One of the most important lessons I’ve learned from running the Proglodytes blog and podcast is the power of getting together with likeminded individuals to celebrate one’s interests. I didn’t really anticipate that I’d be going to events like ProgStock or Progtoberfest or Cruise to the Edge initially, but they remain some of my favorite memories from the last few years. This was partially the reason why I made the Exhaustive Progressive Music Festival list every year since 2017– I’ve had some amazing memories at these festivals, and I don’t feel like enough people know about them. And if there’s one that stands out as the *most* special, it’d definitely be ProgStock. From hearing about ProgStock from Tom Palmieri in 2017 and attending its inaugural year, it’s been a reliably incredible musical experience every year I’ve gone, and Ann Rinaldi and Tom Palmieri have been incredibly hospitable to Proglodytes and friends as well.
I’ve learned that the heartbeat of niche music communities can be found in progressive music festivals, and I think all prog rock fans should try and go to one. ProgStock is coming up in a week, I’ve tried to make a list of reasons why I think all prog fans should attend ProgStock (as well as any and all prog music festivals they can). As always, there are likely more reasons, but these are the ones that come to mind.
The Lineup
At festivals, you’re able to see bands you wouldn’t have heard about, or wouldn’t have been able to see live. All of the acts we saw poured their hearts and souls into their music, and all were asked to participate for a reason- curated lovingly by the festival organizers. You may not love every single band you hear. But, as fans of progressive music, an open mind and heart are required at every concert. If you carry those to each of these concerts, you may find your new favorite band. I absolutely love when a band wraps up and fans clamor to the merch table to buy as many albums as they can- the thrill of the momentum post-show to catch up on what you’ve been missing is real. Several of these bands and acts I love and know quite well (like Advent Horizon, Lifesigns, Kyros, Tu-Ner and Saga) and others I don’t know as well, but am very excited to hear.
Unique Acts
You also sometimes see things you wouldn’t have been able to see anywhere else. When you have that much talent all in one place, and they’re talking and exchanging info and collaborating backstage, you’re bound to have some magic happen. At ProgStock, I’ve seen some absolutely magical collaborations between artists, some of which have inspired future collaborations. Some were pre-planned and some were improvised. One really memorable performance that stuck out in my mind was in 2021, when Rachel Flowers, Joe Deninzon, and Alex Skolnick performed a tribute to Chick Corea with a thrilling rendition of “Spain”. Also, if someone performed as a guest on an album, and might not be able to perform with the band on their regular tours, festivals are often places where those kinds of guest appearances are welcome. I anticipate some really amazing guest appearances this weekend. With so many amazing musicians attending as guests ( Mike Keneally, Jimmy Keegan, many more), it’s bound to happen.
You’ll Feel Significantly Less Weird
I grew up in a small Kentucky town where most people mostly listened to country or folk music. My parents taught me about progressive rock, and I fell in love from an early age. However, it was hard to find anyone who wasn’t a family member within a 100 mile radius who knew anything about the bands we loved. Furthermore, I’d show bands or artists to my friends, and they just wouldn’t *get* it (hat’s a bit more generous than what they sometimes said). Because it felt special and rare and my own, progressive rock has always been special to me. So to be at a festival where all of us shared such love for progressive music is something very special. It would have been incredibly affirming and validating as a proggy teen nerd to attend a concert where being unusual and creative is celebrated. It is very validating to know that other people love the music as much as you do. People recognize your vintage Gentle Giant shirt, or your tour shirt from Union, or whatever other obscure thing that people might miss in your daily life. Your love for prog unites you.
Friends from All Over
You make awesome friends. Some of them are fellow concert watchers. Some of them are musicians. Some host radio shows. Some run websites. Of the concert watchers, you find passionate, engaged people who love music. Among the artists and hobbyists, you find people who are drawn to this genre for a variety of reasons, whether it’s a lifelong love of prog or a relatively new discovery. You’ll instantly have something to talk about with nearly everyone you meet. Many of us who meet at these festivals communicate online on blogs, Facebook posts, and other means, and so it can be really fun to meet people you’ve seen posting in threads here and there. I’ve really enjoyed the community aspect of ProgStock, and have made some pretty wonderful friends.
Community
Work and family duties have not allowed me to attend ProgStock for the last few years. But, I’ve had some experiences lately where I’ve been reminded that, as a website owner for progressive music, I’ve been able to be part of a very special ecosystem that continues to exist because of passion. Passion translates itself in every phase of this community- whether it’s the artists that continue to write music that may never be on the radio because they have something distinct and unique to say, or whether it’s fans that continue to buy physical media because they know that it makes the artists able to do what they do, or whether it’s bloggers and podcasters and reviewers who feature artists and music they love so that more people can hear. It’s really cool and special to be part of a like-minded community.
Participation in something bigger than you
ProgStock, in a way, is a lot like a conference as well- a conference for all of these different parties to meet up and mingle and support the greater cause; the music. Not to suck the fun out of it, but if you take yourself out of it, and view the economic undertaking of a festival in real terms, you’ll see that it is almost always a tremendous sacrifice from the part of the organizers, physically, financially, emotionally, and so on. They’re a different sort of experience than the really big festivals where they employ hundreds of staff- so many people you see running the show are either purely volunteers or getting much less than they would at a much bigger festival. They’re doing it to be part of something bigger As an attendee, or a volunteer, or an organizer, you’re helping support something really special. Festivals are extremely hard to put on, but they continue to exist because passionate, dedicated, selfless people are committed to the idea that they should.
So, read this as an admonition to support these niche music festivals. I believe they are worth the investment, and I am grateful to be a participant. I hope to see you at ProgStock 2024 (click here to check out the lineup and buy tickets or click on the image below) in a few days, and at every prog or niche music festival we can attend in the coming days!
Proglodytes 