ROSFEST announces Poland's Osada Vida for 2011

RoSfest is pleased to announce Poland's Osada Vida. The band is Adam Podzimski - drums & percussion, Lukasz Lisiak - bass, vocal, Rafal Paluszek - keyboards and Bartek Bereska -Guitars. To date the band has recorded 5 albums. 

Critical Moment (2000)

Osada Vida (2004) 

Three Seats Behind A Triangle (2006) 

The Body Parts Party (2008) 

Uninvited Dreams (2009)

In 2007 the band signed to Poland's Metal Mind Productions. For MMP Osada Vida recorded the next two full - length albums: The Body Parts Party (2008) and very highly acclaimed Uninvited Dreams (2009).

The music has been warmly received throughout Europe, The USA and Latin America, and is currently garnering excellent reviews for their critically acclaimed Uninvited Dreams album.

The band has extensively toured with the likes of Fish, Riverside, Believe, The Black Noodle Project and many others.

As time passed, Osada Vida started to play heavier, on one side, but on the other side, they incorporated more jazzy and ambient elements with a little bit of electronics. They are still developing their music, so no one knows where music will lead them… but we know that RoSfest will have them for a day on May 21st 2011 as our first band for the Saturday lineup.

Osada Vida official website - www.osadavida.art.pl
Osada Vida Myspace site www.myspace.com/osadavida
Osada Vida Youtube site - www.youtube.com/osadavida

Phideaux to play RoSfest 2011

Phideaux is a band comprised of many friends who have known each other since early childhood (Phideaux Xavier and Valerie Gracious were in nursery school together). They produce recordings of adventurous art rock music and make occasional live appearances. Always eclectic and somewhat hard to pin down, Phideaux has been described as funny, serious, doomy, derivative, innovative, pretentious, goth-tinged space folk "prog" rock. They are inspired by mellotrons, flutes and keyboard heavy music but are also known to love dual lead guitars and power chords. Syncopation and tricky time signatures are sometimes used but there's always a melody to be hummed and riffs that invade your ears and mind. The lyrics tell stories - sometimes clearly, sometimes not - but always with an intent to spark an image or metaphor. Phideaux's sixth album Doomsday Afternoon generated a bit of a buzz and won best foreign album 2007 in the Italian Prog Awards. 2010 will mark the release of the album Snowtorch. This album is a continuation of the long form compositions found on Doomsday Afternoon and Chupacabras. It represents another foray into progressive rock, with perhaps a tiny bit of jazz fusion, psyche/freak out and heavy rock. It may surprise you!

Drop by the Bloodfish Records website where you can listen to tracks from all of the Phideaux albums and download some free stuff: http://www.bloodfish.com.

Discography: Fiendish (2003); Ghost Story (2004); Chupacabras (2005); "313" (2005); The Great Leap (2006); Doomsday Afternoon (2007); Number Seven (2009); Snowtorch (2010)

Look For Phideaux on the RoSfest stage with a brand new album and a brand new show.

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

ProgDay 2010 announces BARRY CLEVELAND'S HOLOGRAMATRON

ProgDay is pleased to announce a performance by the instrumental incarnation of BARRY CLEVELAND'S HOLOGRAMATRON. Sporting an all-star lineup, the quartet's music is largely improvisational, drawing on songs from the album "Hologramatron," while also allowing for absolute spontaneity. The band's sound has been variously described as art rock, progressive rock, avant-rock and psychedelia.

BARRY CLEVELAND: Cleveland released his first commercial album on Larry Fast's Audion Recording Company label in 1986. Since then he has released a series of critically acclaimed recordings with musicians like Michael Manring, Dan Reiter, Michael Pluznick, Robert Powell and Michael Masley. Cleveland is also an accomplished journalist, writing for Mix, Electronic Musician and Onstage magazines, and is an associate editor for Guitar Player magazine.

MICHAEL MANRING: Hailed by many as the world's leading solo bassist, Manring has built on the conceptions of his teacher, the late bass legend Jaco Pastorius, to develop a new approach to the instrument that includes unorthodox tunings, techniques and methodologies. In addition to his solo pursuits, Manring has played on hundreds of recordings with a diversity of musicians including Michael Hedges, Suzanne Ciani, Scott McGill, Henry Kaiser, Tim Alexander (Primus) and Thomas Dolby. He has garnered two gold records, Grammy and Bammie nominations, a Berklee School of Music Distinguished Alumni Award, two Just Plain Folks Awards and numerous Bass Player magazine Reader's Poll awards including 1994 Bassist of the Year.

ROBERT POWELL: Playing all manner of guitars, as well as a variety of other stringed and not-so-stringed instruments, Powell specializes in his distinctive approach to the pedal-steel guitar. He has worked with a wide range of artists that include Peter Gabriel, Jackson Browne, Ustad Salamat Ali Khan, Airto Moreira, Kingfish and John Lee Hooker. Powell has also scored numerous award-winning films like "Texas Gold," "Counting Sheep" and "El Dorado."

CELSO ALBERTI: Born in Brazil, the driving rhythms of his country's music led him to develop an early interest in the drums and by the age of 17 he was performing regularly as a professional. Since then he has played with Terra Sul, Batucaje, Airto Moreira and Flora Purim, Herbie Mann, Kit Walker (Kitaro, Airto), Frank Martin (Narada Michael Walden), Steve Winwood and many others.

BARRY CLEVELAND'S HOLOGRAMATRON is joined by Flash, The Muffins, Scale The Summit, Mars Hollow, Half Past Four, Shadow Circus 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 www.progday.net.

Shadow Circus to play Progday 2010

For 15 years guitarist John Fontana played in numerous bands on the NYC music scene. Then he set out to create music on his own that recalled his progressive rock roots. During the process he met four other musicians who enthusiastically embraced the developing music, and Shadow Circus was born.

Often inspired by literary works from the likes of Ray Bradbury and Stephen King, the music Shadow Circus pulls from the progressive past, yet is firmly anchored in today. The symphonic label with which their recordings are usually categorized only serves to indicate a small portion of Shadow Circus’s diversity of musical exploration. Epic tracks, ballads, theatrical presentations, in-your-face rockers and everything in between are all delivered with impeccable musicianship and style. While bands like Spock's Beard, Styx, The Tangent and Crack The Sky are sometimes used to reference their sound, Shadow Circus’s personal mix of adventurousness, accessibility, drama and fun carves out its own place in the world of modern prog.

Shadow Circus is joined by Flash, Mars Hollow, The Muffins, 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 www.progday.net. Two more bands to be announced!

Freakshow Artrock Festival 2010 - Part II announced

(NB: This is from the promoter’s press release.)

Although we have already had our festival back in march starring quite a bunch of great newcomers to the scene (Accordo Dei Contrari, Phlox, Beardfish, Neom, Camembert, Jerseyband), we decided to do a second part of it in autumn, due to the fact, that our dearest friends Of Sleepytime Gorilla Museum will be back again in Europe for quite one week, guesting at the prestigious RIOfestival in Carmaux in the south of France and once again in Würzburg.

And because there are some people around here that are dedicated followers of the French cult band Magma, we thought about arranging a double feature starring one cult band that draws its fame from the past up to the present, and one cult band that seems to be firmly rooted in the present with a nod here and there to some of the greats of the past of advanced rock music!

So when we were about to arrange things for this double feature, another of our favourites jumped in, announcing the release of their 4th record in autumn and wanting to do a show with their newly recruited drummer (they did not have one before) in Würzburg in the wake of aforementioned RIOfestival, where he (the drummer) will certainly be present as representative of his own record company. We are talking about Dave Kerman (drummer of present and thinking plague), who is guesting on the soon to be released ALTROCK label effort by Belgium chamber rock ensemble Aranis.

So now we are very proud to announce the Freakshow Artrock Festival 2010 - Part II as a one-day festival on the 25th of September.

Galerie 03 / Freakshow Present Freakshow Artrock Festival 2010 - Part II
Würzburg

"Rock Music For Advanced Listeners"
25.September 2010
Posthalle, Bahnhofsplatz 2, 97070 Würzburg (http://www.posthalle.de/)
All tickets will qualify for a seat!
Doors Open: 12:00
Start Of Concerts: 13:00


Aranis (featuring Dave Kerman on drums): www.myspace.com/aranis
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum www.myspace.com/sleepytimegorillamuseum
Magma www.myspace.com/magmaofficial

For more info, including ticket purchase information:

www.myspace.com/freakCha
www.artrock-festival.de

FLASH to play Progday 2010

NB: I knew I had seen this press release around the end of the week last week...when I went to find it again, I couldn't. At that point I honestly thought I had been imagining this announcement. Apologies for the delay, then, in posting this...



In 1971, Colin Carter, formerly lead singer with Peter Barden’s Camel, initiated an idea with Peter Banks, recently the first ex-Yes guitarist, to form a new band. Musician Ray Bennett had previously met Banks while staying with Bill Bruford, Bennett's former bandmate from The Breed. Recently returned to London, Bennett arrived right on time to fill the bass spot. Carter and Banks discovered Mike Hough, a hard working drummer with a jazz, rock and big band background, playing in a ballroom in London. Together they formed Flash.

In the early 70s Flash put out three albums on EMI/Capitol Records, had the hit single "Small Beginnings" (#28 Billboard), and toured Europe and the USA four times. They even made it to Australia. But after two and a half years, Flash disbanded. All four members later reunited in various combinations during the late 70's and early 80's. But by 1982 the Flash members had gone their separate ways.

In 2002 all four original members made contact again and were initially enthusiastic about a Flash reunion. Now spread out across the globe, plans to get together were discussed over several months. However, in the end, Banks and Hough failed to commit. In late 2004 it was Flash songwriters Ray Bennett and Colin Carter who began working together again. They discovered that the old chemistry was still there and in 2005 they officially re-launched their musical partnership as Flash.

2009 saw the almost miraculous resurrection of the fully realized Flash. Gibson Guitars listed Flash's In the Can as one of their top 10 vintage classic prog-rock albums. Also in 2009, all of their albums were reissued. Now, with a spectacular new 5-piece line-up and a studio album of new material in the works, these prog-rock pioneers set sail again with renewed vigor and their hallmark originality, ready to continue their saga. Advance copies of the new album should be available in September at Progday.

Mars Hollow, The Muffins, Half Past Four and Mahogany Frog join Flash 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 www.progday.net. Three more bands to be announced soon!


Current Line Up:
Colin Carter: Lead Vocals
Ray Bennett: Guitar, Vocals
Mark Pardy: Drums
Wayne Carver: Bass
Rick Daugherty: Keyboards

Discography:
Flash (1972)
In The Can (1972)
Out Of Our Hands (1973)
Psychosync (archival recording from 1973) (1997)
Flash 4 (To be released 2010)

http://www.myspace.com/flashbennettcarter

District 97 to play RosFest 2011

District 97 comes to us from Chicago and is a band that formed in the Fall of 2006 by drummer Jonathan Schang, keyboardist Rob Clearfield, bassist Patrick Mulcahy and guitarist Sam Krahn. The foursome from Chicago honed a no-holds barred style of Liquid Tension Experiment inspired Instrumental Rock before deciding the right vocalist was needed to complement their sound; enter 2007 American Idol Top 10 Female Finalist, Leslie Hunt. With a look, sound and stage presence comparable to a young Ann Wilson from Heart, Leslie's dynamic performances pushed the band into a new direction that forged a unique marriage between accessible, catchy vocal melodies and an adventurous instrumental prowess. The band is rounded off with Katinka Kleijn, cellist extraordinaire from the world-renowned Chicago Symphony Orchestra and one of Chicago's finest young guitarists, Jim Tashjian. With this new lineup of peerless musicianship in place, District 97 began wowing crowds and establishing a devoted fanbase through packed shows at legendary Chicago venues such as House of Blues, Schubas and Martyrs'. In May 2010, the band signed with Laser's Edge Records, and will oversee a worldwide physical and digital release of District 97's debut effort, Hybrid Child, in September 2010.

The band now heads east to play at Rosfest and you can catch their show on Sunday May 22nd playing the second slot.

District 97 website - http://district97.net/
District 97 Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/district97
Look for a complete bio at the RoSfest website - http://rosfest.com/Performers-2011/District_97.htm

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

IONA signed for NEARfest 2010

NEARfest is proud to announce the addition of Iona to the 2010 lineup! Hailing from England, Celtic symphonic progressive rock band Iona was formed in 1989 by multi-instrumentalists David Fitzgerald and Dave Bainbridge and joined soon after by lead vocalist Joanne Hogg. The inspiration for the band and its name came from a visit that Fitzgerald made to the serene and beautiful Scottish island of Iona the year prior. By the time Iona released their self-titled debut album in 1990, Nick Beggs (bass), Fiona Davidson (Celtic harp), Peter Whitfield (strings), Troy Donockley (Uillean pipes) and Frank Van Essen (drums, violin) had joined the band.

In 1992, the band released "The Book of Kells," a concept album based on the legendary Irish tome . Terl Bryant took over on drums and percussion for this album after the departure of Frank Van Essen. Fitzgerald also left the band to pursue a degree in music. The band's third album, "Beyond These Shores" (1993), which included guest musician Robert Fripp, was loosely based on the voyage of St. Brendan. "Journey into the Morn" (1995) was a more straight-forward release inspired by the hymn "Be Thou My Vision," which bookends the album in Gaelic and features Máire Brennan, lead singer of Celtic/New Age band Clannad.

After two live albums, Bryant left the band and Van Essen returned to play drums on 2000's "Open Sky," which was followed in 2002 by a boxed set called "The River Flows," the first release on the band's own label. The box contains their then-out-of-print first three albums remastered, as well as a fourth disc of unreleased tracks. After six years without a new studio album, the band released the gorgeous "The Circling Hour" in 2006 as well as a 2-disc live DVD "Iona: Live in London," featuring a 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround mix.

Since then, the band has continued to play live shows across Europe to enthusiastic crowds. The band has also returned to the studio to begin work on a new album which will see the light in 2010 to coincide with their 20th anniversary. In helping to celebrate the band's milestone, NEARfest is very pleased to welcome Iona to the stage to treat us to their wonderful stylistic weave of Celtic music and symphonic rock.

Iona website: http://www.iona.uk.com

Forgas Band Phenomena to perform at NF 2010

This from Ray Loboda, co-organiser for NEARfest 2010:

Jim, Kevin and I are pleased to announce that France's Forgas Band Phenomena will grace the NEARfest stage in the 2010 edition. Drummer and composer Patrick Forgas has been releasing jazz-rock gems that showcase his compositional and and arranging skills for over 30 years. Forgas, who has been hailed as "the French answer to the Canterbury scene" since he first burst upon the scene in 1977 with his "Cocktail" album, will present songs from his fourth album, Axis of Madness as well as others from his catalog.

In addition to the many Canterbury comparisons, also heard is a commonality with the band that Frank Zappa led with George Duke & Jean-Luc Ponty; great tunes and arrangements in a fusion style with excellent 'jazz' soloing. The group perform music that combines the most attractive aspects of jazz and rock composition with inspired solos. The quality of the music and performances is obvious from the first note and we are pleased that it isn't only us who noticed; press has been unbelievably enthusiastic towards this group's music! Please extend a NEARfest handshake to Cuneiform's very own, Forgas Band Phenomena.

http://forgasbp.online.fr/

Progday announces BRAVE

ProgDay 2009 will get off to a rousing start as the outstanding melodic progressive metal band BRAVE take the stage. Celebrating their 10th anniversary this year, their performances with bands like FATES WARNING, ASIA, LACUNA COIL, SPOCK'S BEARD, OPETH and SYMPHONY X have earned them a reputation for atmospheric, powerful and soulful music. With the heartfelt, passionate vocals of MICHELLE LOOSE, lyrical metal guitars, and a violin that is sometimes songbird-like and other times symphonic, they have created a unique, rich sound that sets them apart from the expected.

"The first thing to hit you is the melancholy voice of lead singer Michelle Loose, with a delivery that makes me think of the old group Renaissance fronted by the multi-octave vocals of Annie Haslam. Now take those vocals, put in a duel heavy metal guitar attack and then to top it off, add a violin similar to the group Kansas. There you have Brave...This band is really Beauty and the Beast. With the gorgeous vocals of Michelle Loose swirling all around you, the beast of a band behind her, hits you like a ton of bricks. The combination is something to behold." - Scott Ward, SEA OF TRANQUILITY

ProgDay is the world's longest running progressive rock event. The 15th edition will take place on September 5th & 6th, 2009, at beautiful Storybook Farm near Chapel Hill, North Carolina. BRAVE (US) join LA MASCHERA DI CERA (Italy), OZRIC TENTACLES (UK), MÖRGLBL (France), QUI (Japan), FRENCH TV (USA), 3RDEGREE (USA) and DELUGE GRANDER (USA) for another great weekend of the best in progressive music! For more information and to hear music from all of this year's ProgDay bands, please visit us at www.progday.net.

IMPORTANT NOTE: ProgDay has changed it's domain name. We are now "Progday.net" instead of ".com." If you are one of ProgDay's supporters, please be sure to make the change to ".net" in all of your links and bookmarks.

Deluge Grander to perform at Progday 2009

ProgDay is pleased to announce the debut live performance by Baltimore's DELUGE GRANDER. Featuring two former members of CEREBUS EFFECT, DELUGE GRANDER was formed in 2005. Their first album, "August In The Urals," was released in September of that year to much critical praise. The band's new album, "The Form Of The Good," has just been released and the critics are finding it to be even better than the first!

While the band's music continues to evolve, it can be best described as symphonic progressive rock, but they are not afraid of experimentation and inject Canterbury and Fusion elements into their work. Comparisons are sometimes made to bands like WOBBLER or UNDERGROUND RAILROAD. DELUGE GRANDER is putting together a special show for ProgDay and this will be the first opportunity for fans of the band to see a live performance by this excellent outfit. Make plans to be there for this unique performance from one the the east coast's up and coming progressive rock bands.

ProgDay is the world's longest running progressive rock event. The 15th edition will take place on September 5th & 6th, 2009, at beautiful Storybook Farm near Chapel Hill, North Carolina. DELUGE GRANDER (USA) joins OZRIC TENTACLES (UK), MÖRGLBL (France), QUI (Japan), FRENCH TV (USA) and 3RDEGREE (USA) for another great weekend of the best in progressive music! For more information and to hear music from all of this year's ProgDay bands, please visit us at www.progday.com.

Ozrics officially announced for Progday!

OZRIC TENTACLES are a band that probably need no introduction to fans of progressive rock. The band was formed when the original members met at a festival on the grounds of Stonehenge in 1983. By 1984 they had released the first of their early cassette-only titles. Soon after they grew a large and devoted fan base and eventually become legends in the UK underground. They have now been a leader of the progressive/psychedelic music scene for the better part of two decades and have released over 20 albums. Their new CD, “The Yum Yum Tree,” will be released in April.

Led by founding member Ed Wynne, OZRIC TENTACLES continue the tradition of free-form instrumental space rock that made them famous. Long associated with open-air events, we're sure seeing the OZRICS close ProgDay weekend, as the sun sets on Storybook Farm, will be a special opportunity to experience this remarkable band.

ProgDay is the world's longest running progressive rock event. The 15th edition will take place on September 5th & 6th, 2009, at beautiful Storybook Farm near Chapel Hill, North Carolina. OZRIC TENTACLES joins MÖRGLBL and FRENCH TV for another great weekend of the best in progressive music! For more information and to hear music from all of this year 's ProgDay bands, please visit us at www.progday.com .

2 more bands signed to Summer's End 2009

Mr So and So were forerunners of the mid 90s prog scene, before signing to Steve Rothery's "Dorian Music" label for 1998s The Overlap. A lengthy hiatus ended two years ago, when the band began recording and gigging again, culminating in new album Sugarstealer. Already available as a download and due for release on CD later in the year, the album combines modern progressive rock and pop, with the dual vocals of Shaun McGowan and Charlotte Evans combining impressively.

www.mrsoandso.com
www.myspace.com/mrsoandso


I/O Earth are a remarkable find, having just released a remarkably assured self titled double album. The brainchild of British multi-instrumentalists Dave Cureton and Adam Gough, the album combines melodic prog with ambient, classical and world music influences, and features a variety of vocalists including Steve Balsamo (ChimpanA, the Storys). The 6 piece live version of the band will open the Sunday of the festival on October 11th.

www.ioearth.com
www.myspace.com/islasho


Finally, we are delighted to announce that Official festival photographer Chris Walkden's superb photos of Summers End 2008 can now be seen at http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/chriswalkden/SE08/

More information very soon - including more news of headliners and special guests!

Previous bands announced:

Pallas (UK) www.pallas.f2s.com www.myspace.com/pallastherockband
Parallel or 90 Degrees (UK) www.po90.com www.myspace.com/po90degrees
Quantum Fantay (Belgium) www.quantum-fantay.com www.myspace.com/quantumfantay
Godsticks (UK) www.myspace.com/godsticksmusic

Further details of the Festival, including further bands and first news of the weekend schedule will be posted very soon.

www.myspace.com/summersendfestival
www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php?eid=51059008514&ref=nf
Stalk us mercilessly at www.twitter.com/summersendfest

Join the yahoo group at: http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/summersendfestival/

Email: summersend@btinternet.com

Summers End announces PALLAS and QUANTUM FANTAY

From the official press release"

We are thrilled to announce the next two bands for the Summers End Festival, to be held at Lydney Town Hall, Gloucestershire on October 9, 10, 11.

Aberdonian legends Pallas will be familiar to most Prog fans as forerunners of the 80s revival. Following up their brilliant 2005 album "Dreams of Men", the band promise a return to the story first begun in "The Sentinel" 25 years ago in their new album due for release later in 2009. We are therefore very excited to welcome the band for their first appearance at Summers End - and not before time!

www.pallas.f2s.com
www.myspace.com/pallastherockband

Quantum Fantay from Belgium have been making waves internationally with their dynamic and accessible brand of liquid space rock fusion. With an appearance at the prestigious US festival Nearfest scheduled for June this year, we are particularly delighted to have lured them to Summers End as well!

www.quantum-fantay.com
www.myspace.com/quantumfantay

Previous bands announced:

Parallel or 90 Degrees www.po90.com www.myspace.com/po90degrees
Godsticks www.myspace.com/godsticksmusic

Further details of the Festival, including further bands and first news of the weekend schedule will be posted very soon.

ProgDay announces the return of FRENCH TV

ProgDay is happy to announce the return of FRENCH TV to the Storybook Farm stage. The band put on a memorable performance at ProgDay in 1997, so we thought it was high time to have them back again.

FRENCH TV is based out of Louisville, Kentucky. Led by founder, bassist and main composer MIKE SARY, FRENCH TV’s music is challenging and complex. They are often compared to bands like NATIONAL HEALTH, SOFT MACHINE, BRUFORD, BRAND X and HAPPY THE MAN, and their sense of humor recalls FRANK ZAPPA and SAMLA MAMMAS MANNA.

Since their beginning in 1983, the band has released 8 studio albums and 1 live album to great reviews from both the progressive rock press and fans. The band’s most recent album, “This Is What We Do,” was released in 2006 and continues their tradition of creativity and risk-taking.

The band has also toured all over the world, gaining an international audience. Along with their previous ProgDay performance, the band's festival appearances include Baja Prog in Mexico (2003), The Gouveia Art Rock Festival in Portugal (2005), and The Altrock Festival in Italy (2008). Returning to the US festival scene, French TV will be sure to provide another unforgettable performance at ProgDay 2009.

ProgDay is the world's longest running progressive rock event. The 15th edition will take place on September 5th & 6th, 2009, at beautiful Storybook Farm near Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Join us for another great weekend of the best in progressive music! For more information and to hear music from announced bands MÖRGLBL and FRENCH TV, please visit us at www.progday.com.

Gouveia Art Rock 2009 announces Stick Men

from the press release:

GOUVEIA ART ROCK 2009 proudly presents...

STICK MEN (feat. TONY LEVIN, PAT MASTELOTTO and MICHAEL BERNIER) live in concert!

Focused on exploring the unique sound of the Chapman stick, the project combines Bernier's highly technical experimentalism with Levin's and Mastelotto's avant-garde maturity, with a strong emphasis on rhythm and electronics in compositions that carry a slight influence from the latter period of Robert Fripp's Crimson music.

Tony Levin's well-known passion for the Chapman stick inevitably had to lead to the creation of a musical project dedicated to this instrument. The idea took shape in 2007, when Levin recorded his latest solo album,'Stick Man'. Among others, the album included Pat Mastelotto, Levin's companion throughout many adventurous years with King Crimson, and indirectly Michael Bernier, a master of the Stick, and whose technique Levin admires greatly. The year after, the trio founded Stick Men and eventually began performing last October.

Despite being a recent project and not having recording any album of their own, Stick Men is a musical project whose stage performances must not be missed for the sheer talent of Bernier and Levin' and Mastelotto's vast experience - with the former having played with some of the most important English progressive acts, from King Crimson to Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel's band and Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, and the latter having played in countless highly renowned projects such as King Crimson, XTC, Mr. Mister, KTU, The Flower Kings and Tuner, with whom he performed at the 2007 GAR.

Summer's End Festival announces 2009 details

We are delighted to announce that this year's edition of the Festival will take place on October 9 / 10 /11 at Lydney Town Hall, Gloucestershire, UK.

Festival founder Huw Lloyd Jones says:

"Lydney Town Hall was almost universally praised as a venue last year, so we are delighted to be back."

Co-organiser Stephen Lambe talks about the potential line up for 2009:

"After the response to last years Festival, the pressure is on to match it, but we are sure we can do it. We have some great ideas, and if even a few of them come off, it should be an amazing weekend."

We are also delighted to announce the first two bands booked for the Festival:

Parallel or 90 Degrees have announced that after a long hiatus they have reformed for a brand new album "Jitters" and some live dates. This follows the success of their Double CD retrospective "A Can of Worms" released last year. The band presents a harder edged, more contemporary sound than Andy Tillison's other project, the Tangent, who made a triumphant headline appearance last year. We are delighted to say that the band will have a prominent slot at this years Festival.
www.po90.com
www.myspace.com/po90degrees

We are also thrilled to welcome the brilliant Godsticks to one of the weekend's opening slots. Based in South Wales, this unique 3 piece impressed us with their music which combines prog with fusion, pop and just a touch of funk. Their great songwriting and outstanding musicianship can be heard on the bands 5 track self-titled EP, available from their Myspace site.
www.myspace.com/godsticksmusic

Further details of the Festival will be announced very soon:

As well as the main Festival website www.summersend.co.uk (updating soon) all the news as it happens will be posted at:

www.myspace.com/summersendfestival
www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php?eid=51059008514&ref=nf

Stalk us mercilessly at www.twitter.com/summersendfest
Join the yahoo group at: http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/summersendfestival/

King's X to headline 3RP 2009

(from the official press release)

The King's will be "holding their court" in Pittsburgh as the Sunday Night Headliner for 3RP 2009. August 9,2009.

The King's of this court are:
Doug (dUg) Pinnick - BASS/ BACKING VOCALS
Ty Tabor - LEAD GUITAR/LEAD AND BACKING VOCALS
Jerry Gaskill - DRUMS, PERCUSSIONS/LEAD AND BACKING VOCALS

Their magic together has created 15 Albums/CD's, plus many solo projects, and to many to name contributions to many other peoples music,(All since 1988).

They started out together back in 1980 as the group " The Edge". Later in 1983 they became known as the "Sneak Preview". But in 1985 the band move to Houston, Texas. There, they hooked up with Sam Taylor who was the vise president of ZZ TOP's production company. Sam encourage them to change there bands name to King's X, and the name has been with them ever since.

The bands big breakthrough seemed to be coming when they released their 3rd album "Faith, Hope, Love" in 1990. The album was having relatively good success commercially, and they were able to land a great opportunity in 1991 as the opening act on many dates of the AC/DC - USA, and European Tours sold out shows. This helped to get them more visibility , and helped their album to do pretty well.

But, they eventually experienced trouble with Sam Taylor, and parted ways. The next album was not as successful and was not noticed to much except for there close knit fan base.
But in 1994 they were rejuvenated as Brendan O'Brien produced the 1994 release of "Dogman" This album did pretty well on the music charts. The success of this album got them the opportunity to be the opening act for "Pearl Jam" , on their tour. They also gave an amazing performance at "Woodstock 94' Festival"

At one point King's X was ranked #83 on VH1's "100 GREATEST ARTISTS OF HARD ROCK".

KING's X crosses many great aspects of the music genre. From Progressive Metal, Grunge, Funk, Soul, to Melodic Beatlesque Harmonies, Powerful Riffs and time signature changes, KING's X will be keeping your blood pumping at 3RP.