Cabezas de Cera for 2009

Well folks, it's been a long time coming, but here we are with an announcement of avant proportions. NEARfest '09 is proud to present Mexico's Cabezas de Cera as the opening act for NEARfest '09. Along its path, Cabezas de Cera (CDC, Candle-Wax Heads) has gone through various phases: as a trio (1995 - 1997) with Cristóbal Pliego on the bass and brothers Mauricio and Francisco Sotelo on the electric guitar and the drums respectively. In 1998 CDC became a quartet with Ramsés Luna; in this way, CDC close their first cycle. Finally, in 2000 CDC consolidates as a band formed by Mauricio Sotelo on the strings, Ramsés Luna on the winds, Francisco Sotelo on drums and Edgar Arrellín as the sound designer.

CDC grounds its compositions on a diversity of styles and contemporary genres. However, it is in this creation of unique metal instruments, as well as their extraordinary execution and experimentation where CDC finds a rich balance between acoustic and electronic styles. A Cebezas De Cera concert is full of emotions and colors, which seems from time to time to evoke the endeavor of forging metals in an atmosphere of strength and fire. The compositions encompass experimental music, jazz, world music and Mexican popular music, but they find in rock and improvisation, the liberty to merge these sounds into a unique style. Pat Mastelotto of King Crimson fame states: "At a time when so many are sounding the same its a delight to
hear a band as unique as Cabezas de Cera".

With albums such as Un Segundo, MetalMúsica, Fractal Sónico and their latest Hécho en México, live, and countless festival performances under their collective belt, CDC is on the forefront of the current avant/world/jazz metal scene. If instruments such as The Charrófono, Jarana Prisma, Tricordio, Wind Midi, Chapman Stick, Handsonic and Alto Sax stir your musical soul, then prepare for a unique journey and join us as we welcome to the NEARfest '09 stage,
Cabezas de Cera.

Cabezas de Cera, "Nocturo Incandescente"
http://www.nearfest.com/mp3/nocturnoincandscente.mp3

NEARfest 2008 photos redux

I'm uploading the last of the pix now, so you can click on the following links to see the rest of the shots:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v478/prjt2501/nearfest_2008/5_morglbl/
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v478/prjt2501/nearfest_2008/6_rmi/
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v478/prjt2501/nearfest_2008/7_echolyn/
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v478/prjt2501/nearfest_2008/8_banco/

The dearth of RMI pix is as much an indictment of the lighting (which suited the music but made photography a touch difficult) as anything else. Plus, let's face it...looking at 3 dozen photos of two synthesists flipping switches, pushing buttons and dialing in sounds would get a mite boring.

Anyway...enjoy.

NEARfest 2008 photos

Day 1 if you still think of Friday night as preshow, otherwise day two of NF pix are up and available to view here:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v478/prjt2501/nearfest_2008/1_koenji/
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v478/prjt2501/nearfest_2008/2_discipline/
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v478/prjt2501/nearfest_2008/3_hammill/
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v478/prjt2501/nearfest_2008/4_lte/

I'll post day 2(3) tomorrow.

NEARfest 2008 post-fest wrapup part 1

Yeah, I blew all the posting last week. A lot happened. I'm on a more even keel today though, so things should pick back up. In the first part of my festival wrap-up, I'm going to post my list of swag I brought back.

It's a significantly longer than I thought it would be...

MY MUST BUYS
I had a short list of titles I had to buy. If I got these the rest didn't matter. I got all three of my must buys:

Le Orme - Live in Pennsylvania 2-CD/1-DVD set. Sadly not the whole show...it misses Collage and Rondo. But still nice to have about 100 minutes of the 2 hour set.
The Red Masque - Fossileyes. Got it early enough to score the promo DVD along with it.
Nice.
Pure Reason Revolution - Live at NEARfest. Does what it says on the label.

'IMPULSE BUYS'
This is kinda everything else :-)

Strawbs - Live at the Calderone on Witchwood Records
DFA - Work in Progress Live
DFA - 4th (both of these I got at Moonjune on the 2 for $25 deal)
Progday 2001 2-CD set (for 5 bucks I complete the collection)
Banco del Mutuo Soccorso - Di Terra (my friend Mark Guenther kindly picked this up for me)
Banco del Mutuo Soccorso - Canto di Primavera
Kingfisher Sky (the preview on the screen and PA sold this one)
Gerard - can't remember the title (my friend Kevin Cosentino was kind enough to pick this one up)

Fireballet t-shirt (free! and not in my size!)
Fireballet CD sampler (free! and IN my size!)

NEARfest 2008 T-shirt (in progfan size! dark grey with the dual twisted dragon logo)
NEARfest 2008 programme (for which a story exists for later)

Yes, you guessed it...

This is the beginning of NEARfest week.

As I am preparing for 2 days of progressive rock live, I'll be spending more time away from posting news-y posts, instead offering up some stuff from NEARfests past, leading to the actual festival itself this weekend. I'll be posting links to past festival reviews, photo galleries, and so on. Most of this will likely bore the heck out of you, but maybe it'll also impart some of the excitement that comes from preparing to do my part to spur economic stimulus in Bethlehem PA.

TOMORROW: my list of NF 'must buys,' and why.
Wednesday: A look back at NF 2007.
Thursday: A look back at NF 2006.
Friday: A look back at other past NFs...Friday night is also the annual Pre-festival BBQ at our place. Loads of great loud music, and fresh hot burgers and chicken...some of the best potato salad this side of the Mississippi as well!
Saturday/Sunday: The festival. I'll be posting a link to where you can hear band by band opinions after the performances (I hope).
Monday: The wrap-up.

So sit back and relax...the next few days will be fun.

Last minute NEARfest details

This just in from Chad Hutchinson, one of the two organisers/founders of NEARfest. If you're going, read this :-)

Well, the clock is ticking and NFX is just about here. Below is some last minute information that you may find useful...

1. Photography
You may take photos. However, there are a few ground rules...
a. No flash!
b. Please do not block anyone's view
c. Minimize movement around the venue as it is distracting to others
d. No stage access

2. No audio and video recording
The venue and artists restrict any audio and video recording. It is printed on the back of the tickets as a reminder. Please adhere to these rules. Failure to do so will result in the confiscation of the recording and the recording device. The device will be returned at the end of the festival.

3. Trash
If you are tailgating, please make sure to clean up after yourselves. We can't afford hefty littering fines!

4. Entering/Exiting during a performance
If you need to enter or exit Baker Hall during a performance, please use the doors at the top of the steps on either side. The side door is off-limits as it allows too much light into the performance hall.

5. Food Vendors
There will be two food vendors outside on the Zoellner grounds as well as some indoor vending by the Wood Company. Any beer and wine purchased inside must remain indoors. There will also be walking maps on a few tables in Zoellner to help you get around Bethlehem.

6. NEARfest 10x10 IPA
The Bethlehem Brew Works is once again offering a special NEARfest beer. This year it is NEARfest 10x10 IPA, a hop-lovers dream! Take your ticket stub to the brewery for $1.00 of a pint!

7. Wristbands
When you arrive at the venue on Saturday and Sunday, make sure to go to the table in front of Baker Hall and get your wristband. This will speed entry back into the hall after the breaks/set changes.

8. CD Vendors
The layout will be similar to past years (4 rooms on the main level), but we are moving the bands to the second floor in Room 211. This will alleviate traffic in Room 121 (where the NEARfest shirts, programs, etc. are) and allow the bands to be closer to the autograph line, eliminating their need to move merchandise upstairs for the signings. Note: While all bands are invited to do the signings, we cannot guarantee that they will all participate.

9. Safe Travels!
There is a lot of travel information on the NEARfest website. Please leverage that to get yourself to Bethlehem safely this weekend.

Fireballet...rising from the embers

This was posted to the newly started official Fireballet MySpace page:

OK, I promised news was coming and here is the first of it, and it is BIG! This comes straight from Jim Cuomo himself. For all of you who are attending Nearfest, check out the Fireballet table that will be there in the Vendor's room. There you will be able to get your hands on a t-shirt and sampler cd featuring three songs from the bands past. The CD will also have this news on it:

Coming in 2009!

*Deluxe Edition CD of Night on Bald Mountain (1975) including special ltd. edition packaging and bonus material.
*Deluxe Edition CD of Two, Too (1976) including special ltd. edition packaging and bonus material.
*ALL NEW STUDIO ALBUM!!
*Solo Album by Fireballet guitarist Ryhche Chlanda.

And much, much more!

This is very exciting news. Spread the word about this site, www.myspace.com/fireballetofficial

Fireballet were a Progressive rock band based in New Jersey in the early to mid-seventies. Their brand of music blended the sounds of bands such as Genesis, King Crimson, and Deep Purple with the chamber pop bands such as The Left Banke from the late 60s. They disbanded in 1976, but now the albums are finally being officially released on CD after only being available as bootlegs for so long. The embers have been stirred and it appears that Fireballet are about to reemerge on the music scene.

Jim Cuomo: Percussion, Lead and Backing Vocals
Brian Hough: Hammond Organ, Other Organs, Keyboards, and Backing Vocals
Ryche Chlanda: Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Electronic Devices, and Vocals
Frank Petto: Pianos, Synthesizers, Mellotron, Various Other Keyboards, and Vocals
Martyn Biglin: Bass, 12-String Guitar, Pedals

Pure Reason Revolution: Band updates (and new release reminder)

British band Pure Reason Revolution have posted a few goodies and year in review (since 2007-ish) type things of late...rather than ctl-c, ctl-v them, I'll give you the links and encourage you to explore :-)

The 2007 year in review by drummer Paul Glover. Some neat tidbits in there, including one of the most enjoyable looks at NEARfest I've read from any band more familiar with the sweatier live pub scene in the UK and Europe.

The 2007 Year in Review Accompanying Video. Well, I don't see the link on the page, so it may go up in a bit. But supposedly including footage from their first US tour...again, including NEARfest.

And as a reminder, we are 1 week away from the official release of the new Pure Reason Revolution album Live at NEARfest 2007 (you can see the cover art HERE), coming out on (wait for it) NEARfest Records. It goes without saying that I plan on picking this one up early Saturday morning at Zoellner Arts Center on day one/two (depending on how you count it this year) of NEARfest X. They may not be a pure progressive rock band, but I love their infectious mix of swirling synths, Beach Boy-influenced vocal harmonies, and driving grooves and beats. Most definitely one of the more enjoyable new bands to come out the past few years...

The Red Masque signs to ReR USA

The Red Masque have signed with progressive label RER USA (www.rerusa.com) and will be releasing their new album, Fossil Eyes, in late June 2008 through RER USA's own label Ad Hoc Records.

RER USA was founded in 2003 by David Kerman as the exclusive North American distributor of the English label, ReR Megacorp, a twenty five year old company that defines the vanguard of experimental, progressive, interesting and genre-defying music. The Red Masque expect to have the new album available at the North East Art Rock Festival (NEARFest) from June 20-22 at the RER USA vending booth for purchase. Members of the band will be on hand to sign copies. Fossil Eyes will be available through RER USA's webstore by late June. More details forthcoming....

We will also have some show announcements and other news in the next week or so, and we have recently updated our website with a much needed overhaul. Please stop by and visit!

www.theredmasque.com

Thank you,
The Red Masque

NEARfest after-show entertainment details

Here is the official rundown on the after-show entertainment at NEARfest X. All happenings will held at the Comfort Suites hotel bar on 3rd Street in Bethlehem and completely open to anyone. First off, Tom Gagliardi and the world-famous Gagliarchives Radio Show will broadcast live from the hotel bar on both Friday and Saturday nights.

Each night will be streamed online at Aural Moon (www.gagliarchives.com, www.auralmoon.com) beginning at 9:00pm ET.

The NJ ProgHouse After Parties will then kick off at 12:00 am. NEARfest attendees have plenty of time to hit the meet-and-greets after the headliners and not miss the performances. The schedule is as follows:

Friday: Laura Meade featuring John Galgano (IZZ)
(www.myspace.com/laurammeade)
Saturday: Might Could (www.mightcould.net)
Sunday: Mr. A's Happy Fun Sing-Along and 10th Anniversary Drink-a-Thon

Hope you can join us!

Reviews and more...

I just wanted to post a quick update about a bunch of reviews and stuff that have been posted, or will be posted soon-ish, that may be of some interest to you, Constant Readers.

The following reviews were published on Progscape yesterday:

Matthew Parmenter Horror Express 05/15/2008
Rainwound Shrouded Destiny 05/15/2008
Beardfish Sleeping in Traffic: Part Two 05/15/2008
Rod DeGeorge Cosmic Playground 05/15/2008

The following reviews have just been submitted:

Caamora She (2 CD release)
Caamora She (DVD release)

As soon as they are up, I will be providing links to interviews with the following artists:

Andy Tillison of The Tangent/Parallel or 90 Degrees
Roine Stolt of The Flower Kings/formerly Kaipa, The Tangent, Transatlantic

The following artists have interviews coming up:

Gary Lauzon of The Rebel Wheel
Jason Blake of Aziola Cry

~~~~~~~~~~

Here's what I'm listening to recently:

Asia - Phoenix (Frontiers Music)
Alberto Rigoni - Something Different (Lion Music)
Nude Black Glass - Nude Black Glass (private release)
Fernwood - Almeria(private release)
Voluntary Mother Earth - Unacceptable Vegetable (private release)

You'll probably be getting links to reviews over the coming week or so.

~~~~~~~~~~

NEARfest is about one month away now, and I suppose it goes without saying that I will be there. I'll be covering the event for a variety of outlets, and you will more than likely be getting all kinds of links to photo galleries, reviews, interviews and so on. I'll look into Blogger's voice post capabilities to see if there's any way I can push voice posts here as a stop gap over the course of the two days, but in the event that I cannot, I do have a personal blog that does allow for voice posting. I may simply post a link to that blog before the festival and ask that people hit that page over the course of the weekend if they were at all interested in a 'blogging as the festival goes' kind of thing.

Fish's "Clutching at Stars" at NEARfest

In the wake of NEARfest stepping up to sponsor him for his 2008 North American tour, Fish has offered to bring his critically-acclaimed "Clutching at Stars" performance to the NEARfest stage. This encore performance celebrating the 20th anniversary of Marillion's classic Clutching at Straws album, a fan-favorite and the last one featuring Fish, is a NEARfest-exclusive! The Clutching at Stars tour did not reach North American shores in 2007, so this is sure to be a very special show.

Tickets are still available for the show at https://ztickets.lehigh.edu, which is on Friday, June 20th starting at 7:00pm with Synergy as the opening act.

Discovering discipline.

(Being the first in a series of slightly less news based, personal observational posts that will be showing up over the next few days...)

Let's turn the clock back, shall we? To a quieter and more innocent time, when yr. obd't blogger thought progressive rock was dead, save for a few still semi-active bands from that long-gone golden era who'd trot out their material on a semi-annual Summer Shed basis.

Yr. Obd't Blogger and his lovely wife were at just such a shed, the now renamed PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel NJ for a progtastic double bill of Emerson Lake and Palmer with Jethro Tull. This was my anniversary present to her, as she was a massive fan of both bands, and I enjoyed both bands equally. Inside the venue itself, there was a table with a banner for a publication called Progression Magazine, purporting to be the 'quarterly journal of progressive rock.' Intrigued, we picked up a card, and decided to order a subscription.

When the first issue arrived, we were shocked to see that not only was progressive rock (sort of) alive and (for the most part) well, there was an incredibly (semi) active underground scene and hundreds of (occasionally) new and unique bands presenting new material. We sat there, going through the magazine for days, and in the end, decided to each pick two bands and order a CD from each of them to see what was out there.

I know my wife picked Spocks Beard and Braindance, and I picked Mastermind and a band out of Michigan called discipline. I picked the later because the name reminded me of King Crimson, and I was hopeful that the hallmarks of what I liked in KC would be evident in this newer band I'd never heard of before.

The album I ordered was called unfolded like staircase. When it arrived, I was surprised to see there were only 4 songs on it...even more surprised when I found out the CD was over 60 minutes long. Cautiously I put it in my CD player and hit play.

I was blown away.

Dark, bits of violin and sax, fluid Howe-like guitars, and a voice unlike any I had ever heard before (this was long before I had heard of a group called Van der Graaf Generator). The lyrics were powerful and full of symbology, and I was hooked. Over the years, the hooks have gotten embedded deeper, rather than letting go.

I was a less tactful person in those distant days; I followed up that order with an order for their debut CD, Push and Profit. When I was accidentally sent a second copy of the new album, I sent it back with a sarcastic note saying I already had a copy, and that if they didn't have the debut in stock anymore, then I wanted my money back. The day after I sent it back, I got a second packet in the mail from their label, with the debut in it, and a handwritten note from Matthew Parmenter apologising for the mistake, and asking me to share the second copy with a friend. I felt like a heel.

Not long after the circle turned a little bit, and I began writing for Progression. One of my first reviews was of the discipline. album, with an ending line that I see quoted often for this album..."No neo-prog effort this, but a progressive statement of epic proportions that rocks."

Time passes. Tempus fugit. I miss seeing the band with the remnants of a relatively recently fractured echolyn in Philly, and before long, discipline. goes into hiatus. In 2002, I attend my first NEARfest, and discover that the Progday festival had several album releases of live performances from their annual fest; several had live discipline. tracks on them. Needless, I grabbed them quickly. Two years later, I get a packet in the mail from Strung Out Records, containing the new Matthew Parmenter solo album astray in it. I didn't order it...someone had it sent to me. Enclosed was another nice little note from MP. At that point, I start e-mailing him, and we develop a close acquaintanceship/I suppose friendship at this point. I start running a mailing list/e-group for him on Yahoo, and it's announced that he'll be doing a solo spotlight at NEARfest 2005.

NF 2005 was a rough one for me on a personal level, yet the highlight was his set. And the fact that I got to go on stage and do his introduction,which to this day amazes me. It was one of the most awesome (in the sense that I was filled with awe and almost unable to speak) things to ever happen to me. I got to spend a decent bit of time with him, talking to him, and so on. He gave me a copy of the re-released discipline. DVD gratis. And, when he found out that someone had taken my jewel cases and trayliners for the two discipline albums (I'd left the discs at home and had him sign the booklets), sent me new copies of both albums, again for free.

Skip forward to 2007. We get to the first day of NEARfest 2007, and co-organiser Rob LaDuca grabs me and says "Bill, I want to talk to you."

Nervous I am, until he tells me that he wanted to tell me first, before anyone else, who the first band signed for NF 2008 was, as I was such a huge fan: the reunited, classic quartet line-up of discipline. Matthew Parmenter, Paul Dzendel, Mathew Kennedy, and Jon Preston Bouda.

I think I squealed like a thirteen year old girl in the Ed Sullivan Theatre in 1964 when the Beatles played.

I then had to keep it secret till they announced it officially that day. At which time everyone that knew me there turned to see my reaction.

Needless, excitement was the theme of the day.

A little less than a year later, I've written a short bio for the NF page (having co-wrote the bio for the 2005 program when Matthew played solo)) and have in my grubby little paws Matthew's latest solo opus, Horror Express. 12 years on, give or take, from when I first saw the name, I am every bit as much a fan as I was when I heard the first notes of "Canto IV," a song that resonated so strongly with me that I took its title as a screen name for many years. My fandom is strengthened by the fact that I've gotten to know Matthew a little bit beyond the albums. It gives me a greater appreciation for the music I enjoy.

NF 2008 is a month and a half away, and something I have looked forward to for over a decade is finally going to happen; I am going to see discipline. live.

And the circle turns again...

Several various updates (Yes, NEARfest Records)

YES:

This has been circulating some, but for the benefit of anyone who may not yet have seen it, the following was published by Billboard:

Even as it prepares for its 40th anniversary tour this summer, Yes is working on new material, frontman Jon Anderson has revealed to Billboard.

Anderson says the progressive rock heroes are preparing four new songs of the "opus" variety -- lengthy, multi-movement compositions along the lines of Close to the Edge and Tales From Topographic Oceans.

"They're very, very different," Anderson says. "It'll be interesting when we perform them, because we know that we want to try and perform them in a unique fashion."

But Anderson adds that he's not sure those songs will wind up comprising Yes' first set of new material since 2001's Magnification. "Putting together an album really isn't logical anymore," he notes. "Putting together a large piece of music or something that is really a jump in a musical direction takes a lot of commitment from everybody.... But maybe during the tour we will discuss making some new music."

Anderson says he'd also be amenable to some sort of reunion of the Yes lineup that made the group's triple-platinum 1983 smash 90125 as well as 1987's Big Generator and 1994's Talk. He and Trevor Rabin, the guitarist and co-producer in that incarnation of the band, have been in discussions about "maybe touring some of that '80s-period music, because it was very special." But Anderson says he and Rabin aren't necessarily thinking about resurrecting that version of Yes as a recording entity. "I wouldn't do it, like, Yes," Anderson explains. "I'd do it like me and Trevor aspiring to be the two of us making music and see what we come up with.

The Yes anniversary tour kicks off July 12 at the Festival d'ete de Quebec in Quebec City.



NEARfest Records:

Chad Hutchinson posted the following at ProgressiveEars regarding future releases:

2006 (DVD) is next on the plan, but time permits too much being done at that moment. I'll have plenty of time in my "retirement" to focus on it.

A 2007 DVD is a different animal as neither headliner allowed recording of any kind. We're not sure of the wide-spread appeal of a product from '07 without Magma and Hawkwind on it. Another option though, is to do a combo '06-'07 DVD. We'll see. It depends on the response from '06 bands for the most part, especially Mr. (Keith) Emerson.

2008 is in progress. In theory, I think they'll all agree to it. Recording agreements for both audio and video will be sent out in the next week or so.

My focus, NFR-wise, right now is to get the live PRR (Pure Reason Revolution) CD designed and manufactured in time for NFX. Gonna be tight!

No real post today, readers...

Sorry for the no post day today...we're getting ready to camp out for NEARfest tickets. This has been an annual tradition for the past few years, and it's usually a lot of fun. This year will (hopefully) be the seventh festival for us, and the line up for the tenth annual festival is a good one, with several bands I am particularly interested in seeing.

Regular transmission will resume late Saturday or sometime Sunday.

Thanks for understanding. And...

Wish us luck :-)

EDIT 31 March 2008: forgot to add in that we were in fact successful and acquired the necessary Eintrittskarten to attend! 3 months to go, roughly :-)