Located high above the historical and delightful landscape scenery of the river Rhine, the Loreley Amphitheatre has become a milestone in rock history when the “ROCKPALAST” concerts in the 70s/80s took place. Artists such as Genesis, U2, Thin Lizzy, Rory Gallagher, David Bowie and many more performed at the 15,000 capacity venue. The European wide Live-TV broadcasts reached millions of Rock Music lovers and showed the beauty and unique atmosphere of that venue.

The Saturday schedule includes:

The original Line-Up of Asia on their 25th Anniversary Tour with Steve Howe (Yes), Carl Palmer (ELP), John Wetton (King Crimson) and Geoffrey Downes (Buggles)

IQ – one of the first pioneers of the British Neo-Prog movement

Sylvan – the German Neo-Prog shooting stars presenting their new album “Presets”

JEBO – an English newcomer band produced by John Burns (producer of Genesis´ “Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” album)

Echoes performs Pink Floyd – will take the audience back to the 70s, with a XXL Lightshow that will reach “real dimensions”…

The Sunday schedule includes:

Jethro Tull – after several years of Symphonic Orchestra and Acoustic Shows, Ian Anderson and his band rock the house…

Fish – after 20 years and 15.000 people at the Loreley in 1987, Fish exclusively performs the final album that he recorded with Marillion: “Clutching at Straws”. And the first part of his show brings his new album “13th Star” to light.

Pendragon – the other Neo-Prog legend (besides IQ) that takes the stage.

The Merlin Bird – travels 20.000 km to come to the Loreley! The band from Down Under appears for the first time in Europe, but rumours about their mystical shows reached Europe for months by enthusiastic reviews in various Prog Magazines.

The Watch from Italy achieved to be the Italian “Genesis” by Fans and international magazines. This concert will be the first one in Germany where they play the brand new album “Primitive.”

Japan has long been a hot bed of progressive music, with a distinguished roster of bands that stretches back to the 1970s. ProgDay is pleased to welcome one of the best instrumental bands to come out of Japan in recent years - Naikaku. Originally known as Naikaku-No-Wa (which means Internal Nuclear Tide), they shortened their name after the release of their first album, “Wheel Of Fortune.” Their music centers around lyrical swirling flute and aggressive guitar work that will take you on a journey through musical landscapes carved from symphonic rock, fusion and metal. They’ve been compared to bands ranging from King Crimson and Dream Theater, to Osanna and the Mahavishnu Orchestra. Their second record, “Shell,” was released last year to stellar reviews and deservedly made many “best of” lists for 2006. Don’t miss Naikaku at this year’s ProgDay. They will captivate you from the first note to the last.

Naikaku is the fourth band announced so far for ProgDay 2007. The other three are skeletonbreath, Qoph and Advent. For more information please go to www.progday.com.

Magic Pie will enter the Zeppelin Stage Saturday 9th of June at 16.00 hours, and will play for approx. 1 hour.

The festival takes place at Sölvesborg, southern Sweden during the period 6th to 9th of June. Over the years the festival has become one of the main rockfestivals in Europe and attracts fans and media from more than 30 countries with roughly 20000 visitors pr. day. Along with headliners Aerosmith, Heaven & Hell, Scorpions, Meat Loaf, Reo Speedwagon, Motörhead and Dimmu Borgir, we humbly appreciate the opportunity to present a piece of Norwegian progressive rock.

More info about the festival: http://www.swedenrock.com

The 9th edition of the North East Art Rock is now sold out! A big “thank you” to everyone that bought tickets for this year’s event. Patron tickets are currently being mailed out, so those in the Patron Program should keep an eye on their mailboxes. Those still looking for tickets should frequent ProgressiveEars.com and the NEARfest Bulletin Board on NEARfest.com to look for folks that may have to sell off their tickets.

Tickets for Progressive Arts’ Fusion Friday are still available. This event features Allan Holdsworth (UK), Secret Oyster (Denmark), and One Shot (France), and should be a heck of a show. Information on the bands and tickets are at progressive-arts.net.

The forthcoming Cross album “The Thrill of Nothingness” is once again postponed. The reason is that band leader Hansi Cross suffers from a sudden impairment of hearing. At this point the doctors cannot tell if it will become better, or if it is a permanent condition.

LONDON (April 16) - British singer Bryan Ferry apologized on Monday for remarks he made in an interview with a German newspaper in which he praised the Nazis’ iconography as “just amazing” and “really beautiful.”

The 61-year-old lead singer of Roxy Music told Germany’s Welt Am Sonntag newspaper last month: “The way that the Nazis staged themselves and presented themselves, my Lord!

“I’m talking about the films of Leni Riefenstahl and the buildings of Albert Speer and the mass marches and the flags — just fantastic. Really beautiful.”

In a statement, Ferry said he was “deeply upset” about the negative publicity the interview triggered, and added:

“I apologize unreservedly for any offence caused by my comments on Nazi iconography, which were solely made from an art history perspective.

“I, like every right-minded individual, find the Nazi regime, and all it stood for, evil and abhorrent.”

Jewish leaders in Britain, some of whom had condemned Ferry’s comments and questioned whether he should be dropped by the Marks & Spencer retail chain that employs him as a model, welcomed Ferry’s clarification.

“We do welcome the fact that he has issued a swift comment that there was no intention to condone the Nazi regime,” said Jeremy Newmark, chief executive of the Jewish Leadership Council.

“Nevertheless, his choice of language was deeply insensitive,” he added.

Lord Greville Janner, vice-president of the World Jewish Congress, told Reuters: “His apology was total, appropriate and absolutely necessary. I hope that he will never make the same mistake again.”

Marks & Spencer was not immediately available for comment.

Riefenstahl was Adolf Hitler’s official film maker who was both admired and condemned for her documentaries that pioneered film techniques but glorified Nazism. Speer was an architect and friend of Hitler’s.

Thanks to Querétaro’s Art & Culture Institutes, the University of Querétaro and Luna Negra, SC; this year’s FestivAlterNativo will take place on June 16th at La Estación Cultural Center, located downtown Querétaro; a wonderful colonial city just 200 km (125 Miles) north of Mexico City.

The last two editions of the FestivAlterNativo gathered six of the most representative Mexican alternative music bands. This year, LUNA NEGRA has stepped into a new territory and has set a roster of top-notch artists from Spain, Chile and Mexico. All of them, excellent yet independent musicians and performers.

ABOUT LUNA NEGRA

LUNA NEGRA is a Mexican non-profit association devoted to the promotion of alternative music and arts through the production and distribution of CDs, cassettes, DVDs and books, as well as the organization of cultural activities, mainly in the fields of jazz, classical, progressive rock and electroacoustic music by local and artists from overseas.

In more than ten years since its foundation in 1995, Luna Negra has become the leading progressive/ alternative music independent record label in Mexico and its produced CDs are now distributed through the major dealers around the world including Musea (France), margen (Spain), Recommended Records in the U.K., and Syn-Phonic, Kinesis Inc., Of Sound Mind, Wayside Music and others in the U.S.

The Luna Negra’s roster of artists includes names like Banda Elástica and José Luis Fernández Ledesma & Margarita Botello (Mex), Amarok, Andrés Olaegui Trio and Psicotropia (Sp), and Perfume de Mujer, Naranja Mecánica and Música D’Repuesto (Cuba).

www.energiash.com/lunanegra

This fall, FIREWIND pledges their allegiance to their U.S. fans by scheduling their first ever trip Stateside. This Greek metal powerhouse is set to kick things off on Sept. 19th by performing alongside Epica and Visions of Atlantis, which will be immediately followed by a week long headlining run leading them into a limited number of shows with Sonata Arctica. The U.S. tour will ultimately be capped off with a performance at the prestigious ProgPower festival. See below for their complete itinerary.

Gus G. (guitars) states: “I’m very excited about coming to the U.S. with FIREWIND for the first time! We will be doing a few shows supporting Sonata Arctica, as well as a couple of one offs supporting Epica and Edguy. To top it off we’ll even get to play a few headline shows before wrapping it up at the now sold out ProgPower festival in Atlanta.We are all really looking forward to this and hope to see you all soon.”

FIREWIND’s new video for the track “Falling To Pieces” was shot by acclaimed director Patric Ullaeus (Lacuna Coil, In Flames, Dimmu Borgir). The track comes from their highly acclaimed new album, Allegiance, which is a must for any fan of Dragonforce, Iced Earth, Hammerfall or anyone who claims to be a heavy metal fanatic.

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=FireTV

After catching the metal community’s attention with 2005’s Forged In Fire, the group has triumphantly returned with Allegiance, a dynamic display of traditional heavy metal with more of an emphasis on speed, technicality and catchy songwriting. This effort marks the first album with new vocalist Apollo Papathanasio (ex-Majestic, Time Requiem) and drummer Mark Cross (ex-Helloween, Metalium), whose talents had a prominent impact on the creative process. Allegiance was mixed at the famed Studio Fredman with the acclaimed Fredrik Nordstrom (Hammerfall, Arch Enemy, Opeth), and the results are breathtaking.

FIREWIND
W/Epica, Visions of Atlantis
09/19 Station 4 – St. Paul, MN

Headlining
09/20 The Pearl Room – Mokena, IL

09/21 Peabody’s – Cleveland, OH Supporting Edguy

09/22 Funhaus – Toronto, ON

09/23 I-ROCK Nightclub – Detroit, MI

09/24 Penny Arcade – Rochester, NY

w/Sonata Arctica
09/26 Salle Albert Rousseau – Quebec City, QC

09/27 Medley – Montreal, QC

09/28 The Chance – Poughkeepsie, NY

09/29 Mark’s Place – Bedford, NH (FIREWIND Only!)

09/30 B.B. Kings Blues Club – New York City, NY

10/02 The Trocadero – Philadelphia, PA

10/03 Jaxx – Springfield, VA

Headlining
10/04 The Mad Hatter – Covington, KY

10/05 Jesters Pub – Fayetteville, NC

ProgPower USA Festival

10/06 Center Stage Theatre – Atlanta, GA

Get ready for a strong dose of progressive metal! The Swedish quintet offers to the fans of powerful and sublime sound compositions that are both structurally intricate and overflowing with a vast spectrum of emotions. One hour and a half of progressive music at its very best, more than an hour of bonus video footage (featuring, among other materials, bootlegs and documents from the band’s tour and gigs across Europe), 2 interviews and much more! Also available in a limited swing case edition, including a CD with songs recorded at the concert!

Tracklist

DVD:
1. Periscope
2. Mirages
3. In the Deepest of Waters
4. Two Is One
5. The Hidden Riddle
6. Chameleon Carneval
7. Inner Circle
8. Eclipse
9. In the End
10. Encyclopedia
11. Reaching Deep Within
12. The Words Unspoken

CD (only available in limited swing case edition!):
1. Periscope
2. Mirages
3. In the Deepest of Waters
4. Two Is One
5. The Hidden Riddle
6. Inner Circle
7. Eclipse
8. In the End
9. Encyclopedia
10. Reaching Deep Within
11. The Words Unspoken

Bonus video:
Interview with Johan Reinholdz and Martin Hedin
Interview with David Fremberg and Thomas Lejon
Rehearsal, October 2006
Andromeda Goes Dutch
European Tour Tales
Three Days in Poland
Old Live Footage

Also includes:
- Photo gallery
- Biography
- Discography
- Desktop images
- Weblinks
- Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound

Biography:
The origins of the Swedish quintet Andromeda can be traced back to 1999 when Johan submitted the demo Welcome to forever to the record label WAR-music who wanted to sign a deal. The feeling was mutual and in the autumn that year Andromeda came together as Thomas, Martin and bass player Gert Daun and Johan started rehearsing the songs for the Extension of the Wish album.

In March 2000 Andromeda entered the Dug-Out studio to cut the album with the acclaimed producer Daniel Bergstrand. Vocal duties were handled by Lawrence Mackrory, doing the job as a hired gun. A month later it was mixed and ready, but it wasn’t until February 2001 that Extension of the Wish hit the record shops. In the meanwhile, the Andromeda line-up was completed when David joined the band in August 2000. Containing a dose of heavy, intense yet melodic progressive metal Extension of the Wish quickly seized the interest of magazines, webzines and fans.

To support the album, the band made a tour of Sweden during the spring and also made a successful appearance at the Progpower festival in the Netherlands in October.

August was spent re-recording the vocals for Extension of the Wish, this time by David, remixing the tracks and recording two new tracks for a French release of the album by the label NTS. It was released in November and Andromeda went on a tour of France together with Evergrey in February 2001.

At this point the band had already began cutting the tracks for their second assault: II=I. The recordings continued throughout the year with Martin as the producer.

In August the album was completed, containing a more complex, but also more vocal?oriented, style of Andromeda. In 2003 the bass player Fabian Gustavsson replaced Gert, adding the final piece to the powerful jigsaw puzzle that is the ultimate Andromeda line-up.

After a worldwide release of the album, touring and festival gigs, the band began writing material for their upcoming album Chimera and, in the spring of 2004, recording sessions were initiated. Striving for a simpler, more in-your-face kind of approach, the new material was certainly a step forward for the band. The third album was once again produced by Martin, going for a rock-solid sound. Chimera contains all the elements of Andromeda, but certainly stands out as a new, fresh chapter in the musical evolution of Andromeda.

The band went on a European tour in the autumn of 2006 to support the album and wrapped it up with a performance in Katowice, Poland, which resulted in their first live DVD: Playing off the board.

Discography:
Extension of the Wish (2001, WAR-music)
II=I (2003, New Hawen Records)
Chimera (2006, Massacre Records)
Playing Off The Board DVD (2007, Metal Mind Productions)

Line-up:
Johan Reinholdz - guitar
Martin Hedin - keyboards
David Fremberg - vocals
Fabian Gustavsson - bass
Thomas Lejon - drums

Website:
http://www.andromedaonline.com

A recording of a show by the supergroup NEO: a band formed by such prog-rock veterans as Mark Westwood (the Martin Orford Band), Clive Nolan (Arena, Pendragon, Shadowland), John Jowitt (IQ, Jadis) and Andy Edwards (IQ). During that spectacular gig, filmed at the Wyspianski Theater in Katowice, Poland, the band offered for the enjoyment of neo progressive sound lovers songs from the repertoire of Shadowland, Arena, IQ, Pallas, and Pendragon. As Clive Nolan comments, NEO’s main aim was to “try and brake some new frontiers (…) and to represent these bands and so to get the people who haven’t seen them to get an idea what they’re about.”

Also, the gig featured a guest appearance of two other eminent prog-rock figures: Pendragon’s vocalist/guitarist Nick Barrett and Pallas’ vocalist Alan Reed.

The DVD also includes an interview with John Jowitt and Clive Nolan, as also bonus video footage from the band’s soundcheck at ROSfest. Also available in a limited swing case edition, including a CD with songs recorded at the concert!

Website:
www.myspace.com/neoprogressive