Archives for the year 2009
December 11, 2009
Heavy Mtl Xmas with Voivod!
Legendary Montreal heavy metal band Voivod will be at the Club Soda (1225 boul. Saint-Laurent, Montreal • 514-286-1010) this Saturday, December 12 2009, at 8:00 PM, accompanied by Les Ékorchés.
HEAVY MTL is thrilled to announce its first event since the tremendously successful inaugural edition of the festival in 2008! Back and getting ready to bring fans a bigger and louder festival than ever in 2010, HEAVY MTL will be presenting several club-based shows over the coming months in anticipation for its return.
To kick off the countdown to the much awaited arrival of HEAVY MTL 2010, they will be presenting HEAVY MTL XMAS with metal pioneers and Quebec favourites Voivod at the Club Soda. The band that rocked the first edition of the festival needs little introduction – their long running career of pushing metal into uncharted ground has spawned twelve studio albums. HEAVY MTL 2008 was a landmark show for Voivod, marking their first show since the passing of Denis “Piggy” D’Amour and the return of their original bass player Blacky, who had not performed with band in 17 years.
Voivod’s latest album Infini was released in June 2009 and features Rock and Roll Hall of Fame bass player Jason Newsted (Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne). The album has garnered many excellent reviews with AllMusic.com having said “If Infini turns out to be the final Voivod album, then the group has gone out on a high note”.
In order to contribute to this special “metal holiday” event, fans are encouraged to bring a can of food to the show. The food gathered will be donated to a local food bank.
Montreal based act Les Ékorchés, who launched their second album Quatre Démons earlier in 2009, will open the show.
Tickets are $15/$20, plus taxes, available through Ticketpro and at the Club Soda boxoffice.
December 11, 2009
Arapacis at O'Hara's Pub!
Montreal prog metal rockers AraPacis will be at O'Hara's Pub (1197 University Street, Montreal • 514-390-8881) this Saturday, December 12, 2009. The show will begin at 10:00 PM.
Formed in 2003, AraPacis is spearheaded by guitarist Jerry Fielden. Their style is an intense blend of 70's hard rock, progressive and contemporary gothic prog metal. The band recently launched their second album entitled Consequences of Dreams.
December 11, 2009
Néodyme and Curism at l'Hémisphère Gauche
One of the best new prog metal bands in recent times, Néodyme, will be at the Bar L'hémisphère Gauche (221 Beaubien East • 514-278-6693) this Saturday, December 12 2009, accompanied by alternative metal band Curism.
Néodyme is composed of Daniel Giguère on drums and percussion, Maryse Pépin on piano and keyboards, Alexandre Champagne on guitars and Mathieu Boucher on bass. They will be playing material from their debut album as well as several tracks from their upcoming second album.
The show will begin at 9:00 PM and admission is $5.
November 9, 2009
Dance into the Light at the Plaza Theater!
Here's your last opportunity to see the highly acclaimed Phil Collins tribute show Dance into the Light before the group packs up and goes on the road for their upcoming European tour. The band will be at the Plaza Theater ( 6505 St-Hubert Street, Montreal) on Thursday, December 10 2009 at 8:00 PM (doors open at 7:00 PM). Tickets are available through Admission and at the Plaza Theater boxoffice.
November 25, 2009
Ronnie James Dio ill with cancer
Here is the latest update on the health of the king of metal, from Wendy Dio, as posted on the Ronnie James Dio website:
"Ronnie has been diagnosed with the early stages of stomach cancer. We are starting treatment immediately at the Mayo Clinic. After he kills this dragon, Ronnie will be back on stage, where he belongs, doing what he loves best, performing for his fans. Thanks to all the friends and fans around the world that have sent well wishes. This has really helped to keep his spirit up. Long Live Rock and Roll, Long Live Ronnie James Dio."
Ronnie had canceled his European tour last week after he was taken ill and hospitalized.
October 11, 2009
New music
Cool new music from all around the world, here are some recent (and future) releases of interest:
Transatlantic - The Whirlwind:
To say that this is the most anticipated prog album in years is an understatement! The progressive rock supergroup featuring Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy, Marillion's Pete Trewavas, The Flower Kings' Roine Stolt and Neal Morse (Ex-Spock's Beard) will release their long-awaited third studio album on October 27, 2009. The Whirlwind is a 77-minute piece of music that is sure to satisfy the band's legions of fans that have patiently waited almost the entire decade for the reunion of these 4 musicians.
The album will be available in three formats: A Regular Edition single CD of the entire 77 minute epic as well as a 2-CD Special Edition containing a Bonus Disc with 8 newly recorded studio tracks (4 new Transatlantic compositions and 4 cover songs) and a 3-disc Deluxe Edition containing the Special Edition as well as a 105 minute long Making Of DVD and comes in a box with special artwork. This is the ultimate Transatlantic experience. Watch them make the album as you listen to it!
The regular and special editions of The Whirlwind will be available at all good record stores including HMV and Archambault. The Deluxe edition is available through Radiant Records.
Shadow Gallery - Digital Ghosts:
Widely considered a major and innovative force within the realms of progressive rock and metal, Shadow Gallery have returned with their sixth studio effort, Digital Ghosts, to be released on November 3 in North America via InsideOut Music.
After the tragic passing of lead singer Mike Baker in October 2008, Shadow Gallery's new CD introduces new vocalist Brian Ashland and not only sees the entire band once again sharing additional vocal duties but also features guest vocal appearances by Ralf Scheepers of Primal Fear and Clay Barton of Suspyre to complement the release. With Digital Ghosts, Shadow Gallery's members Brendt Allman, Carl Cadden-James, Gary Wehrkamp, Ashland and returning drummer Joe Nevolo (who appears on two songs of the record) have focused their powerful energies on creating a seamless blend of progressive, metal, and symphonic rock as a transcendent work of musical art that advances the boundaries of these genres into new directions.
Commented Wehrkamp: "As a band, we are thrilled to have new music to share with everyone. This album is a dedication to our wonderful fans, and also to the memory of our singer and friend Mike Baker."
The album will be available at all good record stores in early November, as well as through Play.com and Amazon.
Intensive Care - Fairytales from the Island:
Montreal's Intensive Care 's is about to release their debut album Fairytales from the Island. Their style is a highly melodic mix of progressive, pop and psychedelic influenced by Sigur Ros, Muse and Arcade Fire. A highly talented and original new band to discover! They will be launching their new album on Saturday, October 24, 2009 at Casa Del Popolo (4873 St Laurent • 514-284-3804) where you'll be able to pick-up the new CD. It will also be available at all good record stores soon!
Glass Hammer - Three Cheers For the Broken-Hearted:
Announcing Pre-Ordering For Glass Hammer’s 2009 release Three Cheers For The Broken-Hearted. World-wide release is November 3rd, but order now from Glass Hammer's site for an autographed copy by band members Fred, Steve and Susie.
The new album reveals a leaner, tighter Glass Hammer; with Steve Babb and Fred Schendel once more handling nearly all of the instrumentation and one hundred percent of the writing and production. Still, Glass Hammer alum Susie Bogdanowicz finds herself squarely in the spotlight as the solo-vocalist on seven of the album’s eleven tracks. From song to song, the dynamics are clear and present. A darker, more intense album, Three Cheers For The Broken-Hearted features melancholy ballads, psychedelic influenced rockers and even head-banging metal tracks; all firmly based on the band’s prog-rock roots.
The album will be available at all good records stores, as well as through Syn-Phonic and Glass Hammer's website.
po90 - Jitters:
After a seven year break during which he rose to the heights of success in the contemporary prog world with the band The Tangent, Andy Tillison returns to his roots and his original band, Parallel or 90 Degrees. With them, he has brought forward Jitters, one of the finest albums of his musical career.
Although fans of The Tangent will find a lot to love, true to the band’s original reason for being, Jitters shows another side of Tillison. 8 compositions make up the 43 minutes of dynamite-packed music featuring a sound that inspires very favourable direct comparison to bands such as Porcupine Tree, Nine Inch Nails, Elbow and Muse (with a little added 'post-punk'). Pre-sales are now open at: www.po90.com
October 25, 2009
Jellyfiche in Joliette
Montreal prog band Jelly Fiche will present a show on Saturday, November 14 2009 at the À L’Azile Café Bar, (55 St-Charles-Borommée, in Joliette, in front of the CEGEP • 450-759-0606) The show begins at 8:00 PM and admission is $8 at the door ($5 in advance, through the L'Azile boxoffice).
October 16, 2009
The end of FMPM
An announcement that surprised many especially in light of the recent success of the fourth edition of the festival, the FMPM team decided to call it quits. Stephen Takacsy and Sean McFee, the two main organizers, released this statement:
For four years now, we have worked tirelessly to bring about a high quality and unique experience uniting live progressive music with fans in Montreal. We are proud to say that, with lots of hard work and a little luck, we managed to accomplish this each year without any major setbacks, watching attendance rise from just over 200 in 2006 to a sold out event this year. As all festival organizers know, the job is a year long one, unrelenting and fraught with things that could go disastrously wrong. Fortunately for us nothing did, although we dodged a few bullets with the passing of Hatfield and the North’s drummer Pip Pyle a few weeks before the first edition, while Vittorio Nocenzi of Banco suffered heart problems just months before performing in 2008. Each FMPM was a blast, and every note heard from the stage resonated into unforgettable experiences. Our goals were not related to size or profit, but were instead to create a “happening” with some of our favorite international bands, while showcasing Quebec’s fine progressive artists. FMPM was always a “one year at a time” affair which depended greatly on the availability of our time and the feasibility of inviting some of our favorite bands to Montreal. And we were blessed to be able to do this four times.
So, it is with many mixed emotions that we are deciding not to proceed with another FMPM. The decision not to continue is not in any way based on finances, as the festival covered all of its expenses this year following a few years of small and manageable deficits. Nor is the decision based on any conflicts, as all FMPM team members remain the best of friends and continue to work together in various capacities. This decision is solely about the time and effort that both of us, being the main organizers, need to devote year-round to making the festival the best it can be. We have established high personal standards for the line-up and production quality, and we believe, having read all the positive comments year after year, that we could never accept offering a festival with the FMPM name that isn’t up to these standards. But with full time jobs and businesses to run, family obligations and many other commitments and activities, it would be difficult for us to repeat what we have achieved to date. So, we have chosen instead to end on a high note, although we do plan to occasionally produce some one-off concerts under the FMPM banner, and to continue promoting Quebec artists.
As most of you are aware, we are also the two principals of ProgresSon Music, parent company of the ProgQuebec label, and our priority will continue to be helping Quebec artists reissue their music and perform on stage when possible. We are proud to say that in the five years since the label’s founding, we have released 36 titles and returned around $75,000 in royalties to Quebec musicians. So on this positive note, we wish to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to all those who helped out with FMPM and everyone who attended the festival during the past four years, for sharing such amazing music and experiences with us. - Stephen Takacsy and Sean McFee, October 13, 2009
October 7, 2009
Slippermen in Sorel-Tracy
Genesis tribute band Slippermen will present a show on Friday, November 13 2009 at the Marine Cabaret (40 Du Roi Street, Sorel-Tracy • 450-742-9510).
This very special show will cover an expanded setlist that will include a whole decade of music, the 70's, including the return of a few old classics that had vanished from their songbook a few years ago, and also a few new tunes that have been recently added to their setlist, selected among the classic albums of that decade, from Nursery Cryme all the way to Duke. Expect well over 2 hours of music from this great evening not to be missed!
October 25, 2009
The Australian Pink Floyd back at the Bell Center!
The Australian Pink Floyd show, Floyd's best known tribute band, will be back once again in Montreal this Thursday, October 29 2008 at the Bell Center Theatre (1260 De La Gauchetière West) to present their new show, Big Pink's Greatest Hits, featuring music from Wish You Were Here, Animals, Dark Side of the Moon & The Wall plus much much more.
The show is a phenomenon! What started out over ten years ago in Adelaide, Australia, has evolved into a truly magnificent sound and light spectacle performing to hundreds of thousands of people at major venues around the globe. David Gilmour, Pink Floyd's guitarist, is a fan himself, having witnessed the Australian Pink Floyd Show three times.
These Aussie kindred spirits have amassed a dedicated crew of over twenty like-minded obsessives, all addicted to the gloriously pioneering psychedelia of Gilmour, Waters, Barrett, Wright, and Mason. Together they travel the planet putting on this spellbinding re-creation of the cream of the Pink Floyd catalogue, fulfilling the desire of Floyd fans everywhere who crave to hear these amazing songs performed live once again.
It’s a tantalizing voyage, from the trippy Barrett era to the mystery of Dark Side of The Moon, from the majesty of Wish You Were Here to the twisted intensity of Animals, from the relentless power of The Wall through to the lush grandeur of The Final Cut and The Division Bell. Floyd fans who haven’t yet witnessed the show are seriously missing out. Believe the hype, it’s as good as everyone says. Here are some reviews: "The best tribute show in the world" – London Times "I never thought I would hear this music live again, you must go and see this show" – Los Angeles Times.
The show begins at 8:00 PM and tickets are $44.50 plus taxes and fees, available through Admission by phone at (514) 790-1245 or online at www.admission.com. A Gillett Entertainment Group presentation.
October 16, 2009
California Guitar Trio Quebec tour
The sesational California Guitar Trio will present three concerts in the province of Quebec in the next few days. The famous trio composed of Paul Richards of Salt Lake City, Utah, Bert Lams of Brussels, Belgium, and Hideyo Moriya of Tokyo, Japan will be In St-Hyacinthe on Thursday, October 22 2009 at the Centre Des Arts (1705, rue Saint-Antoine, Saint-Hyacinthe • 450 778 3388)
They will be In Quebec City on Friday, October 23 2009 at the Palais Montcalm - Raoul Jobin Hall, 995 Place D'Youville, Quebec City • 418-641-6220) and finally, in St-Jérôme on Saturday, October 24 2009 at Maison de la Culture - En Scene (101, place du Curé-Labelle, Saint-Jérôme • 450-432-0660). For all three shows, the band will be accompanied by the Montreal Guitar Trio.
May 26, 2009
Musical Box: more Québec dates
After the resounding success of their performance at the Bell Center at the beginning of April, Genesis tribute band The Musical Box have added some more Quebec dates at the end of the year, and will be presenting their sensational Trick Of The Tail show throughout October just before heading back to Europe for a tour of Germany. Here are the dates:
Wednesday, October 7 2009 at L'Étoile Quartier 10/30, Brossard
Friday, October 9 2009 at Salle Albert-Dumouchel, Valleyfield
Saturday, October 10 2009 at Théâtre des Deux Rives, St-Jean-sur-Richelieu
Thursday, October 22 2009 at the Théâtre du Palais Municipal, Saguenay
Friday, October 23 2009 at Salle J.A. Thompson, Trois Rivières
Saturday, October 24 2009 at Salle Maurice O'Bready of the University of Sherbrooke
Thursday, October 29 2009 at the Salle Rolland-Brunelle, Joliette
Friday, October 30 2009 at the Centre des Arts Juliette-Lassonde, St-Hyacinthe
Saturday, October 31 2009 at the Théâtre Hector Charland in L'Assomption (halloween show)
Sunday, November 1st 2009 at L'Étoile Quartier 10/30, Brossard
October 24, 2009
ProgtoberFest V!
To celebrate their fifth anniversary, the organizers of ProgtoberFest 2009 have prepared a stellar lineup! Get ready for Progtoberfest V on Saturday, October 24 2009 at the Kailash Mital Theatre (formerly the Alumni Theatre) located on the campus of Carleton University, (1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6 • 613-520-3821). A last-minute change to the lineup will see Quebec-based Red Sand drop out to be replaced by the most excellent Rebel Wheel, from Ottawa
This year, the festival will feature Nathan Mahl with Guy Leblanc, Red Sand from Québec, Orco Muto (with Goblin's keyboardist, Maurizio Guarini) and Ambisonic from Toronto
Ambisonic: Space rock duo of Paul Barry (drums/piano) and Erik Culp (guitar/moog/moog taurus) from Toronto. "Intense instrumental groove-freakout-power-prog-sonic mayhem performed by two guys with a lot of limbs". Check their music on their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/spaceprog.
Rebel Wheel: 10T recordings artists The Rebel Wheel will be rolling in and bringing their "frenetic mix of rock aggression, odd-meter vamps, and turn-on-a-dime arrangements" in the 2nd spot in the days actitivites. Hailing from the Ottawa area, The Rebel Wheel features David Campbell on guitar, vocals & keyboards, Aaron Clark on drums, Claude Prince on bass and Angie MacIvor on saxes, vocals and keyboards. Check their music on their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/rebelwheel.
Orco Muto: Toronto trio featuring Maurizio Guarini, keyboardist from the legendary Italian band Goblin and the rhythm section of the canadian "metal / jazz " band The Look People, Chris Gartner (bass) and Great Bob Scott (drums). Orco Muto will be starting the evening section of Progtoberfest off in perfect fashion the week before halloween performing some classic Goblin tunes plus original material. Check their music on their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/orcomuto.
Nathan Mahl: And to celebrate the 5th edition of Progtoberfest in style, Ottawa's own Unicorn recording artists Nathan Mahl with their brilliant Canterbury-inspired prog/fusion, featuring Guy LeBlanc on keyboards, vocals and recorders, Guy Dagenais on bass, Alain Bergeron on drums and David Campbell on guitars, keyboards and vocals. They will perform material from their stunning new album Exodus. Check their music on their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/nathanmahl.
Progtoberfest will be an all-ages event and tickets will be $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Doors will open at approx 3:00 pm and there will be a dinner break around 5:30. Ticket vendor locations/maps/schedule etc will be available shortly at www.progtoberfest.ca ...
But wait there's more!
There will also be a post-fest chill out avant show on the Sunday to be held at the Dunrobin Sonic Gym.
Details at http://dunrobinsonicgym.googlepages.com/
October 16, 2009
Dactylo at L'Absynthe!
Montreal band Dactylo will be at L'Absynthe (1738 St-Denis, Montréal • 514-285-1738) on Sunday, October 25 2009 accompanied by experimental jazz-prog band Heavy Mental.
Dactylo is a cool progressive/jazz/funk francophone band composed of Hubert Bélanger on violin, bass and vocals, Bruno Coulombe on guitars, Julie Descheneau on vocals, flute and percussion, François Desrosiers on sax and keyboards, Mathieu Gagnon on bass, keyboards and vocals, Bruno Pucella on the trumpet and Louka Sirois on drums. Their influences vary from Harmonium, King Crimson and Mahavishnu Orchestra to Anekdoten, Gentle Giant, Mr. Bungle, Rush, Yes and Frank Zappa. They are currently recording their first album. The show begins around 9:00 PM and admission is $7.
October 11, 2009
Intensive Care band album launch
Montreal's Intensive Care will be at Casa Del Popolo (4873 St Laurent • 514-284-3804) on Saturday, October 24 2009 for the CD launch of their brilliant debut album Fairytales from the Island. Their style is a highly melodic mix of progressive, pop and psychedelic influenced by Sigur Ros, Muse and Arcade Fire. A highly talented and original new band to discover!
October 22, 2009
Mystery at la Place à Côté
After the resounding success of their performance at the Bell Center opening for Musical Box, and their fantastic show at the 4th edition of FMPM last September 11th, the group Mystery will present one last show before returning in the studios to complete their upcoming album. The band will be at La Place à Côté (4571 Papineau Street • 514-522-4571) on Friday, October 23 2009. The symphonic prog rock sextet is composed of Michel St-Père on guitars, Steve Gagné on drums, Benoît Dupuis on keys, Dean Baldwyn on guitars, François Fournier on bass and Benoît David on vocals. Benoît will be returning on tour at the end of October with Yes, this time all across Europe. The concert will begin at 9:00 PM and admission will be $15 at the door.
October 16, 2009
Lazarus Heart at La Place à Côté
Following the success of their fantastic shows in the past few months, Sting/Police tribute band Lazarus Heart will be back again at La Place à Côté (4571 Papineau Street, 514-522-4571) on Wednesday, October 21 2009. The band is composed of Sylvain Auclair on vocals, bass and fretless bass, Luc Catelier on drums, Guillaume Larouche on sax, Dimitri Lebel on guitar, and Sébastien Cloutier on keyboards, they will play classics from the famous british trio as well as material from Sting's illustrious solo career. The show begins around 9:30 PM and admission is $10.
October 5, 2009
Martin Levac's farewell «Dance on a Volcano» shows
Martin Levac, ex-drummer of The Musical Box and Turn It On Again, will present his Three Sides Live show, Dance on a volcano, with a series of four concerts this fall. Here's a message from Martin Levac:
Greetings, Genesis fans!
I regret having to announce that the next four ''Dance On A Volcano'' shows will also be the last.
After many years spent perfecting our presentation of the 1982 Three Sides Live tour, the team will now focus exclusively on ''Dance Into The Light: The Best of Phil Collins'', for which there is great demand.
The music of Genesis will nevertheless continue to play a big part in my life by way of, among other things, the Genesis Rewired project headed up by none other than Daryl Stuermer, guitarist for both Genesis and Phil Collins.
I hope that many of you will be with us for these last shows.
Martin Levac
For these four shows, renowned keyboardist/pianist David Myers (of The Musical Box) will be the opening act, presenting his acclaimed Genesis acoustic concert.
In Gatineau, Monday, October 12 2009 at the Salle Odyssée (855, boul. de la Gappe, Gatineau, Qc 819-243-2525). Tickets for that show are available through Ovation.
In Sherbrooke, Thursday, October 15 2009 at the Théâtre Granada (53, rue Wellington Nord, Sherbrooke, Qc 819-565-5656). Tickets for that show are available through Ovation.
In Montréal, Friday, October 16 2009 at the Théâtre Outremont (1240 Bernard ave. 514-495-9944). Tickets for that show are available through TicketPro.ca.
In Québec city, Saturday, October 17 2009 at the Capitole de Québec (972 Saint-Jean Street, Quebec City 418 694-4444 or 1-800-261-9903). Tickets for that show are available through Billetech.
The band is composed of Martin Levac on drums and lead vocals, Sébastien Cloutier on keyboards, Mathieu Groulx on drums, François Larouche on bass and guitars, and Eric Savard on guitars.
October 11, 2009
Myxomatosis at Café Campus
Don't miss Montreal proggers Myxomatosis on Tuesday, October 13 2009 at Le petit Café Campus (57 Prince-Arthur • 514-844-1010) as they will be part of a 5-band showcase featuring All She Said, 40 Sons, The Audio Vengefuls and Top Johnny. The evening begins around 7:30 PM and Myxomatosis should step onstage around 10:30 PM. Admission is $5
September 26, 2009
Faust in Montreal
German avant-garde/krautrock legends Faust will be in Montreal as part of the Pop Montreal festival at the Ukranian Federation club (5213 Hutchison street, Montréal • 514-274-2626) on Saturday, October 3 2009 for their first show in Canada ever... a daytime workshop followed by evening performance.
Inventors of Kraut Rock, iconoclasts extraordinaire, Faust are key figures in 20th Century music. In the early 70's, along with Can and Kraftwerk, they re-invented pop music as a specifically European art-form. Virtually imprisoned by Polydor in their own studio for two years, they were able to revolutionize the whole process of musical production; they improvised with Industrial noise, generated bizarre hypnotic grooves, indulged in shockingly wilful studio-based collages, and dabbled with every conceivable musical genre, sometimes simultaneously! Every now and then they found time for a burst of satirical pop, or occasional waves of delicate ambience.
Amongst those that Faust have strongly influenced we must count Brian Eno, Joy Division, Cabaret Voltaire, Test Department, Neubauten, My Bloody Valentine, Julian Cope and a host of industrial and techno bands. The music has lost none of its immediacy or relevance - it sounds as if it was recorded last week, not last decade. The show will begin at 7:00 PM and tickets are $22 - $25, available at Atom Heart Records, Cheap Thrills, L'Oblique and Phonopolis.
August 7, 2009
Arapacis album launch show
Montreal prog metal band AraPacis will launch their second album, entitled Consequences of Dreams on Saturday, October 3 2009 at O'Hara's Pub (1197 University, Montreal • 514-390-8881). The concert will begin at 8:30 PM and admission will be $5.
Formed in 2003, AraPacis is spearheaded by guitarist Jerry Fielden. Their style is an intense blend of 70's hard rock, progressive and contemporary gothic prog metal.
September 26, 2009
Jelly Fiche and Vecteur K at Espace Dell'Arte!
Attention prog rock fans... it's now confirmed! In anticipation of their 2nd album release in 2010, Jelly Fiche will present the last show of their Tout ce que j'ai rêvé tour on a Montreal stage. Don't miss their fantastic show on Friday, October 2 2009 at the Espace Dell'Arte, (40 Jean-Talon Street East - free parking) with special guest Vecteur K as the opening act. Tickets for that show are $15, available through Admission at (514) 790-1245 ...and don't forget to come and say hello to the guys of both bands on September 12 and 13 at the Gesù in the vendors area during FMPM 2009, they will have some tickets in hand!
August 22, 2009
Allan Holdsworth back in Montreal!
Legendary guitarist Allan Holdsworth will be in Montreal for two shows, on Wednesday, September 30 and Thursday, October 1st 2009 at the L'Astral - Maison du Festival Rio Tinto Alcan (305 Ste-Catherine Ouest). Allan will be accompanied by Jimmy Johnson on bass and Gary Husband on drums. Tickets are $36.68, available through Ticketpro and at the L'Astral boxoffice. Allan will also be on tour throughout Québec: Joliette on Sept. 24, Rimouski on Sept. 25, Quebec City on Sept. 26, St-Georges de Beauce on Sept. 27, Gatineau on Sept. 28 and Sherbrooke on Sept. 29.
September 14, 2009
Porcupine Tree at the Metropolis
Porcupine Tree will be at the Metropolis (59 Sainte-Catherine Street East, Montreal, 514-844-3500) on Tuesday, September 29 2009, accompanied by none other than King's X. The band will be touring Canada and the United States in support of their upcoming studio album. After the huge successes of the recent albums In Absentia, Deadwing and Fear of a Blank Planet, Porcupine Tree has been dominating the charts and gaining popularity worldwide. The band is composed of Steven Wilson on vocals and guitars, Richard Barbieri on keyboards, Colin Edwin on bass, Gavin Harrison on drums and touring member John Wesley on guitars and vocals, and they are about to release their latest album, entitled The Incident.
King's X will be accompanying Porcupine Tree on several of the American and Canadian dates of the tour, in support of their latest CD entitled XV. The famous Texas trio is composed of Dug Pinnick on bass and vocals, Ty Tabor on guitar and vocals and Jerry Gaskill on drums and vocals.
Tickets for the show are $26.50, available through TicketPro.ca and at the Metropolis boxoffice.
June 15, 2009
Rik Emmett trio in Montreal!
Back again in Montreal, the Rik Emmett trio will be at the Espace Dell'Arte (40 Jean-Talon East • 514-490-9613) on Saturday, September 26 2009.
The trio features Rik accompanied by his long-time accomplices Dave Dunlop and Steve Skingley and they will be playing material from Rik's extensive solo career, as well as a few old Triumph standards much to the pleasure of Rik's fans!
The show begins at 8:00 PM and tickets are $42, available through Admission and at the Espace Dell'Arte boxoffice.
June 6, 2009
Charlatans UK at Les Saints
British alternative rock quintet Charlatans UK will be at the Les Saints club (30 Ste-Catherine West, Montreal) on Thursday, September 24 2009, accompanied by Hatcham Social. Tickets are $23.50 in advance or $25 at the door and are available at the Saints boxoffice, Cheap Thrills, L'Oblique and through Admission.
July 1st, 2009
Tramp of the Century at bar Chez Maurice!
Following the success of their show in June, Supertramp tribute band Tramp of the Century will be back at the Bar Chez Maurice (1897 Ste-Angélique, Saint-Lazare, Qc • 450-455-3544) on Saturday, September 26 2009, that concert begins at 9:00 PM. The group is composed of Roger Leclerc on keyboards, Jean-François Ouellet on sax, Claude Paré on keyboards and vocals, Charles Bellerose on bass, Nicolas Beaudoin on drums and Richard Guérard on guitars and they cover the Roger Hodgson era of the famous british band.
September 14, 2009
Vecteur K at the Petit Campus: Cancelled
Vecteur K was supposed to present a show Wednesday, September 16 2009 at the Petit Campus de Montréal along with Claire Vezina but sadly, due to scheduling conflicts, this show has been cancelled.
September 2, 2009
It Might Get Loud... win tickets to the premiere!
IT MIGHT GET LOUD is a brand new documentary on the electric guitar, from the point of view of three rock legends, Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White.
Sony Pictures Classics, métropole films and ProgMontréal invite you to the premiere of IT MIGHT GET LOUD, the new motion picture from David Guggenheim! So here's your chance to win one of five movie passes to the Montreal premiere of It Might Get Loud on Wednesday, September 30 2009 at the Cinéma du Parc (3575, Avenue du Parc • 514-281-1900). Visit our CONTESTS page for details!
September 2, 2009
Kerry Livgren: sad news
Musician/songwriter, and founding member of Kansas, Kerry Livgren, is said to be in serious condition after suffering a stroke on Tuesday, September 1st.
Livgren, who composed the rock classics Dust In The Wind and Carry On Wayward Son among others during the '70s when he was part of the American progressive rock band Kansas and later recorded several solo and band albums after becoming a Christian, is in a Topeka, Kansas hospital in serious but stable condition. Earlier this morning, Kerry's family family sent a message to friends expressing guarded hope about his condition. The message notes the family is encouraged that Livgren is not exhibiting any "sagging of the face." This symptom, also known as facial droop, occurs when paralysis of the facial muscles takes place and is one of the side effects that can take place due to a stroke.
The message adds that a blood clot, surgically removed yesterday, was located in the area of the brain which deals with language and high-end skills. It continues with mentioning the family's prayers that little if any damage occurred as a result of the clot, and that Livgren underwent a CAT scan this afternoon in an effort to determine the area's condition. Livgren's sister has requested prayers for her brother and that everyone respect the family's privacy during this time.
August 7, 2009
Code Rouge at the Petit Medley
Progressive rock guitarist Clément Larose will present his Code Rouge project on Friday, September 18 2009 at the Petit Medley (6206 St-Hubert, Montréal • 514-271-7887).
Clément will be accompanied by Charles Fortin on bass and lead vocals, Magella Cormier on drums, Lise Larose on back vocals and Jean-Pierre Zanella on saxophone and flute. The concert will begin at 8:00 PM and tickets are $20, available through Admission and at the Petit Medley boxoffice. Your ticket will entitle you to a $5 rebate on the Code Rouge CD as well as a $5 rebate on the next Code Rouge show!
March 20, 2009
Stratovarius at the Medley!
One of Finland's most renowned symphonic power metal bands, Stratovarius will be at the Medley (1170 St-Denis, Montreal) on Sunday, September 20 2009, accompanied by Quebec's Forgotten Tales and Eclipse. Celebrating 27 years as a band, the group is touring to support their recent release, Polaris. The show begins at 8:00 and tickets are $30.56 / $35.43 / VIP $69.98, available through Ticketpro or at the Medley's boxoffice.
April 10, 2009
Metallica at the Bell Center: Second show added!
Metal legends Metallica will magnetize the Bell Center in Montreal on Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2009. The band is touring across the world in support of their latest CD entitled Death Magnetic. The shows begin at 7:00 PM and tickets are $50/$86, on sale right now through GEG.ca and TicketMaster.
July 1st, 2009
FMPM 2009!
The fourth edition of the FMPM will take place on September 11, 12th and 13th 2009 at the Gesù (1200, de Bleury) in Montreal. The full lineup will be comprized of Mystery, Excubus, Miriodor, Rouge Ciel, DFA, Magenta, Le Orme, Three Friends and Saga.
REGULAR TICKETS ARE NOW SOLD OUT!
We are very pleased to announce that regular tickets for the two-day festival are now sold out! If you didn't get your tickets in time, there is still a very limited quantity of single day / single event tickets available:
Single day ticket - Saturday: $95.38
Miriodor (Sunday): $20
Rouge Ciel (Saturday): $20
ExCubus (Saturday): $20
DFA (Saturday): $20
Magenta (Sunday): $38.50
Le Orme (Saturday): $69.23
Three Friends (Sunday): SOLD OUT
Single day ticket - Sunday: SOLD OUT
Gold tickets: SOLD OUT
Regular tickets: SOLD OUT
Friday pre-show with Saga and Mystery: $49.50
These can be purchased through www.progquebec.com, as well as through www.admission.com and at the Gesù box office.
Due to limited availability we recommend purchasing tickets at your earliest opportunity.
FMPM TAKES A GIANT STEP FORWARD!
The FMPM team is proud to announce the exclusive North American premiere of Three Friends to fill the slot opened up by the cancellation of Thieves’ Kitchen. Formed by Kerry Minnear (keyboards), Gary Green (guitar), and Malcolm Mortimore (drums) of Gentle Giant, they are augmented by Roger Carey (bass, vocals), John Donaldson (keys), Andy Williams (guitar), and Mick Wilson of 10cc (vocals). Three Friends has started performing the repertoire of Gentle Giant in Europe, with three successful gigs already under their belts. Their performances include material from classic Giant albums Three Friends, Acquiring the Taste, Octopus, Free Hand, In a Glass House, The Power and the Glory, and the self-titled debut, and they are rehearsing more of their old material that they have not yet had a chance to play live. Dual keyboards are used to replace instruments such as violin and cello.
Gentle Giant occupies a special place in the hearts of Quebec progressive rock fans, touring there as headliners as early as 1972 and coming back frequently over the decade. Several of the best Quebec progressive rock bands, such as Maneige, Pollen and Et Cetera, had the privilege of opening for the band, while Contraction did a radio broadcast early in 1974 on the same night which is being released on CD by ProgQuebec on May 26. Many Quebec groups were greatly influenced by the sophisticated compositions of Gentle Giant. When Gary Green was a special guest of the first FMPM in 2006, he was given the celebrity treatment by many of those in attendance, and the obvious questions about performing again came up repeatedly.
Three Friends has been formed not simply to perform the classic Giant repertoire, but they also expect to produce new music in time. There has never been a group like Gentle Giant since they ceased to be almost thirty years ago, and the hopes for a reunion over the years have until now proven futile. This year, at last, the remaining willing members of Gentle Giant will once again give life to their music, and this is as close as fans will get to seeing the full original formation. FMPM is pleased to have the honor of being the first to present it to the North American audience.
In recognition of the magnitude of this event, Three Friends is being treated as a co-headliner of Sunday's festivities alongside Magenta, and will perform a full-length set. Due to the increased cost involved in making this happen, we must announce effective immediately that regular ticket prices will be increasing from $129 to $139 CDN (approx. US $120). This remains an incredible deal relative to most multi-day festival passes, and with the presence of Three Friends on an already strong bill we expect demand to increase significantly. The Gesu has a capacity of 400 seats and we expect the remaining tickets to go quickly.
A YouTube clip of Three Friends performing "Just the Same"
An excerpt of "Prologue"
April 16th setlist:
• Prologue
• Playing The Game
• The Advent Of Panurge
• Pantagruel's Nativity
• Just The Same
• Think Of Me With Kindness
• The House, The Street, The Room
• The Boys In The Band
• (Band Introductions)
• His Last Voyage
• In A Glass House
• Mister Class And Quality
• Three Friends
• Free Hand
• Giant
• Peel The Paint
FMPM 2009 takes place September 11, 12 and 13, 2009 at the Gesù in Montreal. The full weekend
line-up consists of LE ORME (Italy), THREE FRIENDS (England), MAGENTA (England), DFA (Italy), MIRIODOR (Quebec), EXCUBUS (Quebec), and ROUGE CIEL (Quebec). The Friday night pre-show, for which a separate ticket is sold, includes SAGA (Ontario) and MYSTERY (Quebec). Tickets are on sale right now!
THIEVES' KITCHEN BOWS OUT OF FMPM 2009
It is our sad task to announce the cancellation of the Thieves' Kitchen performance at FMPM 2009. Guitarist Phil Mercy is suffering from a serious condition of the hand called Extensor Tenosynovitis, which is broadly similar to RSI and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. A strategy of resting the hand has been unsuccessful and he is now undergoing a regimen involving physiotherapy to treat the problem. A full recovery is expected, but a series of rehearsals and gigs is now out of the question as it would risk permanent tendon damage to the arm.
The FMPM team is proud to have booked Thieves' Kitchen and consider them one of the finest groups in the current progressive rock scene. One of our organizers had the pleasure of working with them several years ago and we were greatly anticipating their return to North America. It is our hope that they will be back performing live on these shores again before too long.
SAGA HEADLINES FMPM FRIDAY PRE-SHOW
Renowned Canadian progressive rock quintet Saga will be headlining FMPM's Friday night pre-show. Formed in 1977, Saga's unique style of commercially accessible progressive rock has earned them a devoted fan-base the world over. Their nineteen studio releases include gold records such as Worlds Apart as well as concept albums like Generation 13. Reviews for their most recent releases, 10,000 Days, and Trust, indicate a group who are still operating on a creative peak and at the top of their game in terms of musicianship.
In the current edition of the band, original members Ian Crichton, Jim Crichton, and Jim Gilmour are joined by drummer Chris Sutherland and vocalist Rob Moratti. Moratti was found after an extensive talent search following the departure of original vocalist Michael Sadler, and reviews of his debut performance with the band were glowing. The group is currently in the studio working on a new album entitled The Human Condition to be released in April.
MIRIODOR PRESENTS AVANTI ! AT FMPM 2009
In addition, Quebec's Miriodor takes the FMPM stage on Sunday to present Avanti! This newest work, their seventh album, which will be released on the Cuneiform Records label in May, features seven pieces, each at least seven minutes in length. Notice a pattern? One of the best progressive ensembles in the world, Miriodor's exciting compositions and surprising melodies have made them a frequently requested group for our bill, and with all new material to perform, it was impossible to say no. This will be Miriodor’s 3rd performance in 4 years at FMPM, such is their popularity !
With the announcements of Saga on Friday and Miriodor on Sunday, the group Mystery will be moving to Friday night to play with Saga. This puts two bands in a unified style together for the pre-show. Regular FMPM weekend box-sets and pre-show tickets will go on sale Saturday March 7th (see details below), the day following FMPM’s special presentation of the Strawbs’ 40th anniversary tour concert on March 6 at Café Campus in Montreal. Current Gold ticket holders for FMPM 2009 will be guaranteed the same seats for the pre-show as they will have for the rest of FMPM weekend, providing they order their pre-show tickets by Sunday March 15. In addition, the first ten Gold Ticket holders who order tickets for the Friday pre-show will receive a promotional copy of Saga's 10,000 Days.
The schedule for FMPM 2009 will be:
FRIDAY PRE-SHOW (separate tickets at $49.50) – Saga (Canada), and Mystery (Quebec)
FMPM 2009 WEEKEND BOX-SETS (Regular Tickets at $139):
SATURDAY - Le Orme (Italy), DFA (Italy), Rouge Ciel (Quebec), and ExCubus (Quebec)
SUNDAY - Magenta (Wales), Three Friends (England), and Miriodor (Quebec)
Please note that FMPM Sunday will end earlier than last year to give out-of-towners a chance to travel, and Montrealers more chance to party !
FMPM 2009 takes place September 11th, 12th and 13th at the Gesù in Montréal. Gold Tickets entitling holders to center seats in the first 8 rows are currently on sale exclusively at www.progquebec.com. Regular tickets for FMPM weekend and the pre-show go on sale Saturday March 7th on www.progquebec.com at 9am, and on www.admission.com and at the Gesù box office (514-861-4036) at noon.
FMPM RETURNS TO THE GESÙ
After careful deliberation, the FMPM team has chosen the Gesù to be the venue for FMPM 2009. Those who attended the first edition of the FMPM will remember the venue well, with its excellent sightlines, warm intimacy, and impressive acoustics. Like the Pierre-Peladeau Center, the Gesù is located in the heart of Montreal's "Quartier des Spectacles" (concert district), and is the same distance from the Holiday Inn Express and Day's Inn as was the Peladeau Center. In addition to FMPM 2006, the Gesù has recently hosted shows by artists such as Zappa Plays Zappa and Peter Hammill, and their top notch crew will be working together with the established FMPM team to maintain our exacting standards for sound quality and schedule.
The decision to return to the Gesù was not taken lightly, however in a difficult economic climate this move allows us to make sure FMPM 2009 is successful, and remains a platform whereby Quebec's progressive artists are showcased to the world. This decision is made easier by how much we enjoyed working with the Gesù before. At the same time we have only good things to say about the Pierre-Peladeau Center. For those of you who have never attended an FMPM at the Gesù, it will become clear very quickly why we like it so much. The capacity of the Gesù amphitheater is 400 seats.
The FMPM team will be contacting Gold Ticket holders over the next few days to finalize seat assignments for those who have purchased tickets to date. One benefit of this move for Gold Ticket holders is that we can offer more centralized seats. We have reserved a total of 110 Gold tickets (first eight rows, center) and will continue to offer them until sold out. You can purchase a Gold ticket through our web-site, at www.progquebec.com, at a cost of $189 including venue royalties (taxes not included).
The remaining 290 regular tickets, entitling holders to attend all seven weekend shows, will go on sale on Saturday, March 7th at 9:00 AM, for $139 including venue royalties (taxes not included). These can be purchased through our web-site at www.progquebec.com, as well as through www.admission.com and at the Gesù box office. Due to limited availability we recommend purchasing tickets at your earliest opportunity.
Stay tuned for further announcements regarding the weekend, including the pre-show taking place on the Friday. The FMPM team thanks you for your continued support and interest.
More information on the Gesù: www.gesu.net
MYSTERY AT FMPM 2009
Mystery was formed in 1986 by Michel St-Père in the Montreal region. Originally created as a studio project, it would take nearly four years before a stable line-up took form. 1996 saw the release of Theatre of the Mind on St-Père's fledgling Unicorn label, created to promote the music of Mystery. Keyboardist Benoît Dupuis left after this release. Destiny? followed in 1998, a more progressive release that resulted in the singer leaving. Needing a sufficiently talented replacement, their first choice was Benoît David, who was in a Yes tribute band. David was auditioned and agreed to join the group, and that line-up recorded At the Dawn of a new Millennium, released in 2000.
A long break followed, with Unicorn starting to release the music of other artists as St-Père concentrated on growing the business. It was not until 2007 that a new album, Beneath the Veil of Winter's Face, would be released. The line-up for this release would be Michel St-Père, BenoÎt David, Patrick Bourque on bass, and Steve Gagné on drums.
Earlier this year Benoit David was invited to join the touring edition of Yes and has been playing around the world with them. Meanwhile St-Père has been working on new material for the next Mystery album. The line-up is now a six-piece, with Michel St-Père on guitars, Benoît David on vocals, Steve Gagné on drums, the returning Benoît Dupuis on keyboards, and two new members, Dean Baldwyn on second guitar and François Fournier on bass. Fournier plays in the Genesis tribute band Slippermen while both St-Père and Baldwyn play in a Rush tribute band called Exit: Stage Left.
Melodic and well-produced, Mystery's music has been compared to groups such as Saga, Yes, and Rush.
EXCUBUS (aka InCubus) AT FMPM 2009
Incubus was part of the first wave of Quebec progressive rock, originally active between 1970 and 1974. Although influenced by groups such as ELP, King Crimson and Procol Harum, they preferred from the beginning to compose their own material. Their sound was probably most akin to classically-influenced keyboard-led groups such as ELP, Le Orme or Trace. Active around the same time as Maneige, Nécéssité and Contraction, they played out quite a bit, including shows with groups such as Mashmakhan, Offenbach, April Wine and Souls of Inspyration, and many Quebec prog fans remember them to this day.
Finally in 1974 they had a chance to travel to Europe to record what would have been their first album. They finished a full side before they disbanded. In the aftermath of the group's collapse the tapes were shelved and forgotten for many years. Finally in 2007, three of the four original members got back together, and with the help of two friends completed the album. They renamed themselves ExCubus, to avoid confusion with the California-based group of the same name. The result of their efforts was the September archival release on ProgQuebec, entitled Mémoires Incubusiennes. Their album release concert in Lac St-Jean was attended by over 300 people.
One of the long lost secrets of the Quebec progressive rock movement, the music of ExCubus can now bring the group their proper acclaim. In September they will perform at the FMPM in front of their loyal fan-base as well as a new generation of progressive rock fans.
LE ORME HEADLINES FMPM 2009
Next September, one of Italy's greatest progressive rock bands performs for the first time in Montreal, as Le Orme headlines the fourth edition of the FMPM. Founded in 1966, Le Orme have released 18 albums, have headlined almost every significant music festival while maintaining a loyal fan base in Italy, and continue to produce acclaimed studio material forty years after their inception.
After releasing several beat and psych singles, the classic trio formation of Aldo Tagliapietra, Michi dei Rossi, and Toni Pagliuca was in place by 1970. This formation released four canonical Italian prog releases during this time, Collage, Uomo di Pezza, Felona e Sorona, and finally Contrappunti. Like many of the more popular Italian groups, Le Orme tried their hand with an English release, with Felona & Sorona coming out on Charisma with translated lyrics by Peter Hammill. Due to the instrumental configuration of keyboards, bass, and drums, and with a very classical sound, it is easy to compare this period to Emerson, Lake & Palmer, without the maudlin stabs at honky tonk and the like.
In the late 70s a fourth member joined on guitar, and releases such as Florian and Piccola Rapsodia dell'Ape take on a different flavour, with an emphasis on acoustic textures. In the 80s the group was down to the core trio but less active. A reunion took place in the late 90s with the relase of Il Fiume, and a well- received appearance in Quebec City (among others). The group was now a quartet, with Michele Bon and Francesco Sartori sharing Pagliuca's old keyboard duties.
Not content to rest on their laurels, this decade has seen the release of two conceptual studio works, Elementi and l'Infinito. Unlike many progressive groups who have continued from the early 70s to today, Le Orme's current work is considered by many to be of the same quality as their classic period albums. Le Orme headlined NEARFest several years ago and a CD/DVD release called Live in Pennsylvania came out this year to commemmorate that event. Le Orme is now back to a trio formation, with Michele Bon handling all keyboards along with stalwarts Tagliapietra and dei Rossi, and have maintained a busy gig schedule in Italy this year. They are currently at work on a new album.
MAGENTA AT FMPM 2009
Magenta was formed in 2001 by ex-Cyan member Rob Reed. Debut album Revolutions was a mixture of Yes, Genesis, and Renaissance highlighted by the vocals of Christina Booth, a former collaborator with the group Trippa who had also guested with Cyan. The success of this album led to the formation of a live band to perform it, and 2004 saw the release of their first full-band album, Seven. With a concept based on the seven deadly sins, Seven was a large leap forward that firmly established Magenta at the forefront of the modern British symphonic prog movement. 2006 saw the release of Home, a concept album with some shorter pieces that combined the established style of the band with a progressive pop influence that Reed has applied in other projects. Regular live performances and festival appearances at Baja Prog, Rosfest, and NEARfest has kept the group tight and their reputation growing.
In early 2008 Magenta released their fourth studio album, Metamorphosis, on the Laser's Edge label. Upon its release, it immediately went to #1 on the Gagliarchives weekly top 20, bumping Thieves' Kitchen from the top spot. Metamorphosis is easily identifiable as a Magenta album but also adds more darkness and aggression into the mix, a daring evolution that has reaped success. FMPM 2009 will be the sole North American show next year in support of this album.
Magenta was originally booked for FMPM 2008, but could not do the show for a very good reason; Rob Reed had a child in mid-September. However they were very enthusiastic about wanting to come to FMPM 2009 and we are glad it is confirmed!
ROUGE CIEL AT FMPM 2009
Continuing the tradition of inviting some of Quebec's most innovative and interesting acts to the FMPM stage, it is with pride that the festival team announces that Rouge Ciel will be performing at FMPM 2009. Part of Quebec's vibrant musique actuelle scene, they mix composed and improvised music into a unified framework that makes use of diverse instrumentation and genre influences. Western and Eastern musics, folk, jazz, and rock are all acceptable source material for their creative expression.
Rouge Ciel released their first, self-titled album in 2001. Members Guido del Fabbro and Némo Venba had previously been in avant-garde ensemble La Fanfare Pourpour, and together with Antonin Provost and Simon Lapointe created an instrumental work that reviewers compared to Maneige, Conventum, Art Zoyd, and Miriodor. And yet by being compared to such different groups the real message was, here is something new, and deserving of attention. 2005's Veuillez Procéder is more urgent and less gentle, amping up the intensity, more wild, and more modern. Both releases are well appreciated by collectors of avant-progressive rock and musique actuelle.
Rouge Ciel is now hard at work on new material that will form the basis of their third album and will be unveiled at FMPM 2009. Following the wild successes of Miriodor and Interférence Sardines on the FMPM stage, it is fitting and exciting that Rouge Ciel will follow them.
DFA AT FMPM 2009
The best things in life come to those who wait, a saying well known to fans of Italian four-piece DFA. Before 2008's #4, their last studio album was 1999's Duty Free Area. Simply put, they are one of the best groups in the world in the style of symphonic fusion, combining incredible technical virtuosity with a gift for memorable, dynamic melodies. With the #1 album on the Gagliarchives for eleven straight weeks following its release, DFA is "one of the best of the new breed" (All About Jazz), and #4 is "a worthy successor to The Rotter's Club" (Billboard.com) and "an unmitigated success" (Aymeric Leroy). And while fans of Canterbury music might see DFA as the reincarnation of National Health, they are undeniably an Italian prog group and reminiscent of some of the great jazz rock groups from that country such as Arti e Mestieri and middle-period PFM.
DFA's first two releases, Lavori in Corso and Duty Free Area, made quite a splash when they were first released, and are now available on the 2-CD compilation Kaleidoscope. Their live performance at NEARFest 2000 brought down the house and is still talked about today. Over the years people increasingly wondered whether DFA were still together, whether they would ever release a new album, and if so whether it could possibly live up to the standards set by their early work. The answer to all these questions is an emphatic "YES", and at FMPM 2009 we expect DFA will once again bring fans to their feet in their first ever appearance in Canada.
See you there!
August 22, 2009
Adrian Belew Power Trio in Montreal!
Renowned musician and King Crimson guitarist Adrian Belew will bring his Power Trio project in Montreal on Wednesday, September 9 2009 at the Cabaret du Musée Juste Pour Rire (2111 St-Laurent blvd. • 514-845-2322). Adrian will be accompanied by Julie Slick on bass and Eric Slick on drums. Tickets for the general admission show are $31.75 at the door or $36.05 by phone, available at the Cabaret du Musée Juste Pour Rire boxoffice.
August 23, 2009
Slippermen at the Imperial
Genesis tribute band Slippermen will be at the Impérial de Québec (252 Saint-Joseph East, Quebec City) on Saturday, September 5, 2009. This 2 1/2 hour show will be the "dual drum" concert. The show will begin at 8:00 PM and tickets are $28, available at the Imperial Theatre box office or by telephone at 418-523-3131 and online at www.billetech.com. They cover the entire 70's decade of Genesis Classics, bringing back some old favorites and some new songs never played before from the Nursery Cryme to the Duke era. The band is composed of Réjean Arsenault on lead & acoustic guitars and bass pedal, Nicolas Beaudoin on drums, François Fournier on bass, 12-string & acoustic guitars, bass pedals, backing vocals, Marc La Fontaine on keyboards and Michel Sergi on vocals, guitars, percussions. Their brilliant performance will be made even more authentic by the use of classical vintage instrument like the ARP synth, the Shergold double-neck and much more.
August 7, 2009
Lazarus Heart at La Place à Côté
Following the success of their fantastic shows in the past few months, Sting/Police tribute band Lazarus Heart will be back again at La Place à Côté (4571 Papineau Street, 514-522-4571) on Wednesday, August 19 2009. The band is composed of Sylvain Auclair on vocals, bass and fretless bass, Luc Catelier on drums, Guillaume Larouche on sax, Dimitri Lebel on guitar, and Sébastien Cloutier on keyboards, they will play classics from the famous british trio as well as material from Sting's illustrious solo career. The show begins around 9:30 PM and admission is $10.
August 9, 2009
Progressive Nation 2009 at the Bell Center this Wednesday!
DREAM THEATER WITH ZAPPA PLAYS ZAPPA, BIGELF AND SCALE THE SUMMIT
New York progressive metal veterans Dream Theater will take their PROGRESSIVE NATION tour to the Bell Center in Montreal this Wednesday, August 12, 2009! Tickets are $59.50, available at the Bell Center boxoffice and through GEG.ca. Doors open at 5:00 PM and the show begins at 6:00 PM. PN09 will also be in Quebec City at the Agora Theater on Tuesday, August 11 and at the Molson Amphitheater in Toronto on Friday, August 14.
In addition to a headlining set by Dream Theater, this year’s package will feature the outstanding musicianship of Zappa Plays Zappa as well as two wonderful bands who stepped-in at the last minute, Bigelf and Scale The Summit, in replacement for Beardfish and Pain Of Salvation, who had to bow out because of unfortunate issues with their bankrupt record distributor, SPV.
PROGRESSIVE NATION was created by Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy and its successful inaugural run in 2008 also featured Opeth, Between The Buried And Me and Three.
Portnoy once again hand-picked all of the bands for the 2009 bill based on their diversity and musicality. He comments: “This year’s lineup is so exciting for me. Every band is bringing something very unique to the package to create an incredibly well rounded musical experience. I am just as excited to be watching all the bands from the side of the stage as I am to be performing with mine in the center of it!”
Fresh on the heels of his Grammy win, Dweezil Zappa is pleased to announce his plans to join forces with Dream Theater as part of the Progressive Nation 2009 tour: "It's no secret that I started Zappa Plays Zappa with the intention to diversify and expand the audience for my father's music. I figured I'd probably have to do it one concert at a time. Playing with Dream Theater on the PROGRESSIVE NATION tour is a great way to accomplish that goal. Music fans who are seeking something to challenge their senses should definitely consider attending this great bill.
Mike Portnoy describes the two last-minute substitutes: "Los Angeles' Bigelf are my personal favorite new band to come along in many years...their latest CD Cheat The Gallows is my favorite album of the year and I already had positioned them onto the European run of Progressive Nation in the Fall....with them now joining us on PN09 in North America as well, it looks like world domination is now not that far out of reach for them! Pretty soon, everyone will hopefully be falling for their retro, psychedelic, progressive, hard rock, doom metal as hard as I have!
Houston instrumental band Scale The Summit are a recent discovery for me and their top notch musicianship will be a perfect fit to this Progressive Nation lineup stylistically falling very nicely between the musicality of Dream Theater and Zappa Plays Zappa. They bring the instrumental elements of prog rock and fusion into today's contemporary hard rock/metal sounds and are one of the most talented group of young musicians I've seen assembled in many years."
ABOUT THE LINEUP CHANGE...
Sadly, there is a lineup change to the PN09 North American tour that will see Beardfish and Pain Of Salvation drop out of the show to be replaced by Bigelf and Scale The Summit. This is the official press release from Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy:
"It is with the utmost disappointment that I am forced to share the unfortunate news of both Pain Of Salvation and Beardfish having to pull out of this summer's Progressive Nation tour....
Their label Inside Out just recently lost the financial funding for the tour as a result of their distributor SPV recently claiming bankruptcy...which effectively meant that both Pain Of Salvation and Beardfish lost the tour support that was essential to their ability to come to North America for Progressive Nation.
All parties involved (myself, both bands, Inside Out, etc) are beyond devastated at this turn of events and are truly sorry to all of the fans that were looking forward to this lineup. We tried everything we could do to salvage the situation, but in the end it was not possible...
Well as the album title says, every Black Cloud does indeed have a Silver Lining... so with this unfortunate news, I bring to you the good news of 2 incredible bands that will be jumping on board Progressive Nation to join Dream Theater and Zappa Plays Zappa this summer: Bigelf and Scale The Summit.
Los Angeles' Bigelf are my personal favorite new band to come along in many years...their latest CD Cheat The Gallows is my favorite album of the year and I already had positioned them onto the European run of Progressive Nation in the Fall....with them now joining us on PN09 in North America as well, it looks like world domination is now not that far out of reach for them! Pretty soon, everyone will hopefully be falling for their retro, psychedelic, progressive, hard rock, doom metal as hard as I have!
Houston instrumental band Scale The Summit are a recent discovery for me and their top notch musicianship will be a perfect fit to this Progressive Nation lineup stylistically falling very nicely between the musicality of Dream Theater and Zappa Plays Zappa. They bring the instrumental elements of prog rock and fusion into today's contemporary hard rock/metal sounds and are one of the most talented group of young musicians I've seen assembled in many years.
Once again, apologies to anybody disappointed in this unexpected and unavoidable lineup change... but the circumstances were beyond our control... In any event, PN09 will carry on and still deliver the most musical bang for its buck this summer throughout North America and we look forward to sharing the evening with you!" - Mike Portnoy, 22/06/2009
PROGRESSIVE NATION will be the first North American tour for Dream Theater in support of their newest Roadrunner Records release entitled Black Clouds and Silver Linings which was released in late June.
June 23, 2009
Martin Levac's Dance Into the Light
at L'Assomption En Fête
Martin Levac, ex-drummer of The Musical Box will present "Dance Into The Light", a Tribute To Phil Collins, at the L'Assomption en Fête festival, at the Parc De La Rivière in L'Assomption on Friday, August 14 2009 at 10 PM... best of all, the outdoors show is free!
The excellent musicians from Martin's Genesis tribute "Dance On A Volcano" will be augmented by a brass section as Martin Levac re-creates the magic of Phil Collins' solo career. All the great hits, including In The Air Tonight, Against All Odds, Sussudio, One More Night, Another Day In Paradise and Dance Into The Light will be featured, and many more!
July 25, 2009
New music
Cool new music from all around the world, here are some recent (and future) releases of interest:
Riverside - Anno Domini High Definition:
Exactly 44 minutes and 44 seconds is the length of the new, fourth album by polish prog metal band Riverside, entitled Anno Domini High Definition, the most energetic and rockin’ record of the band. The material recorded in Studio X in Olsztyn was released worldwide on June 19th, 2009 by InsideOut.
There are five pieces on the album:
1. Hyperactive
2. Driven to Destruction
3. Egoist Hedonist
4. Left Out
5. Hybrid Times
The album is available in two versions, the basic single-CD version and the extended one with a bonus DVD featuring a concert recorded at the Paradiso club in Amsterdam in December 2008 during the Reality Dream Tour. visit their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/riversidepl for audio excerpts. Also visit their Anno Domini microsite. You can find the new CD at Freeson Rock on Mont-Royal Street in Montreal.
Led Bib - Sensible Shoes:
The new CD entitled Sensible Shoes from the British band Led Bib is one of the most talked-about release in the world of jazz/avant garde in a long time!
Led Bib are indeed adventurous young artists who push the boundaries of jazz and even the concept of genre. Since being released by Cuneiform in May, their CD Sensible Shoes has garnered an avalanche of favorable press in the UK and worldwide. And just a few days ago, they have been shortlisted for the very prestigious Barclaycard Mercury Prize's 2009 "Album of the Year".
The album has been described as quite possibly the missing link between jazz, prog and experimental rock, which puts them in a field of one! Sensible Shoes is available at Archambault, at HMV and at all fine record stores near you!
Spock's Beard - X:
A new CD from Spock's Beard? Is it out yet? Sorry to disappoint you but it's not even recorded yet! Here's the whole story from the members of the group:
NEW SPOCK'S BEARD CD PRE-ORDER
Yes, that's right a new CD! Most of the material has already been written and we're ready to go to the next phase of tightening up arrangements, making changes where needed and starting production.
We've decided to go commando on this one... lean, mean and without record label support. We have been free agents since the release of our last CD and after lots of deliberation have decided to release our next CD independently rather than re-sign with InsideOut or shop other labels.
There have been a lot of great suggestions relating to this topic by the members of our forum, and the one that made a lot of sense to us was to take pre-orders for our not-yet-recorded CD similar to the approach that Marillion has taken in the past.
We will organize a retail store distribution deal at some point in the future, but the initial release will be an independent limited edition offering of only 5,000 CDs.
This pressing will be a one-time only release, with at least one bonus track that will not exist on any subsequent pressing. By pre-ordering, you will receive our next CD one full month before it exists in any other form or is (legally) available in any other way. In other words, it won't be in stores, it won't be on iTunes, it won't be available on Amazon or anywhere else on Earth except directly from us for at least one month after the release date, and the special version that you pre-order will never be reprinted again after those first 5,000 units are gone.
Release date depends on how quickly the CD is "financed" by pre-orders, but our initial goal is to have the CD finished and the pre-orders filled by the end of this year or early 2010.
During the pre-production and recording process, we'll keep you up-to-date with the progress at SpocksBeard.com as well as with a video blog on YouTube (subscribe there if you haven't already).
So... to be the first one on your block to have the next Spock's Beard CD...click here to pre-order!
July 25, 2009
Queensrÿche contest winner!
Thanks again to the Gillett Entertainment Group for the great promotion featuring the Queensrÿche concert in Montreal, in support of their latest album, Amerian Soldier.
Congratulations to Louis Cossette from St-Léonard who won the pair of tickets to the Queensrÿche concert at the Club Soda (1225 St-Laurent Blvd) on Tuesday, July 28, 2009. Visit our Contests page where you could win tickets, CDs and DVDs!
July 1st, 2009
Progressive Nation contest winner!
Thanks again to the Gillett Entertainment Group for the great promotion with Progressive Nation 2009 featuring Dream Theater, Zappa Plays Zappa, Bigelf and Scale The Summit. The contest is now closed and we have a winner! Drumroll...
Congratulations to Daniel Lagueux from Longueuil who won the pair of tickets to the Progressive Nation 2009 concert at the Bell Center in Montreal on Wednesday, August 12, 2009! Visit our Contests page where you could win tickets, CDs and DVDs!
July 15, 2009
Guitar wiz Guthrie Govan in Montreal
Suhr Guitars embarks on a clinic tour of select US and Canada east coast cities featuring the sensational British guitar virtuoso Guthrie Govan (of Asia and GPS fame) and will be at the O Patro Vys club (356 Mont-Royal Street East, Montréal • 514-845-3855) on Monday, July 27 2009.
Guthrie is a fast-rising star in the guitar world and for those who have never seen him live, here's your chance to see him up close. Guthrie will demonstrate various Suhr instruments and gear (including the new Guthrie Govan Signature Model and effects pedals) one by one so that you can get a good idea of how each sounds in the hands of a master.
Guthrie will also perform a number of tunes from his splendid and highly touted debut CD Erotic Cakes accompanied by two members of Hamadryad (Jean-François Désilets on bass & Nicolas Turcotte on drums) backing up Guthrie on this performance.
So be sure to come out and see a new guitar legend in the making. If you thought his CD and those YouTube videos were good, wait till you see him live! The clinic-concert will be informative, entertaining, and simply mind-blowing as you witness Guthrie's astonishing virtuosity and incredible musicality. And, yes... you will also get to hear stunning sounds of Suhr gear. We expect a full house so make sure you reserve your spot now! Admission is $10, and tickets are available at Moog Audio (3828 Saint-Laurent Blvd. Montréal • 514-284-7434). Sponsored by Diffusion Audio.
July 25, 2009
Queensrÿche in Montreal
American heavy metal/prog metal masters Queensrÿche will be back in Montreal at the Club Soda (1225 St-Laurent Blvd) tonight, Tuesday, July 28, 2009, in support of their latest album, Amerian Soldier.
Formed in 1981 in Bellevue, Washington, the band has released ten studio albums and several smaller releases including EPs and DVDs and continues to tour and record. Queensrÿche have been highly successful in the progressive scene, having sold over 20 million albums worldwide including over 11 million albums and videos in the United States. Their greatest success, Operation Mindcrime, is still considered an essential album in any prog fan's collection.
The show begins at 8:00 PM and tickets are $37.50, available at the Club Soda boxoffice, by phone at 514-908-9090 and through http://www.ticketpro.ca.
July 19, 2009
Inexistence Festival in Quebec City!
The first edition of the Inexistence Festival will be held this Sunday, July 26 2009 at the Café Bar L'Agitée (251 Dorchester, Quebec City • 418-522-6133). This new festival showcases the best young progressive rock bands in Quebec. For those familiar with the name, the festival was supposed to premiere last year but was cancelled due to the auditorium going up in smoke.
This year's lineup includes Metao, Manahil, Myxomatosis, Signs of One and Karcius. Visit the Inexistence Fest's MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/inexistencefestival for audio excerpts of the five bands. The show begins at 7:00 PM and admission is $15.
July 7, 2009
Lazarus Heart at La Place à Côté
Following the success of their fantastic shows in April, May and June, Sting/Police tribute band Lazarus Heart will be back again at La Place à Côté (4571 Papineau Street, 514-522-4571) on Wednesday, July, 15 2009. The band is composed of Sylvain Auclair on vocals, bass and fretless bass, Luc Catelier on drums, Guillaume Larouche on sax and Dimitri Lebel on guitar, they will play classics from the famous british trio as well as material from Sting's illustrious solo career. The show begins around 9:00 PM and admission is $10.
July 1st, 2009
Quebec Summer Fest lineup
The Quebec City summer fest has unveiled its complete lineup, and once again, it's going to be an awesome event! The 11-day long festival will be held from July 9 to 19 2009, in the heart of Quebec City. Here are some of the highlights of the event:
Steve Hill, Jeff Beck on Thursday, July 9
Miriodor, Loreena McKennitt, Van Der Graaf Generator on Friday, July 10
Daniel Bélanger on Saturday, July 11
The Brian Setzer Orchestra on Sunday, July 12
Les Claypool, Guy Davis, Indochine on Tuesday, July 14
Styx, Jeff Lang on Wednesday, July 15
Blue October, Kiss, Zachary Richard, The Spleen on Thursday, July 16
Chimaira, Hatebreed on Friday, July 17
Sting on Saturday, July 18
Seether, Malajube, Karkwa on Sunday, July 19
Information on how to get tickets can be found here.
July 7, 2009
Vecteur K on tour!
Vecteur K will be in the Lanaudière region this July, beginning with a show at the Café Culturel de la Chasse-Galerie (1255, Notre-Dame Street, Lavaltrie • 450-586-9569) on Thursday, July 9 2009 at 9:00 PM, free admission, followed by a show a the café-bar L'Azile (55 St-Charles-Borromée Street South, Joliette • 450-759-0606) on Saturday, July 11 2009 at 9:00 PM, accompanied by a Red Hot Chili Peppers tribute band for the opening act, admission is $5
A great opportunity to hear their first album played live in its entirety. Speaking of which, the new CD, La Peur du Désert is available through the various members of the band, as well as through Unicorn Digital's website.
May 6, 2009
Van der Graaf Generator at the Montreal Jazz Fest
Legendary british proggers Van der Graaf Generator will be part of the 30th edition of the Montreal Jazz Fest, on Thursday, July 9, 2009 at the Théâtre Maisonneuve of the Place des Arts (175 Ste-Catherine Street West).
In the late '60s, while progressive rock was still in its embryonic stage, Van der Graaf Generator were already painting British rock with their psychedelicized sound. Forty years and 20 albums later, the versatile Peter Hammill (who packed the Gesù this autumn) remains the soul of this pioneering outfit, whose dark, complex lyrics and captivating music make them virtually a genre unto themselves. Often riding the edge of musical chaos, their concerts are utterly unpredictable and always exciting!
The concert begins at 6:00 PM and tickets are $26.00/$32.50/$38.50, available through the Place Des Arts boxoffice at www.pda.qc.ca or by phone at 514-842-2112.
VdGG will also be at the Ottawa Bluesfest on Wednesday, July 8, 2009 and at the Quebec Summer Fest on Friday, July 10, 2009. Details for these two other performances will be forthcoming.
June 20, 2009
Miriodor presents Avanti!
To celebrate the relase of their 7th studio album, Miriodor will be taking their show on the road to present Avanti! The group has also been invited to perform at the Quebec Summer Fest on Friday July 10 2009, opening for none other than the legendary Van Der Graaf Generator! Miriodor will hit the Molson Dry stage at 8:15 PM. Information on how to get tickets can be found here.
And they will of course be part of the FMPM 2009 lineup on Sunday, September 13 2009, playing at 1:30 PM. Single-day tickets and Miriodor-only tickets are available in very limited quantities, so act quickly!
The cult avant-garde/musique actuelle band has been around for over 25 years and with this new release, they sound better than ever! Miriodor's lineup for their live performances will be composed of Bernard Falaise on guitar, Pierre Labbé on saxophone, Pascal Globensky on keyboards, Marie-Chantal Leclair on saxophone, Nicolas Masino on bass and Rémi Leclerc on drums.
July 1st, 2009
Proggy tidbits!
Here are some of the latest headlines in the wonderful world of progressive music:
Dream Theater in the US top ten!
Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater is one of the hardest working and highly passionate musicians you can imagine, so it is always great for him to reap some much-deserved success, Mike commented on the fact that the new album Black Clouds and Silver Linings has reached US Billboard's top ten!
"Just got this below email from our A&R guy at Roadrunner...
Dream Theater's Black Clouds & Silver Linings entered the US Billboard Charts today at #6!!
This is truly amazing... that after almost 25 years together, this band is still growing and progressing and doing bigger and better numbers than ever... I can't think of many bands that can claim that...
Plus - a progressive metal album with four songs over 12 minutes in the US Top 10? (wedged between Jonas Brothers, Eminem and Hannah Montana!) Hell must've frozen over! (this must be a first of its kind...)
See the statistics below...
BILLBOARD TOP TEN:
1 BLACK EYED PEAS - ENERGY NEVER DIES
2 JONAS BROTHERS - LINES VINES & TRYING TIMES
3 REGINA SPEKTOR - FAR
4 DAVE MATTHEWS BAND - BIG WHISKEY & THE GROOGRUX KING
5 EMINEM - RELAPSE
6 DREAM THEATER - BLACK CLOUDS & SILVER LININGS
7 TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN - SOUNDTRACK
8 LADY GAGA - FAME
9 GINUWINE - MAN'S THOUGHTS
10 HANNAH MONTANA - HANNAH MOVIE SOUNDTRACK
Thank you everybody!" - Mike Portnoy, July 1st, 2009
ProgQuébec will finally release Sloche
Today, ProgQuebec signed a licensing agreement with Sony Music Canada to reissue the two albums by Quebec-based 1970s symphonic fusion artists Sloche. This agreement is the culmination of close to four years of communication with various groups within Sony in an effort to make a legal, high-quality reissue of these essential progressive rock albums a reality. Both albums, 1975's J'un Oeil and 1976's Stadaconé, will be released on September 15th 2009 and will be available at the 2009 edition of the FMPM.
Originally released on the now defunct label RCA, the masters for these two albums have been located in Sony's archives, and the reissues will be remastered from these tapes. This is ProgQuebec's first licensing agreement with Sony, and follows the 2007 licensed reissues of the Morse Code and early Maneige catalogs from EMI.
Sloche is one of the best-loved 1970s groups from Quebec, having created two albums of exceptional quality inspired by symphonic rock, in particular Gentle Giant, and jazz fusion. The line-up that recorded these two albums was virtually a complete turn-over of the original Sloche line-up, driven by a relentless search for superior musicianship by the conservatory-trained keyboardist Rejean Yacola. While their instrumentals can be compared to groups such as Finch or Gentle Giant, the atmospheric vocal passages on the first album also bring to mind other Quebec groups such as Opus 5 or Morse Code.
Sloche has been one of the most hotly requested progressive rock reissues from any part of the world for over a decade, and has been ProgQuébec's top priority for a while. For years, the only way to get this album was to find it on vinyl, or buy unauthorized knockoff pirate releases. It will be one of ProgQuebec's proudest moments when properly licensed and high quality editions of these CDs are finally available. And after 30 years, the members of Sloche will finally start getting paid for their work again.
ProgQuebec also hopes this will be the start of a fruitful relationship with Sony Music Canada, who have the rights to a number of excellent projects that have been largely forgotten by the mainstream markets but are beloved to progressive fans. ProgQuebec intends to pursue further collaborations with Sony Music Canada going forward.
February 14, 2009
Kiss at the Bell Center!
I was made for lovin' you baby, you were made for lovin' me... Who hasn't sung these lines a one time while playing air guitar? Now here's your chance to see Kiss in all its glory, special effects and makeup included. Featuring original members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, the band will be at the Bell Center on Monday, July 13, 2009. Tickets are $65 through $125, available through Admission and at the Bell Center boxoffice! A Gillett Entertainment Group presentation.
May 30, 2009
Ex-Libris in l'Assomption!
Ex-Libris is back for a great evening of progressive music on Friday, July 10, 2009 in the cozy atmosphere of the Bistro l'Ange Cornu (265 l'Ange-Gardien Blvd, in l'Assomption • 450-589-7701). Tickets are $22.
The playlist will include a lot of classic prog rock: Genesis, Peter Gabriel , ELP, Radio Head among others, and of course, the music of Ex-Libris! Come to see and hear us, and meet our latest fourth new member, Steve Gagné ( Robert Charlebois, Mystery, France D'Amour, Roch Voisine, etc...)
Call now to reserve your tickets at 450-589-9198 ext. 5 or at 1-877-589-9198 ext. 5. Hope to see you there! - Stéphane, Jean-François, Steve and Claude
July 3, 2009
Les Païens at the Montreal Jazz Fest
Moncton's Païens will be at the Montreal Jazz Fest for two exclusive and excellent free outdoors shows tonight, Friday, July 3 2009 on the Scène du Festival right at the door of the Complexe Desjardins on Ste-Catherine at 9:00 PM and 11 PM. Let's hope for good weather this evening...
Everywhere you go, fans are falling hard for this can't-miss band from the new Acadian scene. Instrumental quartet Les Païens mainline creativity and unleash jazz-rock fusion with multiple and very eclectic influences: funk, '70s rock, distortion and, of course, jazz! Imagine a meeting of Erik Truffaz, Tortoise, Miles Davis and Frank Zappa... All this, and talent, too! Jazz and prog fans, Les Païens will bewitch you!
June 18, 2009
Opusculus with Unduo
A great double-bill of local proggers, Opusculus and Unduo will be at the O Patro Vys (356 Mont-Royal East, Montreal • 514-845-3855) on Saturday, June 27 2009 for a great evening of instrumental progressive hard rock. The concert begins at 9:30 PM and admission is $10.
June 20, 2009
Djab in L'Assomption!
An all-star lineup of Quebec's most talented musicians, Djab will be at the Bar le Portage (325 Boulevard De l'Ange-Gardien L'Assomption • 450-589-4793) for two shows, on Friday, June 19 and on Saturday, June 20, 2009 at 10:00 PM. Admission is free!
The energetic cover/jam band is composed of Sabrina Paton on vocals, David Chartrand on guitars, Frank Larouche on bass, Sebastien Cloutier on keyboards and Thomas Brodeur on drums. They will be interpreting classic tracks from The Police, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Foo Fighters, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Deep Purple and much much more!
June 12, 2009
Proggy tidbits!
Here are some of the latest headlines in the wonderful world of progressive music:
Änglagård recording a new album?
There have been rumours of possible new material and even a reunion of the influential swedish prog band Änglagård for years... Well it seems that these rumours are now confirmed with recent MySpace blogs posts from band member Mattias Olsson:
"About two weeks ago, Änglagård had a small get together macerated in Ricard and strong coffee where we listened to some musical Ideas and discussed the future. Why have a progressive rock band? What is relevant in the genre today? If we are supposed to reawaken Frankenstein, I think it is important that he gets a new fresh hip haircut and some new dance moves. So in a effort to try to trace back to the bands old inspirations, I have been listening to some old prog lately. Trying to avoid the horribleness of ELP and the squeakyness of Rush, a bit of Gentle Giant, some King Crimson around the edges.
Also, please understand that I don't think/hope/expect the band will be venturing into any sort of electronic pathway or warpness any time soon. There will not be any boogie woogie on this album either. The new material is very much old school stuff but it has a new harmonic edge. I just want it to have more dimensions and layers. Is that too much to ask?"
And this very encouraging post dating from two weeks ago:
"Änglagård have been working on some new recordings. It has been a very long journey and the whole band has been involved in various stages. Naturally never at the same time thanks to modern technology. Ideas are brewing and stirring. Alar Suurna (probably the best mixer in Sweden) will be cleaning up and disciplining the sounds in its final stages."
So who knows, perhaps there's a new Änglagård album on the horizon before the end of the year...
Hugh Hopper loses brave battle against leukemia
Hugh Colin Hopper – brilliant bassist and composer of the Canterbury scene – passed away on Sunday, June 7 2009 after a brave battle against Leukemia. A leading light in the Canterbury scene, Hugh's musical carreer began in the 60's as bassist with The Daevid Allen Trio, alongside drummer Robert Wyatt. He was also a founder member of the Wilde Flowers and joined the legendary Soft Machine from 1968 through 1973. Later he would go on to play with Stomu Yamashta's East Wind, Gary Boyle's Isotope, the Carla Bley Band, Hopper/Dean/Tippett & Gallivan, Phil Miller's In Cahoots, Pip Pyle's Equip'Out to name but a few. Hopper was a wonderfully gifted bass player and equally gifted song-writer... Hugh had been diagnosed a year ago with leukemia and he married his partner Christine two days before his death.
June 16, 2009
Miriodor presents Avanti!
To celebrate the relase of their 7th studio album, Miriodor will be taking their show on the road to present Avanti! with three highly anticipated shows. First, as part of the Off Jazz Festival, the band will be at the Cheval Blanc (809 Ontario East • 514-522-0211) this Friday, June 19 2009. The concert will begin at 5:00 PM and admission is free!
The group has also been invited to perform at the Quebec Summer Fest on Friday July 10 2009, opening for none other than the legendary Van Der Graaf Generator! Miriodor will hit the Molson Dry stage at 8:15 PM. Information on how to get tickets can be found here.
And finally, they will of course be part of the FMPM 2009 lineup on Sunday, September 13 2009, playing at 1:30 PM. Single-day tickets and Miriodor-only tickets are available in very limited quantities, so act quickly!
The cult avant-garde/musique actuelle band has been around for over 25 years and with this new release, they sound better than ever! Miriodor's lineup for their live performances will be composed of Bernard Falaise on guitar, Pierre Labbé on saxophone, Pascal Globensky on keyboards, Marie-Chantal Leclair on saxophone, Nicolas Masino on bass and Rémi Leclerc on drums.
June 6, 2009
Lazarus Heart at La Place à Côté
Following the success of their fantastic shows in April and in May, Sting/Police tribute band Lazarus Heart will be back again at La Place à Côté (4571 Papineau Street, 514-522-4571) on Wednesday, June 17 2009. The band is composed of Sylvain Auclair on vocals, bass and fretless bass, Luc Catelier on drums, Guillaume Larouche on sax and Dimitri Lebel on guitar, they will play classics from the famous british trio as well as material from Sting's illustrious solo career. The show begins around 9:00 PM and admission is $10.
June 6, 2009
Shawn Philips show at Club Soda cancelled
Sad news, the Shawn Phillips concert at the Club Soda (1225 St-Laurent) on Wednesday, June 17, 2009 has been cancelled. The other dates of his Quebec tour in St-Jovite and in Quebec city are still on, though. Call TicketPro at 514-908-9090 or go at the Club Soda boxoffice for information on how to get refunds for your tickets.
May 30, 2009
Tramp of the Century at La Place à Côté!
Supertramp tribute band Tramp of the Century will be at the Bar Chez Maurice (1897 Ste-Angélique, Saint-Lazare, Qc • 450-455-3544) on Saturday, June 13 2009, that concert begins at 9:00 PM... they will also appear at the prestigious Woodstock en Beauce music festival in Saint-Éphrem-de-Beauce on Saturday, July 4 2009. The group is composed of Roger Leclerc on keyboards, Jean-François Ouellet on sax, Claude Paré on keyboards and vocals, Charles Bellerose on bass, Nicolas Beaudoin on drums and Richard Guérard on guitars and they cover the Roger Hodgson era of the famous british band.
May 18, 2009
Secret Chiefs 3 at Sala Rossa
A great avant garde double bill as Secret Chiefs 3 will be at Sala Rossa (4848 St-Laurent Blvd. Montreal, 514-284-0122) on Wednesday, June 3, 2009, accompanied by Kayo Dot.
Secret Chiefs 3 is a group of musicians led by composer and producer Trey Spruance, former guitarist of Mr. Bungle and Faith No More. Their music includes a wide range of musical styles including surf rock, Persian, Arabic, Indian, death metal, film music, electronic music, and various others. Kayo Dot is an American avant garde group that was formed in 2003 by Toby Driver. Their music bridges several genres, from heavy metal to classical music.
The concert begins at 8:00 PM and tickets are $15, available at the Sala Rossa boxoffice and through BlueSkiesTurnBlack.
May 8, 2009
Proggy tidbits!
Here are some of the latest headlines in the wonderful world of progressive music:
Keith Emerson cancels tour
Keith Emerson, the legendary keyboardist of ELP, had some very sad news to announce:
"Dear Friends,
It is with much regret that I have to announce that due to past right hand injuries the resulting nerve damage and dystonic factor has made it unable for me to play the keyboards to the high standard I have always set myself and have to cancel my forthcoming Keith Emerson Band featuring Marc Bonilla USA and European tours. I am also going to have to cancel the proposed Emerson, Lake and Palmer tour which we were going to do at the end of this year. I will of course continue with my physical/chiropractic/acupuncture therapy etc. in the hope that this will eventually get me back on form.
This is absolutely devastating to me as music will always be my main key to communicating with a world-wide audience. I know how much my fans and fellow band members were looking forward to these shows and it saddens me greatly to have to come to this decision and make this announcement.
Thank you for your understanding.
Keith Emerson"
May 18, 2009
New music
Cool new music from all around the world, here are some recent releases of interest:
IQ - Frequency:
The long-awaited (and much overdue) latest release from British neo proggers IQ is now available. Their ninth studio album entitled Frequency is a musical tour de force which finds the band still at the top of their game. In 2007 when Martin Orford left after 26 years to pursue a solo career, keyboardist Mark Westworth (of Darwin’s Radio) joined the line-up and, after a short tour in late autumn 2007, IQ set about completing work on their next studio album. The return of original drummer Paul Cook for this year’s live work ensures another exciting and memorable year for this consistently popular and innovative band. The official IQ website provides some details, including the following track list:
1. Frequency (8:29)
2. Life Support (6:28)
3. Stronger than Friction (10:32)
4. One Fatal Mistake (4:54)
5. Ryker Skies (9:45)
6. The Province (13:43)
7. Closer (8:11)
The album will be available both as regular edition and special edition digipack with a bonus live DVD at all good record stores including HMV and Archambault.
Touchstone - Wintercoast:
Touchstone are a five piece prog rock band from England. Their specific and unique brand of heavy/melodic rock has appealed to many people across the world. The band consists of Kim Seviour on vocals, Rob Cottingham on vocals, keys and sfx, Adam Hodgson on guitars, Paul (Moo) Moorghen on bass and Al Melville on drums. The debut album Discordant Dreams was released in September 2007. It was voted the second best album of 2007 by the members of the Classic Rock Society at whose award night they were presented with the award for Best New Band 2007. Their new album was mixed by John Mitchell (Arena, Kino, Frost*), who has again made a special guest appearance. In addition to this, Touchstone also have a very special guest appearance by multi award winner and internationally-renowned actor, Jeremy Irons, for which they are very proud and honoured. Their brilliant performance at RoSFest 2009 was highly acclaimed. Wintercoast will be released towards the end of May 2009, ordering details are included on their website.
Agah Bahari - The Second Sight of a Mind:
Unicorn Digital is proud to announce Iranian guitar player Agah Bahari has signed a deal for the release and promotion of his phenomenal debut solo album The Second Sight of a Mind. This album is a dream come true for fans of progressive rock music. A one of a kind adventurous instrumental progressive metal collaboration between Agah Bahari, Derek Sherinian, Virgil Donati and Ric Fierabracci. "Agah Bahari is writing cutting edge instrumental progressive rock. His guitar playing is very impressive as well." Says Derek Sherinian. "Agah is a great up and coming writer and guitarist who has a really fresh sounding approach that is really welcomed by me." adds Ric Fierabracci. The Second Sight of a Mind is available now from Unicorn Digital.
Miriodor - Avanti!:
Sometimes it's hard to write about an album simply because it's difficult to find new ways of saying 'amazing'. Miriodor's albums present that challenge. With a string of utterly fabulous releases already leading up to Avanti!, how does one find a new way to get across the fact that Miriodor are one of the very finest new music/rock ensembles in existence? Maybe by truthfully stating that Avanti! is most likely their best work yet! Miriodor’s seventh album contains seven songs which all last seven minutes or more, for a total of 60 minutes of dense and twisted music, à la Miriodor. At the core of this production are the usual partners in crime : Bernard Falaise (guitars, stringed instruments, etc.), Pascal Globensky (keyboards, synthesizer, piano), Rémi Leclerc (drums, percussion, sampler) and Nicolas Masino (bass, keyboards). On this album, we tried to develop our playing as a quartet, so about half the album has no outside guests, no sequences and just a few overdubs. On the other pieces we are joined by Pierre Labbé on tenor and barytone saxes, regular acolyte Marie-Chantal Leclair on soprano saxophone, and Maxime St-Pierre on trumpet. Their new album, Avanti! is available from Wayside Music and at all good record stores including HMV and Archambault.
Flood - Tales from the Four Seasons:
British instrumental prog band Flood's debut album, Tales From The Four Seasons began its life as a short piece entitled Summer written five years ago and became a four suites concept album. Although typically drawn to more heavy arrangements in terms of the use of synthesisers, bass pedals and electric guitars, the group felt it was important to keep the orchestration and choice of instruments the same as had been used on Summer. The original orchestration has been augmented by the use of piano, upright bass clarinet and drums. Each season is made up of individual movements linked together using short linking passages. The music was inspired by the sights and sounds of the English countryside. The album is available right now from Unicorn Digital.
March 28, 2009
Disturbed at the Bell Center
On Wednesday, May 27 2009, the american metal band Disturbed will be at the Bell Center, accompanied by All That Remains and Skindred. The band is touring across Canada and the US in support of their latest CD entitled Indestructible. The concert begins at 8:00 PM and tickets are $49.50, available through GEG.ca.
April 12, 2009
Musical Box in Gatineau,
Drummondville and Québec
After the resounding success of their performance at the Bell Center at the beginning of April, Genesis tribute band The Musical Box decided to add a few dates to their busy schedule, and will be presenting their sensational Trick Of The Tail show on Wednesday, May 13 2009 at the Maison de la Culture in Gatineau (855, boul. de la Gappe, Gatineau, 819 243-2525) 8:00 PM, tickets: $45 through GEG.ca and on Friday, May 22 2009 at the Centre Culturel de Drummondville (175, rue Ringuet, Drummondville, 819-477-5412) 8:00 PM, tickets: $45 through GEG.ca.
May 8, 2009
Lazarus Heart at La Place à Côté
Following the success of their show last April, Sting/Police tribute band Lazarus Heart will be back again at La Place à Côté (4571 Papineau Street, 514-522-4571) on Wednesday, May 20 2009. The band is composed of Sylvain Auclair on vocals, bass and fretless bass, Luc Catelier on drums, Guillaume Larouche on sax and Dimitri Lebel on guitar, they will play classics from the famous british trio as well as material from Sting's illustrious solo career. The show begins around 9:00 PM and admission is $10.
May 6, 2009
Virgil Donati drum clinic in Montreal
Courtesy of Steve's Music, Virgil Donati, the vigorous drummer of Planet X, will be in Montreal on Wednesday, May 20 2009 at the Hotel Intercontinental (360 Saint-Antoine West, Montreal) for a cool drum clinic. The event will be held from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM and tickets are $20, available exclusively at Steve's Music and at the venue on the day of the clinic.
April 25, 2009
New music
Cool new music from all around the world, here are some recent releases of interest:
O.S.I. - Blood:
Transcending barriers between a variety of genres, Blood is the compelling third release from the exceptional duo of Jim Matheos (Fate's Warning) and Kevin Moore (Chroma Key, ex- Dream Theater). Along with Moore and Matheos, Blood features Porcupine Tree drummer Gavin Harrison throughout, and a guest appearance by Opeth's Mikael Åkerfeldt on Stockholm. With Blood, O.S.I. have succeeded in creating a fascinating album at the cutting edge of rock, electronica and progressive metal. The album is available in regular 1-CD version and also a special 2-CD edition through the Burning Shed and at all good record stores including HMV and Archambault.
Saga - The Human Condition:
The first Saga album featuring new singer Rob Moratti, The Human Condition is quite different from the Sadler era albums, while still retaining the distinctive Saga sound. A sensational new CD that incorporates all the best elements of melodic rock, pop and progressive rock. The album is available in digipak format at all good record stores including HMV and Archambault.
Derek Sherinian - Molecular Heinosity:
There's no doubt, Derek Sherinian is one of the best and critically acclaimed keyboardists in prog metal. His musical talents were highly appreciated in the past by artists and bands like Alice Cooper, Ayreon and Dream Theater. And his reputation grew with his well known projects Planet X, Platypus and Jughead. Within all these activities he has also found the time to release selected solo albums over the years - which represent a unique mix of fusion, rock and metal. On Molecular Heinosity, Derek is accompanied by Virgil Donati (Planet X), Tony Franklin (Whitesnake), Brian Tichy (Foreigner) and Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne, Black Label Society) who's also featured on vocals in the track So Far Gone. The album is available from Derek Sherinian's web store as well as at all good record stores including HMV and Archambault.
Days Before Tomorrow - The Sky is Falling:
When New Jersey prog band Days Before Tomorrow think of progressive rock, they picture bands like Porcupine Tree, Dream Theater, and Marillion. But when you ask someone over 30 what prog rock means to them, you'll routinely hear them mention bands like Yes, Rush, Pink Floyd, Genesis and Kansas. Somewhere in the midst of all that debate is where you’ll find Days Before Tomorrow – a nod to the past with a sound for tomorrow. Check out their music on their MySpace page. Their new album, The Sky is Falling, features a beautiful 24-page booklet illustrated by artist Steven Bentley, and is available from CD Baby.
Dream Theater - Black Clouds & Silver Linings:
Progressive metal veterans Dream Theater have commenced work on their upcoming album Black Clouds & Silver Linings – their second for Roadrunner Records, following up 2007's Systematic Chaos – in October of last year, and the new CD will be ready for the beginning of summer. In addition to the standard version CD, the album will also be available on vinyl LP, as well as a 3-disc Special Edition CD that will include the full album, a CD of instrumental mixes of the album and a CD of six cover songs. Drummer Mike Portnoy and guitarist John Petrucci are once again at the helm as producers, while Paul Northfield mixed the record. The album will be available on June 23 from Road Runner Records as well as at all good record stores including HMV and Archambault.
March 31, 2009
Roger Hodgson in Montreal:
fourth show added at the Place Des Arts!
Well here's proof this guy is one of the most beloved icons of contemporary music... Roger Hodgson, ex-leader of Supertramp will be back in Montreal on Tuesday, May 5, Friday, May 8 and Saturday, May 9 2009 at the Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier of the Place Des Arts, and all three of these shows are now sold out! Thankfully, the organizers at Get It Promotions have added yet another show on Sunday, May 10 2009. Tickets for that new show are on sale right now through the PDA website, by phone and at the Place Des Arts boxoffice.
Roger will also be at the Scotia Bank Place in Ottawa on Friday, May 1st 2009, at the Théâtre Granada in Sherbrooke on Sunday, May 3 2009 and at the Grand Théâtre de Québec on Wednesday, May 6 2009. Tickets for all these shows are available through the DKD events website.
May 6, 2009
Djab in Trois Rivières!
An all-star lineup of Quebec's most talented musicians, Djab will be at the Bar le Balcon du Cap (75 Sainte-Madeleine, Trois-Rivières) on Saturday, May 9 2009 at 9:30 PM.
The energetic cover/jam band is composed of Sabrina Paton on vocals, David Chartrand on guitars, Dominique Blouin on bass, Sebastien Cloutier on keyboards and Thomas Brodeur on drums. They will be interpreting classic tracks from The Police, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Deep Purple and much much more!
March 21, 2009
Néodyme at the Hémisphère Gauche!
Prog band Néodyme will be at the Hémisphère Gauche (221 Beaubien Street East, Montreal) on Saturday, May 9 2009, accompanied by the guitar duo On A Mission.
The group, originating from Ste-Julie, is composed of Daniel Giguère on drums, Maryse Pepin on piano and keyboards, Alexandre "Ron" Champagne on guitar and Mathieu Boucher on bass. Their instrumental spacey metal style is inspired by groups like Frank Zappa, King Diamond, Dream Theater, Pain Of Salvation, Genesis, Rush, Chick Corea and Ayreon. Visit their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/neodymemusique to listen to some of their music, their latest album is available through CD Baby. The concert begins at 9:00 PM and admission is only $5.
April 23, 2009
Proggy tidbits!
Here are some of the latest headlines in the wonderful world of progressive music:
Hamadryad grows back to a quintet.
It has been a while since we heard about Hamadryad, but they have been very busy recently. Due to family obligations, drummer Yves Jalbert had to part with the band but will still collaborate occasionally with them, time permitting. The new drummer is Nicolas Turcotte, an old acquaintance of keyboardist Sébastien Cloutier. The groupe also features a new member, Jean-Philippe Major, best known for his sensational vocal performances with the Dream Theater tribute band Crimson Sunset. Add to that all the recent improvements to the Hamadryad studios and they have all the parts in place to continue working on their next studio recording. More news on that very soon!
Tony MacAlpine rejoins Planet X!
Tony and Planet X will return to the studio later this year! The incredibly talented guitarist/keyboardist contributed on the Planet X albums Universe (2000), Live From OZ and Moonbabies (2002) as well as touring with the band during that period. looking forward to hear the new material with the reunited bandmembers.
Transatlantic reunited again!
Transatlantic, the progressive rock "supergroup" comprised of Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater), Pete Trewavas (Marillion), Roine Stolt (The Flower Kings) and Neal Morse (ex-Spock's Beard), have reunited after a 7 year hiatus to begin work on a brand new studio album.
The band began work on the album in early April in Nashville and are expected to have it released by year's end if all goes as planned. No word about a potential tour in late 2009 / early 2010 yet.
Transatlantic have previously released two studio albums to tremendous critical and fan acclaim: 2000's SMPTe and 2001's Bridge Across Forever. The band toured on the heels of each release with an American Tour in 2000 and a European Tour in 2001 and released subsequent Live DVD's/CD's from both tours before going their separate ways for an indefinite hiatus which lasted almost the entire decade.
Karcius: Dominique Blouin leaves the band.
It is with much sadness that Dominique Blouin, the bassist and spokesperson of Karcius, announced his departure from the band. The remaining bandmembers are currently looking for a new bassist, and perhaps a singer or a combination bassist/singer in order to pursue work on their 4th studio album and eventually, rehearsing for some summer dates.
Wishmaster reunites!
Montreal's Nightwish tribute band, Wishmaster, rides again! The quintet just announced that they will participate at the prestigious Woodstock En Beauce music festival this summer (July 1-5 2009), featuring The Offspring among others.
Asia with Yes!
The rumors are finally confirmed. Yes will be back on tour with none other than Asia's original lineup, a double bill of monumental proportions! The complete US tour schedule has been announced on YesWorld but sadly, no Montreal date is planned. Asia's lineup includes Steve Howe, Carl Palmer, John Wetton and Geoff Downes, and Yes' lineup will be composed of Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Alan White, Oliver Wakeman and Benoit David!
April 29, 2009
Heading south for RoSFest
By Robert Dansereau
Look forward to a full review in the next few days of RoSFest 2009 as I will be heading to Glenside, PA for the annual festival, held this year on May 1st, 2 and 3, and featuring Frost*, Nektar, Barclay James Harvest, Lazuli, The Syn, Iluvatar, Mangala Vallis, Moonsafari and many more!
February 7, 2009
Terra Incognita V
Terra Incognita magazine and Musique du Faubourg present the 5th edition of the Terra Incognita convention, on Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3 2009 at the Centre D'arts La Chapelle (620 Plante Avenue, Quebec City). 5 great bands are featured this time around, inluding The Watch from Italy, Pineapple Thief from England, american composer Matthew Parmenter, Montreal's Jelly Fiche and Quebec City's Signs Of One. The Watch will perform on both days, presenting their own compositions on Saturday, and a special reconstitution of Genesis' 1972 Nursery Cryme show on Sunday. Doors open at 4:00 PM.
Here is the detailed schedule:
Saturday, May 2
5:00 Jelly Fiche
7:30 The Watch
9:30 Pineapple Thief
Sunday, May 3
5:00 Signs of One
7:30 Matthew Parmenter
9:00 The Watch (Nursery Cryme show)
Tickets are $68, available at Musique du Faubourg (418-529-4848), Le Colimaçon (819-374-3686) le Centre d'Arts La Chapelle (418-686-5032) and through Billetech.
April 8, 2009
Sound Piñata at La Place à Côté!
Montreal proggers Sound Piñata will be at La Place à Côté (4571 Papineau Street, 514-522-4571) on Saturday, May 2 2009, accompanied by instrumental trio Silent Wave. Visit Sound Piñata's MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/soundpinata for great audio and video excerpts.
The show begins around 9:00 PM and admission is $10.
February 1st, 2009
Arapacis at Katacombes!
Montreal prog metal band AraPacis will be at the Katacombes pub (1222 St-Laurent, Montreal) on Saturday, May 2 2009, accompanied by Faith of a Martyr and Mad June. They willalso be at the Bar St-Laurent (5550 St-Laurent, Montreal) on Saturday, September 5 2009, accompanied by two bands yet to be announced.
Formed in 2003, AraPacis is spearheaded by guitarist Jerry Fielden. Their style is an intense blend of 70's hard rock, progressive and contemporary gothic prog metal. The concert begins at 7:30 PM.
January 11, 2009
Tarja at the Medley!
Tarja Turunen, ex-singer of Nightwish, will be at the Medley (1170, St-Denis Street, Montreal - 514-842-6557) on Friday, May 1st 2009. In addition to the material from her latest solo album My Winter Storm, Tarja will of course play a few tracks from her old band, much to the pleasure of her fans! The show will begin at 8:00 PM and tickets are $29.50/$34.50 + taxes, available through Ticketpro.ca and at the Medley boxoffice.
February 7, 2009
Opeth at the Medley
One of the world's most renowned prog metal bands, Sweden's Opeth will be at the Medley (1170 St-Denis, Montreal) on Sunday, May 3 2009, accompanied by Norway's Enslaved. Spearheaded by vocalist/bassist Mikael Åkerfeldt, the group returns to America for a third time since the release of their critically acclaimed album Watershed. The show begins at 8:00 and tickets are $35.43 / $40.74, available through Ticketpro or at the Medley's boxoffice.
April 12, 2009
New music
Cool new music from all around the world, here are some recent releases of interest:
Vecteur K - La Peur Du Désert:
Montreal francophone proggers Vecteur K's first full length CD, La Peur du Désert, will be released on Tuesday, May 5 2009, and for the occasion, the band will perform the entire album at the Petit Café Campus where you'll be able to pick-up the new CD. The album will be available through Unicorn Digital and at all good record stores!
Stream of Passion - The Flame Within:
Originally the brainchild of Arjen Lucassen's (Ayreon, Star One...), Stream of Passion is now ready to release their second studio album. The Flame Within leaves its predecessor in the dust thanks to maturer songwriting that presents a further developed band able to give gothic metal a newfound profundity. Carried by Marcela Bovios' fantastic vocal lines, Stream of Passion delivers the entire spectrum of human emotions-at times dreamy and melancholic, at others uninhibited and forward pressing. In this way, heavy riffs merge with romantic undertones in majestic unity. The album will be available from Ryko records on June 2, 2009.
05Ric - Circles:
Circles, is PTree's Gavin Harrison's highly anticipated new album with bassist 05Ric. You can order it as a CD or digital download (FLAC / mp3) from Burning Shed. This is their second collaboration - picking up from where Drop left off. 10 new songs featuring Ric's amazing extended range bass and haunting vocals - along with Gavin's mind bending rhythmic designs and unique expression on the drums.
Kotebel - Ouroboros:
Spanish progressive rock band Kotebel's long awaited new album Ouroboros is finally available. Visit Kotebel's MySpace page where you'll fine many fine audio excerpts. The album will be available through Kotebel's website and Musea records.
Minimum Vital - Capitaines:
Minimum Vital's first studio album in 4 years, the Payssan brothers are back with a melodious and mesmerizing CD. Capitaines is now available through Musea records.
March 28, 2009
Lazarus Heart at La Place à Côté
Sting/Police tribute band Lazarus Heart will be at La Place à Côté (4571 Papineau Street, 514-522-4571) on Wednesday, April 15 2009. The band is composed of Sylvain Auclair on vocals, bass and fretless bass, Luc Catelier on drums, Guillaume Larouche on sax and Dimitri Lebel on guitar, they will play classics from the famous british trio as well as material from Sting's illustrious solo career. The show begins around 9:00 PM and admission is $10.
March 28, 2009
Proggy tidbits!
Here are some of the latest headlines in the wonderful world of progressive music:
Exciting prog news, this information comes from Carl Palmer's website at http://www.carlpalmer.com/ and it goes like this: "In addition to select dates with the Carl Palmer Band, Palmer will return to his drum kit, propelling the powerful sound of the original ASIA. There is also talk of an Emerson, Lake and Palmer reunion tour in the fall."
Gentle Giant has always been a favorite of diehard proggers, and 29 years after they disbanded and swore never to get back together, GG tribute band Rentle Giant becomes one step closer to a reunion! After all the interest and encouraging comments from those attending the Rentle Giant gigs, there has been further developments ... Gary Green, Malcolm Mortimore and the boys have been joined by Kerry Minnear, with the addition of singer Mike Wilson. Rentle Giant has now become Three Friends, a name chosen so as to not offend the legacy of Gentle Giant but hopefully to add to it by playing faithful interpretations of Gentle Giant's music. They also hope that new music will be created as a result of this group. The first gig of the formation as Three Friends is 16th April 2009 at The Ropetackle Arts Centre, Shoreham on Sea, England... with more to follow!
10 years after the release of Mystery's Destiny?, and the beginning of the Unicorn Digital record label, Michel St-Père is proud to announce the release of the newly remastered 10th anniversary edition of Destiny?, with a great new sound and a previously unreleased bonus track! The album will be released on April 1st, and the new Mystery album is nearing completion, with only vocals and drum tracks to be finished, and then it's off to the mastering studios. The album will be released early this summer.
What a month of May coming up this year! With no less than 22 events listed in our quick schedule, there's certainly a flurry of shows for every taste that will certainly keep you busy and entertained!
Just announced this week, the upcoming release of the Liquid Tension Experiment Live 2008 - Limited Edition Boxset! The LTE Box Set is the ultimate souvenir of Liquid Tension Experiment's 10th Anniversary Reunion Tour. Included in this deluxe package are both the New York and Los Angeles shows in their entirety (on both CD and DVD), as well as the Liquid Trio Experiment 2 CD and two items that are exclusive to this set and will not be available separately: Live In LA on Blu Ray disc and a bonus CD of all of the improv jams from the other LTE 2008 shows. It is a very limited edition and it will go fast, so don't miss ou on this one! Preorder info can be found here, it has been scheduled to be available on June 1st. It includes:
LTE Live In NYC (2 CD)
LTE Live In NYC (1 DVD)
LTE Live In LA (2 CD)
LTE Live In LA (1 DVD)
LTE Live In LA (1 Blu-ray) Available only in the boxset
LTE Bonus Disc (1 CD) Available only in the boxset
Liquid Trio Experiment 2 - When the Keyboard Breaks: Live In Chicago (1 CD)
24 Page Booklet
Porcupine Tree have announced their tour dates last Thursday, and they will be coming on September 27 2009 in our fair city accompanied by none other than King's X! That's one amazing double-bill!
Speaking of PTree, Colin Edwin, the bassist of the band, just released a new solo album entitled Third Vessel. Visit Colin's MySpace page for some audio excerpts from his solo debut album. The album is available at all good record stores and through The Burning Shed.
German trash metal band Kreator will be at the Medley (1170 St-Denis, Montreal) on Saturday, April 11, 2009 along with guests Exodus, Belphegor, Warbringer and Epicurean. Tickets are $34.50, available through Ticketpro. They will also be at the Impérial de Québec (252 St-Joseph East, Quebec City) on Monday, April 13 2009 accompanied by the same bands. Tickets are $39.50, available through Billetech.
Metal festival PaganFest II will be at the the Medley (1170 St-Denis, Montreal) on Wednesday, April 29 2009, featuring Korpiklaani, Eluveitie, Primordial, Moonsorrow, Blackguard and Swashbuckle. Tickets are $34.50, available through Ticketpro. The fest will also be at the Impérial de Québec (252 St-Joseph East, Quebec City) on Thursday, April 30 2009. Tickets are $39.50, available through Billetech.
April 3, 2009
Marillion Weekend 2009 this weekend in Montreal!
The 2009 edition of the Marillion Weekend will be held on April 3, 4 and 5, 2009 in Montreal! The celebrated convention is organized of course by the band members and team of Marillion. The event will be held this weekend right here in Montreal, at the Olympia Theater (1004 Ste-Catherine East).
Tickets are now on sale through Admission or at the Olympia boxoffice and are $169 + taxes.
Here are the latest news from the Marillion site: "The Marillion Weekend 2009 - Canada will take place over 3 nights at the same concert venue in Montréal. The concerts will feature a different show every night and will be based around (if not the same as) the concerts that are taking place at the Marillion Weekend 2009 - Netherlands.
The Canadian convention, however, will be different in that there are no outside activities planned and we will not be providing any accommodation for attendees. However, we also hope to get some great support bands along so it WILL be 3 solid nights of great musical entertainment!
As with all our Marillion Weekends anywhere in the world, you will not be able to purchase individual day tickets for this event."
More information on the www.marillionweekend.com website!
March 28, 2009
Mystery opening for
The Musical Box at the Bell Center!
Montreal's renowned Genesis tribute band The Musical Box will come back home at the Bell Center this Friday, April 3, 2009 to present their brand new Trick of The Tail show, and Montreal's own Mystery, featuring Benoît David from Yes, will start the evening! Tickets for the show cost $44.50/$54.50, available through Admission and at the Bell Center boxoffice. The Musical Box is composed of David Myers, Gregg Bendian, François Gagnon, Sébastien Lamothe, Marc Laflamme and Denis Gagné, and the band is currently touring the United States.
March 13, 2009
New music
Cool new music from all around the world, here are some recent releases of interest:
Nathan Mahl - Exodus:
Nathan Mahl's first studio album in over 5 years, band composer and keyboardist Guy LeBlanc created this epic rock opera inspired by events depicted in the second book of the Old Testament (and Torah), Exodus focuses on the emotional and physical struggles of those who wish to escape the bonds of slavery. Available at all good record stores and through Unicorn Digital.
Wobbler - Afterglow:
Finally, the long promised second album from this stellar Norwegian symphonic band is now with us. If you like Mellotrons, Hammond organds, flutes, retro sounding guitars....look no further. Essential listening for the any symphonic rock fan. Available from The Laser's Edge.
Yvan Ouellet - Le Chant des Choses:
Toubabou and VEBB alumni Yvan Ouellet released in 1979 this most sought-after recording, featuring renowned artists like Christiane Robichaud, Raoûl Duguay and Marie-Claire Séguin. Finally available on CD at all good record stores and through ProgQuebec.
Lumberjack - Graffiti's Rethoric:
Born from the ashes of renowned Montreal band Groovy Aardvark, this new "world Metal" album features a brilliant mix of prog, rock and metal. Available on iTunes and through the band's website.
Steven Wilson - Insurgentes
The first full-length solo album by Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson. The album contains the most experimental song-based music he has ever made. Available at all good record stores and through The Burning Shed.
March 28, 2009
Dance Into The Light, a Tribute To Phil Collins starring Martin Levac!
Another project from the busiest guy in Montreal's prog community, Martin Levac, ex-drummer of The Musical Box presents "Dance Into The Light", a Tribute To Phil Collins, at the Théâtre Outremont (1248 Bernard West, Montreal) tonight, Saturday, March 28, 2009. Tickets are $50.25, available at the Outremont boxoffice. The show begins at 8:00 PM. Ronnie Caryl, the celebrated studio and tour guitarist of Phil Collins, who also worked with Eric Clapton, Peter Banks, Flaming Youth will present the opening show.
The excellent musicians from Martin's Genesis tribute "Dance On A Volcano" will be augmented by a brass section as Martin Levac re-creates the magic of Phil Collins' solo career. All the great hits, including In The Air Tonight, Against All Odds, Sussudio, One More Night, Another Day In Paradise and Dance Into The Light will be featured, and many more!
Martin will also be in Quebec at the Cabaret du Capitole de Québec on Friday April 10 and Saturday, April 11, 2009. Tickets are $50.25, available right now through www.billetech.com and at the Capitole boxoffice. The show begins at 8:00 PM.
March 27, 2009
Ronnie Caryl with Martin Levac at la Place à Côté!
Ronnie Caryl, the celebrated studio and tour guitarist of Phil Collins, who also worked with Eric Clapton, Peter Banks, Flaming Youth and many others will be at Place à Côté (4571 Papineau Street, 514-522-4571) accompanied by Martin Levac and friends this Friday, March 27, 2009 for a great evening of prog rock, blues and folk classics, as well as original material from Ronnie Caryl's solo albums. Visit Ronnie's MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/officialronniecaryl for a great preview of his music.
The concert begins at 9:00 PM and tickets are $15 at the door.
January 11, 2009
Tyr at the Club Soda!
Prog metal/viking band Tyr will be at the Club Soda (1225 St-Laurent Blvd, Montreal - 514-286-1010) on Tuesday, March 24 2009, accompanied by scottish band Alestorm and german band Suidakra. An evening not to be missed as these three band will blow the roof of the Club Soda! The show will begin at 7:00 PM and tickets are $20 + taxes, available through Ticketpro.ca and at the Club soda boxoffice.
December 9, 2008
Fleetwood Mac at the Bell Center!
Legendary rock band Fleetwood Mac will be back on the road after a 5-year hiatus. This new tour, entitled "Unleashed" wil start off next year in Pittsburgh. Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood will step on the stage of the Bell Center on Wednesday, March 25, 2009!
Two other canadian towns will be included in their tour, Ottawa (March 24) and Toronto (March 26). Tickets for that show will be available soon. Stay tuned right here for the latest info on that long-awaited tour.
A greatest hits compilation entitled Unleashed will be release to coincide with this tour. Reprise Records will also re-release the classic Rumours in CD/DVD format, perhaps a 5.1 mix will be finally available of this legendary album.
Tickets are $49.50 / $79.50 / $149.50 (+ taxes), available through Admission and at the Bell Center boxoffice. A Gillett Entertainment Group presentation.
March 20, 2009
Close To The Edge in L'Assomption!
One of the most amazing Yes tribute bands, Montreal's own Close to the Edge, featuring the actual current lead singer of the real Yes, Benoît David, will be at the Hector Charland theater (225 boulevard L'Ange-Gardien, L'Assomption) this Saturday, March 21, 2009, along with opening act David Myers plays Genesis. The concert was originally scheduled on February 27: tickets already sold will be honored. The show will begin at 8:00 PM and tickets are $26, available at the Hector Charland theater boxoffice and through Admission.
March 4, 2009
The Strawbs back in Montreal this Friday!
The FMPM team is very proud to welcome back the Strawbs in Montreal for a special concert this Friday, March 6 2009 at the Café Campus (57 Prince Arthur East, 514-844-1010).
The Strawbs electric line-up is composed of original members DAVE COUSINS on guitar, dulcimer, banjo, vocals, CHAS CRONK on bass, vocals, guitar, DAVE LAMBERT on guitar, vocal, ROD COOMBES on drums, and special guest OLIVER WAKEMAN on keyboards. Oliver is the current keyboardist of the group Yes and son of the legendary RICK WAKEMAN. Celebrating their 40th anniversary and possibly their last time in North America, this will be a magical evening not to be missed, featuring Strawbs classics like Autumn, Lay Down, Hero & Heroine and much more! Also, the group plans to play material that was not performed during their unforgettable performance at FMPM in 2007.
Doors open at 7:00 PM and the show will begin at 8:00. Advance tickets are $43.85 (+ taxes) available right now through www.progquebec.com, and through www.admission.com and the Café Campus box office. Entry is general admission and there is a limited number of tickets available.
February 20, 2009
Myxomatosis & Sinister Trailerpark Magic at Club Lambi
Don't miss the fantastic 4-band extravaganza at Club Lambi (4465 St-Laurent, Montreal, corner Mont-Royal) on Friday, February 27 2009, featuring Sinister Trailerpark Magic, Myxomatosis, Lepire and Sound Asleep. A rocking evening beginning at 9:00 PM and admission is only $7!
February 7, 2009
Les Païens at Le Divan Orange
New Brunswick proggers Païens will be at Le Divan Orange (4234 Saint-Laurent, Montreal) on Sunday, February 22 2009 accompanied by Joseph Edgar. Hailing from Moncton, NB, the group plays an eclectic mix of prog rock, jazz, funk and classic rock, influenced by Mahavishnu Orchestra, Érik Truffaz and Tortoise among others. The show begins at 9:30.
December 21, 2008
Bob's 2008' top ten list
Oh what an exciting year! I feel that 2008 was a very good year, there hasn't been so much good new progressive music in a long time. Great prog rock abums from new artists and old standards alike, it was quite hard for me to come with a top ten list since so many artists were equally good... so here goes, in no particular order:
D.F.A. - 4th
Splendid! monumental! My top album of the year, prog fusion at its best.
Thieves' Kitchen - The Water Road
Elegant symphonic prog with hints of Anglagard, Spock's Beard and King Crimson.
Unitopia - The Garden
Wonderful new album with appealing melodies and beautiful arrangements.
Mahogany Frog - DO5
A magnificent album from these talented young multi-instrumentalists. It plays non stop on my iPod!
Jellyfiche - Tout Ce Que J'Ai Rêvé
An outstanding first album from this Montreal band, Mesmerizing floydian folk rock!
Magenta - Metamorphosis
A matured, graceful output from the band. Exquisite melodies and beautiful vocal work from Christina.
Martin Orford - The Old Road
Martin's wonderfully inspired and charming solo album. Hopefully not his last.
Karcius - Épisodes
A sensational follow-up to their album Kaleidoscope. More varied, more elegant, it rocks!
Ayreon - 01011001
Symphonic space metal at its best.
David Gilmour - Live in Gdansk
Gilmour lives up to his name. A beautiful, spine-tingling recording!
and very honorable mentions go to the following:
Spiraling - Time Travel Made Easy
Such a dynamic, joyous album from Tom Brislin (ex-Yes & Camel). Totally contagious and captivating.
The Tangent - Not as Good as the Book
Andy Tillson strikes again. He never misses!!!
RPWL - The RPWL Experience
Catchy prog with exceptional keyboards, vocals and guitars. Ethereal, intense and dynamic.
Asia - Phoenix
These guys can still write really good stuff, for real!
Nick D'Virgilio - Rewiring Genesis - A Tribute To TLLDOB
Surprisingly captivating, with really wild interpretation of the old classics.
Opeth - Watershed
Intense, varied, refreshing, one of Opeth's richest albums soundwise.
Edensong - The Fruit Fallen
Stunning new music from this NY-based band. Mesmerizing and elegant.
It Bites - The Tall Ships
Exceptional guitar work, clever arrangements, great, catchy melodies, brilliant!
Obviously, I haven't had the pleasure to listen to all the great prog albums released this year so there might be some glaring omissions on this list, but it's a good review of the albums that truly caught my attention this year.
January 11, 2009
Meshuggah at the Club Soda!
Legendary swedish experimental metal band Meshuggah will be at the Club Soda (1225 St-Laurent Blvd, Montreal - 514-286-1010) on Wednesday, February 18 2009, accompanied by Cynic and The Faceless. An energetic evening to warm our hearts on those cold February days! The show will begin at 8:00 PM and tickets are $27.50/$30.00 + taxes, available through Ticketpro.ca and at the Club soda boxoffice.
January 31, 2009
Proggy tidbits!
Here are some of the latest headlines in the wonderful world of progressive music:
On Friday February 6 2009, don't miss Alcoholica's Tribute to Metallica at the Medley (1170 St-Denis, Montreal): http://www.medley.ca/.
I recently discovered an artist from Austin, Texas... John Orr Franklin is a very talented multi-instrumentalist, whose guitar work is influenced by David Gilmour, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Allan Holdsworth among others. He describes his music in his own words as southern progressive rock, if Tom Petty sang for Pink Floyd and neo-progressive rock with a touch of American roots. Check out his music on his MySpace page at www.myspace.com/johnorrfranklin
Montreal band Malajube will be in Montreal at La Tulipe (4530 Papineau) on Tuesday, February 17 and Wednesday, February 18, 2009, the show begins at 8:30 and tickets are $15 at the door! They will also be at Théâtre Petit Champlain (68, rue du Petit Champlain, Quebec City) on Friday, February 20 and Saturday, February 21 2009. The show begins at 8:30 and tickets are $20, available through Billetech.
Pröjekt F will be at Le Temps Partiel (698 Rue D' Aiguillon, Quebec City) along with Godtarget on Saturday, February 28, 2009.
TarkusLive, a great Emerson, Lake and Palmer tribute band from the Quebec City region, will present a show at the Salle Jean-Paul Tardif of the Collège Saint-Charles Garnier (950 Joffre Avenue - corner René-Lévesque, in Quebec City) on Saturday, March 7, 2009. Playing classics from the first 5 ELP albums, the group uses authentic era instruments like the gigantic modular moog and the Hammond C3. Tickets are $21, available through Billetech or at the Salle Jean-Paul Tardif boxoffice.
German heavy metal band Destruction will be at the Impérial de Québec (252 St-Joseph East, Quebec City) on Monday, March 9 2009. The show begins at 7:30 and tickets are $34, available through Billetech.
Popular Montreal 80's band The Box, spearheaded by Jean-Marc Pisapia, will be at the Resto-Bar Le Clac (1750 rue Périgord, Charlesbourg) on Monday, March 23 2009. The "souper-spectacle" begins at 6:00 and tickets are $35. Tickets for the general admission show at 8:30 are $10 available through Billetech.
German trash metal band Kreator will be at the Medley (1170 St-Denis, Montreal) on Saturday, April 11, 2009 along with guests Exodus, Belphegor, Warbringer and Epicurean. Tickets are $34.50, available through Ticketpro. They will also be at the Impérial de Québec (252 St-Joseph East, Quebec City) on Monday, April 13 2009 accompanied by the same bands. Tickets are $39.50, available through Billetech.
American death metal band Cannibal Corpse will be at the Impérial de Québec (252 St-Joseph East, Quebec City) on Thursday, April 23 2009 accompanied by The Faceless, Neuraxis and Obscura. Tickets are $34, available through Billetech.
Metal festival PaganFest II will be at the the Medley (1170 St-Denis, Montreal) on Wednesday, April 29 2009, featuring Korpiklaani, Eluveitie, Primordial, Moonsorrow, Blackguard and Swashbuckle. Tickets are $34.50, available through Ticketpro. The fest will also be at the Impérial de Québec (252 St-Joseph East, Quebec City) on Thursday, April 30 2009. Tickets are $39.50, available through Billetech.
Ozric Tentacles are about to release their latest album, entitled Yumyum Tree, featuring 8 new tracks of progressive psychedelic rock! The band, who recently celebrated their 25th anniversary, will be on tour throughout 2009 to promote this new CD.
Decidedly one of the busiest musicians in the world of prog, Roine Stolt of Flower Kings fame is about to release a new project called Agents of Mercy. Their album entitled The Fading Ghosts Of Twilight, will be released on March 1st 2009 and will feature many great musicians including Nad Sylvan (Unifaun), Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson), Zoltan Csörsz (TFK, Karmakanic) and Jimmy Keegan (Santana, Spock's Beard), along with Biggo Zelfries on keyboards and Jonas Reingold on bass. The album will be abailable through the Flower Kings website and in America through Brian Dorbuck.
After the departure of Andy Edwards from IQ and Frost*, some wondered if the much anticipated Frost* performance at RoSfest would be jeopardized... not to worry, Nick D'Virgilio (Spock's Beard, Tears For Fears) will take over drum duties for the Saturday May 2 2009 concert in Glenside, PA!
Acclaimed for his work with Porcupine Tree, Opeth and Blackfield amongst others, Steven Wilson’s debut album Insurgentes will be released on Kscope on March 9 2009 (February 24 in America). Comprising 10 new tracks that range from ballads and anthems to all-out industrial noise assaults, the dark, cinematic and richly textured album represents two years’ worth of creative output and numerous recording sessions worldwide in studios from Mexico City to Japan and Israel. Wilson recruited a stellar cast of guests to work on the album including bassist Tony Levin, drummer Gavin Harrison, and keyboardist Jordan Rudess, alongside Japanese Koto player Michiyo Yagi, British guitarist Sand Snowman, and jazz flautist and saxophonist Theo Travis. Check out Steven's new site at www.insurgentes.org.
December 21, 2008
Sharcüt album launch at Le Lion d'Or
Montreal prog fusion band Sharcüt will launch their first self-titled album on Tuesday, January 27, 2009 at Le Lion d'Or (1676 Ontario Street East, Montreal).
The trio is composed of Daniel Baillargeon on guitars, François Lessard on bass and Daniel Bédard on drums. their music influenced by artists as varied as Miles Davis, John Zorn, Primus, Frank Zappa, Tortoise and The Beatles! Check-out their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/sharcut for a few great audio tracks. The show begins at 8:00 PM and admission is free!
January 24, 2009
Proggy tidbits!
Here are some of the latest headlines in the wonderful world of progressive music:
Epica has a new guitarist: Isaac Delahaye! Check the official announcement on: http://www.epica.nl/
On a sad note, the revered Astoria concert hall in London, England has closed its doors forever on January 15 and is scheduled for demolition soon. This is a reminder of our own famed Spectrum who closed down in 2008 and sits idle and in disrepair before the bulldozers move in.
On Friday February 6 2009, don't miss Alcoholica's Tribute to Metallica at the Medley (1170 St-Denis, Montreal): http://www.medley.ca/.
Pröjekt F will be at Le Temps Partiel (698 Rue D' Aiguillon, Quebec City) along with Godtarget on Saturday, February 28, 2009.
After nearly 5 years, Daniel Gildenlöw and Pain Of Salvation will finally be back in America for a tour. This announcement coincides with the new administration at the White house...
After being put on hold, the RIO Fest 2009 in France is back on! Roger Trigaux will present RIO 2009 on September 18, 19 and 20 2009. The program is the same as the one planned this April and will feature Magma, Present and Univers Zéro among others, except for Sleepytime Gorilla Museum (Carla will have a baby in august). Their website hasn't been updated yet but the date is officially confirmed.
NEARFest 2009 (June 19, 20 and 21 2009) has a gigantic lineup this year including PFM, Gong and Beardfish among others, and just confirmed this week, Van Der Graaf Generator!
Circa: featuring Tony Kaye and Billy Sherwood, has a new album entitled HQ, available via their website.
Please note that www.progmontreal.com will be offline for a few hours on Saturday, January 31 for some server maintenance. We will be moving the site to a better, faster and more efficient machine for improved performance!
January 12, 2009
Capharnaüm at Club Soda!
Get set for a great evening of music as Quebec band and FMPM alumni Capharnaüm will be at the Club Soda (1225 St-Laurent Blvd, Montreal - 514-286-1010) on Tuesday, January 20 2008, accompanied by The IN & OUTS and Eric Speed as part of the Sex, Drugs and Showbiz showcase organized by L'école du Show-Business. The show will begin at 8:00 PM and tickets are $15/$17 + taxes, available through Ticketpro.ca and at the Club soda boxoffice.
December 20, 2008
Half Past Four at the Montreal Art Club Chez-Eux!
Toronto prog rockers Half Past Four will be at the Chez Eux Art Club (2090 Moreau, suite 204, Montreal, Préfontaine metro) on Saturday, December 20, 2008.
Inspired by anything from King Crimson to Return To Forever, ELP and Frank Zappa, the quintet offers a brilliant mix of progressive rock, fusion, folk, blues and metal! Visit their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/halfpast4 for a few delicious audio excerpts. The show begins at 8:00 PM.
| PROGMONTRÉAL ARCHIVES » NEWS : 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 » CONCERT REVIEWS : 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 PROGMONTRÉAL VERSION FRANÇAISE This website is hosted by dbn.ca |
PROGMONTRÉAL MOBILE VERSION » THE LATEST NEWS » QUICK SCHEDULE » CD & DVD REVIEWS » CONCERT REVIEWS » CONCERT PHOTOS » INTERVIEWS » CONTESTS » MERCHANDISE » TOP TEN LISTS » MEMORABILIA » USEFUL LINKS |
DOWNLOADS » FMPM POSTERS (in pdf format - 11"x17") : 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 TO CONTACT US : bob@progmontreal.com PARTNER WEBSITES : » fmpm.net » dbn.ca » unicorndigital.com » progquebec.com |
©2005-2013 ProgMontréal - Robert Dansereau - Tous Droits Réservés - All Rights Reserved