Gniewkowo
Srayv Music Promotion visited one of the largest Polish Prog festivals last weekend in Gniewkowo
We came to the conclusion that it is definitely worth repeating.
What a high quality they have there in the Prog scene
Although now it isn’t a big festival to our standards.
With only one stage with 7 bands over two days you can’t talk about a big festival.
But if you understand that the Prog scene in Poland mainly resides in the Underground world of Polish music world, it’s not hard to understand.
The reason is not hard to find, because everyone openly talks about, and all give the same reasons
Lack of promotion is one general reason.
It is rarely possible for Poland to get the Prog scene on the radio.
Most bands occur with a very professional approach to their music, but have to do with the amateurish opportunities it offers them in their financial landscape.
Most concerts and festivals are in fact free, and thus is visiting these concerts more than an occasion visit then a concert focused visit for the love of Prog music.
Especially in the larger cities, there is a wide range of performances from all genres of music.
And it’s also the large Prog scene in what makes the bands have a lot of competition.
The lack of income from ticket sales makes it almost impossible for, expansion, promotion, travel, and merchandise, despite excellent quality.
Many bands do everything at their own expense.
CD releases are rated excellent almost without exception, but the distribution of their CDs is often an area where record companies play a dubious role.
The lack of promotion abroad is an important factor.
There are two different camps in the Polish Prog world, which otherwise respect each other and not take each other down.
Respect and solidarity is a great aspect in Poland.
But it does play a role in the appearance and reputation.
There are some bands that are fortunate to enjoy fame in other countries.
Moonrise, Riverside, Tides from Nebula, Tenebris and Votum have, over the years, little by little gained name recognition, and thus earn contracts and performances outside the borders of Poland.
It is also why these bands have more opportunities, but that does not mean that they are the best Prog bands, but the Prog bands with the best opportunities outside the music.
If other bands that we have seen over the weekend would have the same equipment, income, and companies as the popular larger bands, back then it would look brighter for many bands in their aspirations.
The Prog scene is very well represented in all styles.
You name it, Prog Metal, Prog Rock, Prog Power, Prog pop and everything around it is well represented.
What is striking is that many bands doesn’t call themselves a Prog band.
This makes sense, because the ambition to present a distinctive style makes them very independent in making the music they want, and not be expected to be pushed into a corner.
As a Prog fan, I am of the opinion that all the bands we have heard, to rub against the Prog scene.
Although, sometimes the term Prog, easy sticks on them.
Prog is in fact a collective name for the typical construction of Prog music.
Towing melodic lines, thoughtful lyrics, long songs, symphonic interfaces, and shift of the image is what exactly is Prog.
Who would have, for example, Queen Reich, Rush, Pink Floyd and Focus placed them 30 years ago under the same scene?
Back then we were talk about Melodic hard rock, symphonic rock, and bombastic rock.
There were some similarities, but rather the differences characterized the currents in the music.
What is undeniably true, is that the pace of the various movements a little hide that there are many similarities.
Turn Dream Theater a lower rate and you have been inclined to say that she falls more under the Prog scene, without the addition metal, power, pop or whatever.
Anyway back to the festival in Progrock Gniewkovo that has his 7th version already.
Two days of pure quality.
Not be linked to our standards, you can’t compare it with our Festival because it is very different.
Only one Stage,
The bands themselves had to break down the set after their performance.
And the next band rebuild, sound check and prepare.
After each bands gig there was every opportunity to get to talk to the band members, had some to drink and wait jointly the following performances
Share knowledge about music in contact with the bands
And that is why I liked the Polish Prog scene.
Nothing, no VIP Rooms, just a spot among the public, and a place for their own stuff on the side of the festival area and access to, and being there for the fans.
And just about this, the Gniewkowo Festival is fortunately the festival to be because here the real Prog fans are coming for them and them only.
The organization, with the resources available it has put down a good performance for everyone.
Good sound, good organization, commitment to the kind of music, a good mix of different styles.
No tight security, but friendliness is central.
The atmosphere itself is so relaxed that you have the idea that you visit a large warm family.
And that includes the promoters, photographers, Prog organizations, the organization itself, the 4 policemen present, vendors, sound engineers and so on, all part of the family and also involves everybody.
In in our case the most people wanted with us on the picture instead of vice versa.
We were also interviewed several times.
The one time why we were there, then what we thought of it, then just a conversation between two mutually interested promoters.
And the same applies to the public, everyone goes and foremost, with everyone on the picture,
And believe it or not, despite the alcohol flowed freely I couldn’t find one person who was difficult to handle.
Because drunk, sober and everything in between is, everyone will enjoy the music.
You may get the feeling that everyone will placed himself around each other to be only part of the whole attention, but contrary, there is no one that arises or you grant no space.
Are you busy? Well, they just listen to it, whether they come back later.
The Polish readers will not be surprised about it, they are just used to it.
Hospitality, respect, and the pleasures of life.
About the bands I give only an overview and a brief summary,
The highlights of the bands including interviews with several bands will be post on our site separately.
Arlon was the band that had the kick-off ,
You could clearly see that nerves played a role.
But what was seen more clearly, is the quality and fun that this band has.
We had the opportunity to them hear in the club scene in Warsaw together with AnVision the evening before.
There they played for a handful of people, but gave it all for them. And that is as it should. Each Fan is a full commitment worth.
This performance is also the reason why we could see that the nerves somewhat played with them, but the quality was just class.
IQ is the first association I had with this band, but they are without to push them in a equal corner.
But Arlon is perhaps the most Of all bands at the festival to place them in the Prog scene amongst bands like Marillion, IQ and RPWL.
In addition, it remains Arlon you hear and no cover band of a famous band.
Remarkable it is that this band sees themselves as starting band, with ambition mind you.
Hellhaven followed, and to be honest we had the least expectations about them after listen to them on Youtube.
What a mistake, because we were more charmed by issue. During their show
Their music is a mix of styles, which is made possible by the singer who covers a wide spectrum of emotional catchy to grunt, and supporting immersive sounds.
Want to watch a variety show with lots of energy? Find them and go.
Speaking about energy?.
AnVision IS ENERGY.
From the first this sounds splashes occur.
From second one, the audience was enthusiastic.
Not only the singer got the audience by giving them equal to withdraw the atmosphere with you, but certainly the other four musicians for a second stand still on stage.
Even the drummer and keyboardist appeared on the stage to move despite their localized position on the Stage.
The bassist is even a viable competitor to Angus Young of AC / DC as experience is concerned.
Jumping, running, and dancing in the crowd, he plays at a consistently high level.
I would say try to impress us, but they did
We have already seen a few concerts in our lives, but in terms of energy, this is the top
No, sorry to say TOP. It’s the summit.
Under what name you can call their musical style? Progrockpopmetal.
Good power songs, interspersed with beautiful ballads and songs with a catchy content.
AnVision is a band for larger venues and they let you know.
The Final on Saturday was meant for Ananke.
And after Anvision I must say, their energy was here working against Ananke.
Technically a class act, good songs, the most visually rich with video, lasers and light.
Again, nothing to criticize, the quality and the one by one skilled musicians with a lot of potential.
Playing as last band on a summer evening also has the advantage that Ananke could occur causing the light effects also came into its own in the dark.
However, the visual and musical earn an higher energy content.
Sunday was reserved for Tenebris.
Their job?
To bring the energy back from the evening before.
Difficult would you say?
Well no because Tenebris is a bit more used to.
This band has the experience of greater performances, and manages to attract the public.
No surprises with Tenebris, but just played at the highest musical quality.
That's what their fans expect and what they want.
And to be honest they have to, and it's just good.
There are bands who want to perform, during performances over the top but it usually reaches the opposite.
These guys spend their quality with the experience just forward of a variety show, with varied numbers, power, peace, dragging and delicious audible music wherever you go to concerts.
Urge State is a different story.
What a quality.
For us the highlight of Sunday.
Those student like-young guests captivated from the first tone.
Pink Floyd is the first thing you need to think, but it is not a copycat.
In terms of sound and style they do have similarities, but here is a band that sounds like a clock.
Give these guys a plant of Pink Floyd and they play the world.
And the only thing they want is to ensure that their music is felt, conveys the emotion, and the people re-acquainted with quality music knowledge.
Their focus on stage comes from their experimental capabilities within a performance.
Not a definite program reel off, but if it is a good song to play longer or even spot to look for limits of their capabilities.
https://www.tidesfromnebula.com
To finish the Festival played perhaps the best known band outside Poland.
Tides from Nebula.
As for me can be described as elementary music.
Play as perfect as possible with simple guitar lines, the compositions make the difference between a good song and a perfect number.
Where the festival began with recognizable Prog also ended up with this.
It is also the kind of music that attached me into the Prog the world
And as with all the band described here, the quality is HIGH.
It is not up to us to change the world of the Polish festival world and we do not even want.
I enjoyed all aspects that I could have come over me.
But that Poland still has a lot to develop in this world is clear.
But like still retaining the character, the familiar, the relaxed and especially the pureness.
Poland should go get used to the fact that they have quality to be proud of, but also the ability to give support to their bands
Pay tickets for concerts .better promotion, more attention, little bit more commercial imagined.
Dress a festival something more.
2 stages with more bands and maybe one foreign band a day to withdraw audience and attention from other countries.
You will arrive on the point that the Polish Prog scene gets wider exposure without foreign input.
Space for a market with merchandise for the fans, some more drinks and food variety and you have a festival where you can be proud off.
Arie van Kooten
Srayv Music Promotion
Promoter on behalf of:
AnVision
Hellhaven
Smalltown Nobodies
State Urge
Uli Jon Roth Sky project
https://www.srayv-music-promotion.nl
info.ray@srayv-music-promotion.nl
We also like to thank all those people and organisations who made our weekend great
Krzysiek Jester Baran
hit "PROGRESS", Categorie Rock Neoprog
Administrator en Forum BIJ Progressive Rock ProgRock.org.pl nl
Radio Presentator Rock.megastacja.net
Ryszard Bazarnik
Rock Area Music services
Alan Szczepaniak
DJ/ realisator musician of Retrospectiv
Monika Piotrowska
Progrock.org.pl service
monika.piotrowska@progrock.org.pl
Pawel Tyrba
Promotor Progrock.org.pl
Sebastian Kowgier
https://www.facebook.com/sebastian.kowgier