Tag: Progressive Rock

THE BEST OF NEARFEST APOCALYPSE.

NEARfest shoots their final hoop, hitting nothing but class It was a great ending to probably the best and most highly regarded Progressive Rock festival in the country. It wasn’t the finest NEARfest, it wasn’t the worst and it wasn’t just average.  But it was typical of what they have been doing for 14 years…

UK Kills at NEARfest Apocalypse.

The day started and ended with the two highpoints for NEARfest Apocalypse. Despite a more than 90 minute delay, and about 10 minutes of a dimly lit stage and no music or musicians, UK finally hit the stage a little before 11PM.  They lived up to their reputation as the last great band from the…

Renaissance Rises At NEARfest Apocalypse

On Day Two of NEARfest Apocalypse, Heritage Rules Helmet of Gnats How do you know you’re at a progressive rock concert?   An abridged version of a song is ten minutes long. And they leave in the drum solo That was the story with Helmut of Gnats and their epic closing tune, “Chimps in Space,”…

NEARfest Sets Sail for the Grey Havens.

The North East Art Rock Festival, better known as NEARfest, comes to an end this weekend with the final edition, dubbed NEARfest Apocalypse. That kind of ostentation is so Progressive Rock.  But that’s what Nearfest was all about.  I went to my first Nearfest in 2005, expecting clones of Yes and bands past their prime. …

A Summer of Progressive Rock.

It’s Progressive Rock Week on Echoes and we’ll be featuring interviews with NEARfest founders Chad Hutchinson and Rob LaDuca, Gentle Giant, Steve Hackett, The Muffins, Roger Dean, Gong and Iona as well as a live performance from Ozric Tentacles in the Echoes Living Room.  To see what’s ahead on Echoes Progressive Rock Week go here.i…

Prog Heaven Past & Future coming to Philly.

Philadelphia, where Echoes is based, will be experiencing a wave of progressive music past and present in the coming months. From the past, Tangerine Dream, UK and Van Der Graaf Generator.  Reflecting the past, Broekhuis, Keller & Schonwalder.  From the present, Sigur Ros, Dead Can Dance (well, kind between past & present), Radiohead and Iona. …

Nearfest Exits, Farfest Enters

If you missed out on tickets for Nearfest Apocalypse, the final edition of this venerable festival, then hang on until October for Farfest, a four day progressive rock festival happening in Wilmington, Delaware at the Grand Opera House October 4-7.  The festival has put together an impressive array of 70’s Progressive rock acts, all from…

Progressive Rock Returns WXPN 7-Hour Marathon

I’m just hours away from WXPN‘s Progressive Rock Marathon.  I’ll be joining Dan Reed, Biff Kennedy and Star’s End pilot Chuck Van Zyl  bringing Progressive rock to the airwaves of Philadelphia, Central PA and the world Saturday, January 7 from 10AM-5PM.   Since the show is a special segment of XPN’s “Highs in the 70s,”  it…

NEARFEST Apocalypse

After announcing that they were resurrecting NEARFEST in 2012, the festival organizers have decided that 2012 will mark the last NEARFEST.  In true ProgRock fashion, they’ve labeled it NEARFEST APOCALYPSE.  Prog was never known for understatement.   Well, like just about every classic prog group they’ve presented over the years who were resurrected from the grave,…