After a good night’s rest, I was refreshed and ready for my second day at ProgPower USA (PPUSA). Just like yesterday as soon as I arrived at the venue I was among familiar faces.
Striker
As soon as I stepped foot inside the performance area for the first band of the day it was an obviously larger crowd than the previous day at this time. The third and fourth days of PPUSA were sold out ticket wise ahead of time and there was already a very solid contingent of fellow metalheads on hand.
Striker
Striker was the first band to hit the stage and immediately I was taken by their high energy. Serious high energy!
Striker
Reading up on this band after the show I discovered their sound is influenced by old school thrash metal and the size of the early afternoon mosh pit was evidence just how hard these guys go at it. Now I was in my element!
Striker
Fifth Angel was up next and they kept the furious pace going. Another traditional metal band, with highly evident technical prowess, their catchy hooks and memorable choruses both engaged with and energized the crowd, myself included.
Fifth AngelFifth Angel
Another decent sized mosh pit erupted during their set and I highly enjoyed the way this day had started musically. These first two bands of the day were definitely on my radar that I needed to dig into their discographies!
Fifth Angel
Elegy, a power metal band hailing from The Netherlands, continued the action and kept the metal theme of the day going. There was certainly a wider range of musical styles the day before whereas today’s bands were more of the traditional metal style that I love so much.
This band just reunited last year after a twenty one year hiatus, and furthering my crowd observations from yesterday (and every concert day) it was easily evident THIS was the band some of the attendees where here to see, like this was THE moment they had been waiting for since Elegy was announced last year as being included in this year’s festival.
ElegyElegy
As best as my research can tell, this was their first ever performance in the United States and again this year at PPUSA there were several bands making their debut in this continent.
Elegy
Next on today’s metal menu was a tasty serving of some Swedish progressive metal with the band Soen. If today’s underlying musical theme was technicality and complexity, this band takes those two terms to the next level.
Soen
I felt like I was taken through a musical journey involving many moods as this band tries to ‘soften the blow’ at the underlying aggression behind their music.
Soen
Another theme of the day I noticed was that every band so far showcased a twin guitar attack which I love the additional layering with any band’s song construction involving two guitarists.
SoenSoen
Like yesterday and is the norm at PPUSA, set times increase as the days go along. Time flies by so fast trying to take in all of the new sounds of bands. When there is time, one of the best parts of this event is the chance to interact in the lobby in between sets with friends new and old.
Lovebites
There are also interactive daily giveaways on the event’s Facebook page. Sort of a daily drop of really interesting and obscure memorabilia. Some autographed, some not. Given away in the name of musical fellowship among attendees, with the event organizers getting first dibs.
Lovebites
The team keeps the Facebook page constantly throughout the day and into the evenings. Highlight shots of bands are posted soon after they are off stage and the autograph sessions are posted immediately afterwards. The team does a fantastic job of updating the site for those who are not in attendance and for those in attendance who want to see something they possibly missed because it is impossible to take in everything.
Lovebites
Lovebites was up next and this all female quintet was another of the bands making their US debut. Once the curtain dropped and yet another twin guitar attack shredded our ears, after the fact I cannot think of a single moment when these kick ass musicians were not smiling while performing. This band received the prestigious “…Metal Hammer Golden Gods Award for Best New Band…”[1] in 2018.
Lovebites
Excitement was in the air again as the moments counted down to show time. This band shredded my ears off and after my two allowed songs in the photo pit I made my way to a couple of different vantage points on the floor. Add yet another band to my list that were on my “I have to check them out” list.
Lovebites
High energy and highly engaging with the crowd, this band’s set was easily one of my favorite performances that I saw over the weekend.
Lovebites
Normally, after a band’s set, the floor and arena clear out for food and beverage and restroom runs, but after Lovebites, the arena swelled to near capacity as it was time for the video presentation and announcements of the headliners for PPUSA 2025.
Again my people watching observations kicked in to see the growing excitement with each band announced with a louder roar of approval as each new band was named.
Amorphis
After the video presentation, focus shifted back to the now and Finnish heavy metal band, Amorphis. This band’s evolution across various genres of the metal tree made for an interesting sound.
Amorphis
This music has a very melodic sound and after the fact I learned their lyrics incorporate Finnish folklore and mythological themes, in particular, the Kalevala, Finland’s national epic compilation of poetry telling a story about the Creation of the Earth. And people say heavy metal is just noise.
Amorphis
Again, I compliment the festival and venue’s staff for another very smoothly run day. Two days and I have heard nothing but positivity surrounding this gathering from the people I have mingled with. This day, being in the photo pit, I was able to meet and interact with many of the various band’s and overall event ‘sponsors’.
Fifth Angel
Being a PPUSA rookie, I did not understand the added value of band sponsorship when I first read about it, or from Christina explaining it to me last year in our initial conversations. Seeing the joy on my new friend’s faces and hearing them talk about their experiences and interaction with their sponsored band really solidified just how well thought out and totally focused on band/fan interaction this event is.
Fifth Angel
The day’s events concluded and again I was in need of rest as tomorrow’s adventures would start at noon. For more photos of the day’s festivities, go here.
The journey to attend ProgPower USA XXIII (PPUSA) began in August of 2023 in my initial conversations after meeting my friend Christina. She made a comment about a Monsters of Rock Cruise (MoRC) shirt I was wearing and how the 2024 sailing would be her first time on that cruise.
Soon, our conversation shifted to had I ever been to PPUSA? My answer was, I had never even heard of it. After more conversation and hearing how Christina had been to all twenty two previous festivals, I knew I needed to check it out. Upon further research I discovered that:
“ProgPower USA is a progressive and power metal festival held annually in the United States since 2001…The festival’s band selection process focuses on quality over quantity. In addition to the emphasis on the power and progressive metal genres, the festival has branched out into other genres with the inclusion of the “oddball” slot that does not fit the normal motif.
ProgPower USA gives bands that have never performed in the States a chance to perform in the country. The festival has been described as a cultural experience for fans with autograph signing sessions, guest appearances, reunions, and meet-and-greets. The festival has hosted over 70 bands’ USA debuts…”[1]
After meeting some of Christina’s PPUSA friends and hearing their excitement as they talked about years past and how much they were looking forward to this year’s event, I could sense the same feeling of a family community within the PPUSA community that I have experienced with the Monsters community.
When the planets aligned for me to not only attend PPUSA, but cover the event, my travel arrangements were made within the hour after said planetary alignment. This year’s event was again held in Atlanta, GA, September 4-7, 2024, at Center Stage, a mid-sized concert complex comprising three separate venues.
The 2024 lineup was stacked with bands that it would be my first exposure to, and I specifically chose to go in ‘deaf and blind’ so I can experience these bands in their live, raw sound.
Venue Staff
Before I begin to describe the awesomeness that this festival experience was for me, I want to express thanks and gratitude to the behind the scenes staff who make this event happen, specifically the stage production staff, the sound and lighting team and the security group.
I also want to mention the great job that the venue food and beverage staff, the box office staff, fellow photographers, and the ProgPower USA staff did as a whole. There is tireless dedicated work before, during and after an event like this and there is no way it can be successful without the people who make it happen. I know the effort that goes into making this event run smoothly is considerable.
I spent a bit of time familiarizing myself with the event website where a detailed daily schedule was posted before the event and I compliment the team on keeping things running on time and smooth for the entire event.
On the site I felt the Promoter’s note (Glenn Harveston) solidifies my thought that any song played is THE song any given person there came to hear being performed live when he wrote “…you will see new bands.
You will see old friends. You will see bands that make you question my sanity. You will see bands you think suck, but others think are awesome…”[2]. I for sure saw a ton of new bands, and for that reason alone I think makes it worth stepping out of your comfort zone in life to experience new things.
Temperance
Due to my work schedule I was not able to attend the first day of the event or my knowledge of new bands would be that much greater. However, at my hotel in Atlanta, in the late evening hours I did encounter many obvious first day festival attendees.
We metalheads roll deep and conversation ensued between a few of us and already new friends were made. After arriving at the venue and making my way to the seating and floor area and being totally unfamiliar with the venue, I found a slightly elevated section at the back of the floor area in front of the seats. The first band I was exposed to was Temperance and the amazing operatic vocal range of Kristin Starkey.
Temperance
An Italian modern melodic power metal band, I was more fixated on the power behind amazing Kristin’s vocal delivery. While the words melodic and power metal do not seem to go together to the uninitiated, this band made it work and certainly captured my attention. The day and my festival experience was off to a fantastic start.
Temperance
Earthside was up next and they were a little too atmospheric for me. I decided to check out the rest of the venue after getting a few photos of the band performing.
Earthside
Each band is given a minimum of an hour to play, with progressively longer sets as the day goes along, so I knew I could pop back in and I did at the end of their set as I always appreciate seeing the fan reaction and Earthside was shown a lot of fan love at the conclusion of their set.
There were TV feed in multiple places in the venue’s lobby so one was never far from the action. Of the three venues inside the one building, the vendor room was set up in the smaller of the two in the main section. This was also where the autograph sessions would take place throughout the weekend.
Earthside
After the Earthside set concluded, I went into the main performance area to get a good look at it in the light. With an open floor area surrounded by elevated stadium style seating with a capacity just over one thousand, it truly was an intimate setting where literally any and every seat in the house has a great sightline views.
Earthside
As I was waiting for this set to begin, I noticed more and more people on the floor brandishing blow up swords I sensed there would be a lot of raised swords in the air from my vantage point and I elected to find a seat a couple of rows up and on the stage right side.
Twilight Force
Twilight Force took the stage and here is where I first questioned Glenn’s sanity. I saw band members dressed like Robin Hood characters and could not snap enough photos.
Twilight Force
It took me a few minutes to realize it was Kristin Starkey on stage again and just delivering vocal power unlike anything I have ever heard before, well, at least before today. I had never heard of the term ‘adventure metal’ but there it was when I looked the band up after their set:
Twilight Force
“The group describes themselves as “adventure metal,” in part due to the use of costumes, props, and demeanor onstage. The band has cited early role-playing games like Heroes of Might & Magic and table-top role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons as inspiration for their appearance.”[3]
Twilight Force
I felt like their set was an adventure – like I was fighting the dragons in my life and having an army of metal brethren by my side. It was the most visually stimulating set that I witnessed this weekend and after their set, Glenn’s sanity was no longer in question.
LeprousLeprous
Next up was Leprous, a Norwegian progressive metal quintet that surrounded themselves on stage with a mass of piped in smoke/fog, which made it difficult to get decent photos. After the fact, once I was home and had a chance to go through my photos I realized while difficult at the moment of clicking the photo, the smoke/fog actually gave the photos a really neat visual effect.
Leprous
The technicality of this band’s music is completely off the charts, as some of their earlier catalog makes use of an eight stringed guitar, which allows for a wider tonal range and non-standard tuning. I made a mental note that I needed to dig deeper into this band’s discography.
Dark Tranquility
Swedish melodic death metallers Dark Tranquility closed out as the headliner for my first day in the PPUSA realm and the second day of the festival. I had heard of this band before but had not knowingly heard any of their music.
Dark Tranquility
After the fact, I discovered Dark Tranquility are considered one of the pioneering bands in the melodic death metal genre and after my experience I can describe their musical sound as balance of aggressive ferocity and melodic emotion. Their set was my first instance of seeing a mosh pit break out on the floor.
Dark Tranquility
They had the entire crowd captivated and I was mesmerized by the tonal harmonic melodies created by the twin lead guitars that just seemed to fit well with vocalist’s Mikael Stanne use of genre expected harsh, growled vocals. It certainly made for a wide musical range for the various bands that performed this day.
Dark Tranquility
At the conclusion of this day’s events I elected not to attend the after show party in The Loft upstairs. I used the walk back to the hotel to reflect on what I had witnessed this day. The new bands I had been exposed to, and the depth of the love fans have for this event and each other.
Leprous
At festivals, I love to people watch and see the moment when a fan is overcome with emotion at a certain part of a song and this happened numerous times today. It is those memories that help me appreciate the planets aligning for me to attend this year and to call it a successful first day for me at this year’s ProgPower USA 2024 event.
For more photos of the day’s festivities, go here.
