RENAISSANCE 2009

In celebration of their 1969 formation, the English progressive rock heroes Renaissance are embarking on a 40th Anniversary concert tour. Annie Haslam and Michael Dunford have come together with some great musicians to mark this special milestone.

Concert dates:
- Keswick Theatre - On Sale Fri, Aug 28 10am
- Whitaker Center - On Sale Fri, Aug 28 10am

Additional dates will be posted when confirmed.

Keswick Theatre, Glenside, PA - Sunday, October 11 at 7:30PM
Ticket prices are $39 and $49. Preferred seating available. Tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster retail outlets or at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available at Keswick Theatre Box Office, keswicktheatre.com and (215) 572-7650.

Whitaker Center, Harrisburg, PA - Wednesday, October 14 at 7:30PM
Ticket prices are $35 and $45. Tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster retail outlets or at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available at Whitaker Center Box Office, whitakercenter.org and (717) 214-2787.

Ohio-based keyboardist and composer Char-El has self-released his new CD, “Resurrection.” After nine years, the multi-keyboard master has followed his acclaimed “Heaven & Earth” with more progressive space rock and synth meditations.

This is 79 minutes of instrumental music filled with analog and digital keyboards, samplers and drum programming by Char-El, aka Charles L. Thaxton, who has over 30 years of playing progressive music solo and with Galileo, Voyager and Magik Dayze. As usual for him, we’re talking real Mellotron and Minimoog, various Korg’s, Emu’s, Roland’s and Kawai’s.

Two tracks feature real drums by Doug Bonnell and four tracks feature acoustic and electric guitars added by Bob Baratta, who’s emotional playing and guitar tone are very reminiscent of Mike Oldfield on “Renewal” and Steve Hackett on “The Truth Will Set You Free.”

Otherwise, it’s all multi-layered synths, pianos and ‘trons, sometimes celestial, soothing, tranquil and relaxing, other times with expansive choirs and rocking arrangements. With 19 tracks ranging from three to six minutes each, the songs are kept concise and don’t extend into pretentious land.

Definitely for fans of Vangelis, Kitaro, David Arkenstone, Klaus Schulze and Gandalf.

The celebrated psychedelic rock band, GONG, have today announced the world premiere of their brand new Japanese animated video “How To Stay Alive,” taken from their highly anticipated forthcoming new studio album “2032” (released 21st September).

Go here to watch the new promo video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&v=Pw8ZESzpL3M

The video is a wonderful manga animation of Daevid Allen’s drawings undertaken by the cutting edge Japanese Tokyo-based animation team “Mood Magic”, who were responsible for System 7’s “Hinotori” video (2008). In line with the “2032” album, the video pushes all the classic Gong buttons and mixes them with bang up to date sounds and video techniques.

The track features a rap by Daevid Allen based around the characters of the illustrious Planet Gong mythology, which lent itself well to an animation of the drawings – and also features a beautiful solo at the end by original Gong member Didier Malherbe on the sax-like Armenian instrument the duduk.

Gong embarks on a nationwide UK tour at the Bristol 02 Academy on 19th November, with the Steve Hillage Band confirmed as support act on all UK dates.

Gong November UK Tour information: http://www.noblepr.co.uk/Press_Releases/meanfiddler/gong.htm

In late June Metal Mind Productions released the first DVD of the German band RPWL. “The RPWL Live Experience” DVD features an impressive performance, filmed in mid February at the Wyspiański Theatre in Katowice, where RPWL played as the headliner on the second day of the festival ProgRock 2009. The band’s music definitely has its own style – modern, yet also drawing from the best traditions of the prog-rock genre. All in all - brilliant compositions, catchy melodies, mature and intriguing sound! The set-list included RPWL’s greatest hits such as “Hole In The Sky”, “Breathe In, Breathe Out”, “Three Lights”, “Trying To Kiss The Sun” or “Roses”. The DVD also features an interview with Yogi Lang and Kalle Wallner, “Breathe In, Breathe Out” video clip, Tour Footage 2006 (incl. Sleep Demo Version), photo gallery, desktop images, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround sound and much more! “The RPWL Live Experience” is available in 3 different formats: DVD, ltd. 2CD, and ltd. DVD+2CD.

A preview track – “Breath In, Breath Out” – can still be viewed on MMP’s YouTube profile:
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=MetalMindPoland.

The band has a few gigs scheduled for the next couple of months so if you would like to actually see them live, not only on a DVD, here is your chance:

22.08.2009 – SE -Göteborg - Slottsskogen Goes Progressive-Festival
16.09.2009 – D - Reichenbach - Bergkeller
17.09.2009 – PL - Piekary - Andaluzja
18.09.2009 – PL - Poznań - Scena Rozmaitości
19.09.2009 - PL- Konin - Oskard
20.09.2009 - PL - Warszawa - Progresja
02.10.2009 - D - Freising - Lindenkeller
10.10.2009 - UK - Lydney - Summers End Festival

Todd Rundgren today announced that he will film and record his A Wizard, A True Star concert for a forthcoming live DVD and live CD when he plays the Palace Theater in Stamford, Connecticut on 9th September. The two-disc set is scheduled for an early 2010 release through Music Publishing Corporation of America’s label, Hi Fi Recordings.

The live recordings will include an all-star line-up consisting of former members of Utopia, The Cars, Meat Loaf’s band, and The Tubes: Todd Rundgren (vocals, guitar), Roger Powell (synthesizers and keyboards), Greg Hawkes (synthesizers and keyboards), Kasim Sulton (bass), Jesse Gress (guitar), Bobby Strickland (saxophone), and Prairie Prince (drums).

The tour will mark the first time Rundgren has performed the this highly influential prog rock album in its entirety (there are several songs from AWATS that have never been performed live anywhere, full-stop).

AWATS dates currently on sale include -

* Akron Civic Center, Akron, Ohio – 6th September 2009
* Akron Civic Center, Akron, Ohio – 7th September 2009
* Palace Theater, Stamford, Connecticut – 9th September 2009
* Strathmore Hall, North Bethesda, Maryland – 10th September 2009
* Park West, Chicago – 12th September 2009
* Park West, Chicago – 13th September 2009
* State Theatre, Minneapolis - 15th September 2009
* HMV London Hammersmith Apollo – 6th February 2010
* The Paradiso, Amsterdam – 8th February 2010

Additional dates will be announced in the coming weeks.