Festival News: Symforce: Less Than 1 Week To Go!
The inaugural Symforce Festival is scheduled to take place less than a week from now - September 15. Organized by our good friend and frequent contributor John "Bobo" Bollenberg, this festival will bring to the good folks of the Netherlands, and those traveling to the country for the festival, a fabulous slate of progressive rock artists. It will be the start of what promises to be become Europe's largest indoor prog festival. Spread over three different stages, each with a different capacity, the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland, plays host to eleven of the best bands from the current progressive rock scene. Known as one of the best venues where sound, lights and service are concerned, the 013 will offer a unique opportunity for prog bands and prog lovers alike to witness both well known names as well as discover quality upcoming bands all in one day. Prog past, present and future if you like.
We all know how difficult it is for upcoming bands to get a chance to perform in front of a decent audience in a professional setting. Although their albums might get rave reviews, it isn?t a guarantee to pull large crowds. After Crying in front of 47 people is a true disgrace and bad vibes for band, promoter and audience. The only possibility is to link new talent with famous names and have them perform during the same festival. So similar to the famous Roadburn Festival which focuses on stonerrock, spacerock and psychedelica, also at the 013 venue, Symforce is there for symphonic, progressive rock. The idea is to make it an unforgettable day for artists, fans and organization alike, an event which will become a yearly highlight for the prog community, kind of a European version of NEARfest or BajaProg if you like!
The band line up for Symforce is:
- Lady Lake, from Deventer, The Netherlands -- expect to hear material from both No Pictures and their most recent release, Supercleandreammachine
- Isopoda, from Aalst, Belgium -- from them, you can expect classic materials as well as one or two surprises (says Bobo)
-- Beardfish, from Sweden -- their new album, Sleeping In Traffic Part One has just been released by InsideOut and their first two albums will be reissued by Progress Records in October (see previous news item)
- Bootcut, from Sweden -- featuring Beardfish's keyboardist Rikard Sj?blom and a drummer, "Hammond and drums is all you need in order to get this progressive Booker T & MGs," says Bobo
- Lazuli -- "If you know this band has been asked to perform at the legendary Baja Prog festival in Mexicali for the third consecutive time in 2008 you know they are incredible, as no other band before them has ever had the pleasure to perform at Baja Prog three times in a row!"
- The Pineapple Thief, from the UK -- playing their Benelux debut, this band's music is a blend of Radiohead and proggy elements
- The Aurora Project, from the Netherlands -- "a home match for this up and coming band from Holland which delivers its original compositions and arrangements with a slightly harder edge live. Their debut album Unspoken Words received praise from all over the world as their mix of Porcupine Tree, Tool, Anathema and Riverside reaches the world."
- Focus -- "legendary and without any doubt one of the ten most important prog acts of all time. Next to original members Thijs Van Leer and Pierre van der Linden they also have Bobby Jacobs on bass and newcomer Niels van der Steenhoven on guitar. Expect all of the Focus classics next to new material from their latest album, New Skin."
- Riverside, from Poland -- their third album Rapid Eye Movement will just be released when they visit Symforce. For sure they will perform lots of new material pulled from the final part of their ambitious trilogy. Fans of Porcupine Tree, Anathema and Dream Theater already love this band to bits so it?s high time you get the Riverside virus as well!"
- Pendragon, from the UK -- "Barrett & Co will pull a greatest hits selection from their impressive catalogue showing once again just how good a band they really are. [Indeed! - fangirl ed.] Great compositions, fabulous arrangements, superb melodies, ace guitar playing -- in other words, a guaranteed stunning performance by one of the world?s absolute prog leaders."
- The Flower Kings, from Sweden -- "on 26th September the band?s new studio album The Sum Of No Evil will be released. Symforce will be the very first time some of the new material will be played live. Expect new stuff, classics and some surprises from the closing act of the very first edition of Symforce. The Flower Kings always deliver an incredible show, which this time around will be the icing on the cake! Their performance also welcomes the return of Zoltan Cs?rz on drums!"
More info at: www.myspace.com/symforce and at www.013web.nl.
Tickets on sale now -- Price : 37.50 euro
Doors open : 3 pm; First band : 4 pm
