2023 – Night of the Prog Festival (2024)

Originating from Wales UK, Karnataka have won plaudits from BBC Radio 2’s Bob Harris, prog icon Rick Wakeman and many others. The band’s storming live performances have entranced and captivated audiences across the UK, Europe and the USA and seen them perform alongside prestigious artists such as Robert Plant and Porcupine Tree.

Creating music that shifts effortlessly from powerful to ethereal, breath-taking to haunting, and produced at some of the world’s top studios including Real World, Rockfield and Abbey Road, Karnataka’s music combines a widescreen cinematic vision with soaring melodies, lush harmonies and epic symphonic, progressive soundscapes, whilst also drawing on their Celtic roots.

In 2023 the band released their critically acclaimed new album Requiem For A Dream supported by a nationwide UK tour which included sell-out headline performances at the Summer’s End and HRH Prog festivals. In 2024 the band embark on a UK/European tour.

KARNATAKA are:
Sertari: Vocals
Ian Jones: Bass, bass pedals, acoustic guitar
Rob Wilsher: Keyboards
Luke Machin: Guitars
Jack Summerfield: Drums

Karnataka will perform on Saturday, 20 July 2024.

This is the FINAL band to be announced for the Final Night Of The Prog Festival 2024.

Tickets for theFinal Night Of The Prog Festival 2024are available at theWiV Ticket Shop

Karnataka Links:
Official Website
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Ritual is a progressive rock band from Stockholm, formed in 1993. Influenced equally by progressive rock and hardrock of the 70s and contemporary bands like The Police, XTC and It Bites, Ritual forged their own distinctive brand of progressive music. The characteristics of the band’s sound were already prominent on their eponymous debut album, released in 1996: song based, melodic and intense, with a great stylistic variation, and plenty of folk music influences seeping in. The latter feature is not least due to the band’s frequent use of acoustic instruments like bouzouki, mandola, whistles and the Swedish nyckelharpa (a keyed fiddle). Songs like Seasong For The Moominpappa also showed something that would become a hallmark of the band: lyrics inspired by Tove Jansson’s novels about the Moomins. This culminated in the album The Hemulic Voluntary Band from 2008, where five out of six songs drew inspiration from Tove Jansson, including the 26-minute long A Dangerous Journey.

Over the years, Ritual has established themselves as a confident and powerful live band through numerous tours around Europe and appearances at international festivals such as Rites Of Spring Fest in the USA and Baja Prog in Mexico.

Ritual is currently putting the finishing touches to their upcoming epic The Story of Mr. Bogd, part 1 that will be released by Karisma Records in 2024.

Ritual are:
Patrik Lundström – leadvocals and guitars
Fredrik Lindqvist – bass, mandola, whistles and backing vocals
Jon Gamble – keyboards and back vocals
Johan Nordgren – drums and backing vocals

Ritual will perform on Saturday, 20 July 2024, during the Final Night Of The Prog Festival 2024.

Tickets for theFinal Night Of The Prog Festival 2024are available in theWiV Ticket Shop

Ritual Links
Official Website
Facebook

After years of working on their music with scene icons like Jochem Jacobs (Textures) and Forrester Savell (Karnivool, Dead Letter Circus), the Dutchmen Fons Herder (vocals), Roy Willems (guitar), Susana Raya (guitar) and Peter Cats (bas) and Pepijn Gros (Drums) have now teamed up with Construction Records for the release of their debut album.

With layered compositions that range from tranquil oases to swirling riffs Inhalo is as diverse as an alternative progressive rock band can be. A seamless blend of serene and ferocious elegantly held together by an emotional performance. Tension and release, like a ballet dancer gracefully tiptoeing on a volcanic caldera.

Their second release, Live At Wisseloord Studio, an impressive 10-inch featuring two acoustic songs from their debut recorded at the renowned studio and mixed by Forrester Savell, takes you on a musical journey. With a unique sound that blends various genres and influences, Inhalo creates harmonious melodies and enchanting rhythms that captivate your senses.
The recording sessions at the prestigious Wisseloord Studio have captured the true essence of Inhalo’s musical talent. Every chord, every note, and every lead- and backingvocal has been meticulously captured, resulting in an immersive listening experience.
Furthermore, the seasoned expertise of Forrester Savell can be heard in the mix of the record. His subtle adjustments ensure that every sound element on the 10-inch record sparkles and comes to life, including that of the grand piano and the sarangi used for this recording.

Inhalo will open the Final Night Of The Prog Festival on Friday, 19 July 2024.

Tickets for theFinal Night Of The Prog Festival 2024are available in theWiV Ticket Shop

Inhalo Links
Official Website
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Legendary guitarist Steve Hackett will bring his new show “Genesis Greats, Lamb Highlights & Solo” to Germany and will headline the Final Night Of The Prog Festival on Saturday!

His new show celebrates the 50th anniversary of The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, and Steve Hackett is including a selection of highlights from this iconic Genesis album.

Steve Hackett’s timeless guitar-work was woven throughout Genesis’ classic 70s catalogue of albums. In recent years he and his outstanding touring line-up of Roger King (keyboards), Nad Sylvan (vocals), Jonas Reingold (bass, backing vocals), Rob Townsend (saxophone, flutes, additional keyboards) and Craig Blundell (drums) have brought many of these albums back to the concert hall to great acclaim. Many fans have also been asking for more tracks from The Lamb to be included. What better way to celebrate half-a-century of this remarkable album than to include a selection of Lamb Highlights alongside some of Hackett’s finest solo work and unmissable Genesis Greats.

“I’m hugely looking forward to return to the Loreley and play a final Night Of The Prog Festival-Show,” says Steve Hackett, “I have played this location with both, Genesis and my own band many times and always enjoyed it. I am also looking forward to present parts of my new concept album “The Circus And The Nightwhale”, which will come out in February, and also ‘The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway’ favourites as well as other iconic Genesis numbers.”

Together with his former band Genesis, Steve Hackett was part of the first ever live show that took place on the legendary festival grounds on the Loreley in 1976. He returned many times for headlining shows for the Night Of The Prog Festival and always left enthusiastic crowds.

Steve Hackett and his band will perform on Saturday, 20 July 2024.

His new concept album The Circus And The Nightwhale will come out on 16 February 2024 via InsideOut and is now available for pre-order [click here]

Tickets for theFinal Night Of The Prog Festival 2024are available in theWiV Ticket Shop

Steve Hackett Links
Official Website
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Ok Goodnight is a Progressive Rock/Metal band from Boston, Massachusetts, USA and combines the talents of Casey Lee Williams (vocals), Martín de Lima (piano/guitar), Augusto Bussio (drums/guitar), and Peter de Reyna (bass), .

On June 2nd, 2023, Ok Goodnight self-released The Fox And The Bird, a concept album about animals and myths telling the tale of a drought-stricken land and two friends’ perilous quest to bring back the rain. As the story unfolds, the music keeps surprising the listener at every turn, taking you on an emotional journey full of pop-infused melodies, proggy time changes, and crushing metal riffs.

To celebrate the release of The Fox And The Bird, Ok Goodnight embarked on their first tour in July 2023 and played to sold-out crowds all over the US East Coast and Midwest. They will hit the road again in 2024 to discover new horizons and are excited to play for you at the final Night of the Prog next July!

Ok Goodnight will open on Sunday, 21 July 2024, which will be the last day of the Final Night Of The Prog Festival 2024.

Tickets for theFinal Night Of The Prog Festival 2024are available in theWiV Ticket Shop

Ok Goodnight Links
Official website
Bandcamp
Facebook
X (Twitter)
Instagram
YouTube Channel

!GeRald! is a French/English Experimental Rock project that emerged in 2018. Founding members count Teddie Burton and Marvin Gobert.

!GeRald! has started to establish a ferocious name for itself. With daunting melodies, an uncompromising rhythm section and intricate structures, the project has created a surrealistic landscape prone to shape shifting.

The first E.P Church of the Sublime Parade came out in 2018 and was recorded, mixed and mastered by Ex-Gong member Patrice Lemoine. In October 2021 the ensemble was the opening act for Zeuhl monsters MAGMA.
In 2022 the debut album The Lost Tapes was released and was followed by 3 lengthy promotional tours.

Currently working on a 5 track E.P and on a second album, the band intend to release the E.P in June 2024 and will embark upon a promotional tour throughout Germany, Czechia and more.

Band Line-Up:
Marin Michelat: Various Keys / Voice.
Marvin Gobert: Guitar / Voice.
Quentin Loizeau: Bass / Voice.
Teddie Burton: Drums / Voice / Noise Box.
Vincent Zlotkowski: Projectionist.

!GeRald! will open on Saturday, 20 July 2024, during the Final Night Of The Prog Festival 2024.

Tickets for theFinal Night Of The Prog Festival 2024are available in theWiV Ticket Shop

!GeRald! Links

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Bandcamp
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After eight years, Beardfish will return!
See them during the Final Night Of The Prog 2024!

Beardfish started in 2001 when schoolmates Rikard Sjöblom and David Zackrisson found out they had a mutual love for King Crimson. ”We should start a new band and make music in this style…” – so they did! After a couple of line-up changes the long standing combo of Sjöblom and Zackrisson on vocals, guitar and keys and guitar respectively together with bassist Robert Hansen and drummer Magnus Östgren was formed. After self-releasing two albums, the quartet signed with InsideOut music for the release of their third album, the first part of the Sleeping in Traffic series. It made the band some wide-spread ripples along with very nice reviews and caught the attention of one Mike Portnoy, who would have their albums in his yearly top ten list for two years in a row. The band continued to release albums and tour in Europe but also the USA and parts of South America. Then in 2016, after the release of +4626-COMFORTZONE, the band decided to call it quits.

However, in 2022, a spark reignited discussions among the members about reuniting. Rikard had penned new material that resonated deeply with Beardfish’s essence, leading to unanimous enthusiasm for a comeback. After a hiatus that left them yearning for live performances, Beardfish will return to the stages including a performance at Night of the Prog in 2024.

2024 Line-Up:
Rikard Sjöblom – Keyboards, guitar, vocals
Magnus Östgren – Drums
David Zackrisson – Guitar
Robert Hansen – Bass

Beardfish will perform on Saturday, 20 July 2024, during the Final Night Of The Prog Festival 2024.

Tickets for theFinal Night Of The Prog Festival 2024are available in theWiV Ticket Shop

BEARDFISH Links

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Formed in 1978 in Stroud, Gloucestershire, Pendragon had early success after supporting Marillion first in Gloucester and then at the infamous Marquee Club in London. They went on to appear on Tommy Vance’s Friday Rock Show and a slot at Reading Festival in 1983.
In 1984 they released their first “mini-album” Fly High Fall Far, and followed it up in 1985 with their first full album, the much loved The Jewel.
There were many frustrations in the early years in search of a record deal until in 1987 frontman and guitarist Nick Barrett formed his own record label “Toff Records” to release their next full album Kowtow. Having their own label proved to be a stroke of genius and releases such as The World, The Window of Life and The Masquerade Overture in the ‘90s cemented their position as one of the UK’s leading progressive rock bands.

2001 saw the release of Not Of This World often topping the polls as the fan’s favourite album.
Pendragon have consistently toured around the world, venturing as far as South America, the US, Canada & Japan playing sellout shows, they regularly play across Europe.
Albums Believe, Pure & Passion took Pendragon through the early 2000’s and were followed up with Men Who Climb Mountains in 2014.
Their latest full album Love Over Fear came in 2020 shortly after Nick Barrett’s move to Cornwall and evokes the feeling of his relationship with the sea and utilises the work of local artist Liz Saddington for the cover and booklet paintings. It was whilst touring this album in early 2020 that the world changed with the pandemic and the band found themselves in Poland with the borders of Europe closing down.
2023 Sees Pendragon celebrating their 45th anniversary and their return to live work after their enforced 3 year break. They celebrated in style having played 3 two day weekend shows in May with the release of North Star a much applauded mini album.

Pendragon are:
Nick Barrett (guitar/vocals)
Clive Nolan (Keyboards)
Peter Gee (Bass)
Jan-Vincent Velazco (drums)

And for live shows also featuring:
Rog Patterson (12string)
Johanna Stroud (violin and backing vocals)
Sally Minnear (backing vocals)

Pendragon will be co-headlining on Saturday, 20 July 2024, during the Final Night Of The Prog Festival 2024.

Tickets for theFinal Night Of The Prog Festival 2024are available in theWiV Ticket Shop

PENDRAGON Links

Official website
Facebook
Facebook Group
X (Twitter)

Cheeto’s Magazine are a progressive rock ensemble from Barcelona. Bearing open-mindedness as their flag, the band brings together classic prog tradition and forward-looking paths under a colorful, humerous and joyful outlook that is embodied in their meticulous compositions, surrealistic imagery and eccentric live appearances.

Amazingous, their sophom*ore record, takes what was introduced in their debut album Boiling Fowls (2014) and takes it to a higher level. With a bold production and rock-solid songwriting, the album is deliberately fearless in its mixture of symphonic passages, vocal shenanigans, spot-on solos and electronic strokes, delivering a tracklist where glimpses of Spock’s Beard, Faith No More, Nintendo 64 soundtracks, Frank Zappa and Justice can be found altogether. Progspere and Prog UK have also praised the band.

We are sure you remember the band was on the bill for the 2020 Night Of The Prog Festival, which didn’t happen due to COVID and we are very pleased the are now back and will be part of the Final Night Of The Prog Festival!

Line-Up 2024
Esteban Navarro – Vocals, keys
Manel Orella – Guitars, sitar
Matias Lizana – Keys, percussion
Alex Marques – Bass
Gerard Sala – Drums, percussion

Cheeto’s Magazine will perform on Friday, 19 July 2024!

Tickets for theFinal Night Of The Prog Festival 2024are available in theWiV Ticket Shop

Cheeto’s Magazine Links

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The band history of ARENA goes back to mid-nineties, when Mick Pointer (original drummer of Marillion) and Clive Nolan (keyboardist of Pendragon) founded the band together with Keith More, John Carson and Cliff Orsi. The band had quite a few line-up changes over the years and soon after their formation, John Jowitt (IQ) and John Mitchell (Frost*) joined the band.

Today, ARENA are Mick Pointer (drums), Clive Nolan (keyboards), John Mitchell (Guitars), Kylan Amos (bass) and vocalist Damian Wilson, who joined in 2020. This is also the line-up that will play the show at the Final Night Of The Prog 2024.

The band’s most recent album is The Theory Of Molecular Inheritance, which received great feedback from both, fans and music press.

ARENA will play their only live show in 2024 at the Final Night Of The Prog Festival on Friday, 19 July 2024.

Tickets for theFinal Night Of The Prog Festival 2024are available in theWiV Ticket Shop

ARENA Links

Official website
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YouTube Channel

Big Big Train will be the last band to perform at the Final Night of the Prog Festival 2024

Big Big Train have a lengthy history with numerous twists and turns since the band was co-founded by Gregory Spawton on the south coast of the UK in the early 1990s. With 2009’s The Underfall Yard, which featured vocalist David Longdon for the first time, Big Big Train earned a place in the prog Olympus and went on to produce exciting albums with impressive and extensive line-ups. Albums such as English Electric Parts 1 & 2, Folklore, Grimspound and The Second Brightest Star were rapturously received by fans and critics alike.

In 2018, Big Big Train played their first concert in Germany as headliners of the Night Of The Prog festival at the Loreley. This memorable performance is one of the highlights of the festival‘s history and is also available as a Blu-ray concert film (Summer Shall Not Fade).

After the Grand Tour, Common Ground and Welcome To The Planet albums, the tragic death of David Longdon in 2021 and an enforced break due to COVID, Big Big Train returned to the stage in autumn 2022 with new singer Alberto Bravin (known from Italian prog legends PFM) and once again impressed fans and critics alike. In August and September this year Big Big Train played their first ever full European tour, titled The Journey Continues, performing 17 shows across nine countries in 21 days.

Big Big Train released the Ingenious Devices album in summer 2023 with new recordings from 2019 of three of their best loved epic tracks about mankind and machinery (East Coast Racer, Brooklands and Voyager) and a live track exploring the same theme from 2022 (Altantic Cable). In addition, the first studio album with vocalist Alberto Bravin will be released in spring 2024. This album will represent the band’s first release on the InsideOut/Sony label.

After their brilliant performance in 2018, Big Big Train will now be the last band to perform at the final Night Of The Prog Festival on Sunday 21st July 2024. And with their performance, which will feature a mixture of classics from the band‘s history and songs from the forthcoming studio album, they will close the story of Night Of The Prog.

Alongside Spawton and Bravin, the band has an impressive list of musicians, including drummer Nick D’Virgilio and guitarist/keyboardist Rikard Sjöblom, with experience for bands and artists such as Genesis, PFM, Tears For Fears, Spock’s Beard, Beardfish, among others.

Tickets for theFinal Night Of The Prog Festival 2024are available in theWiV Ticket Shop

BIG BIG TRAIN Links

Official website
Bandcamp
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YouTube Channel

The Flower Kings have been around since 1994 – also the year when they played their first gig (20 August).
The band name was taken from Carl Von Linneus, a local botanist, who traveled worldwide,
finding and giving latin names to all flowers.
Today, almost 30 years and 15 albums later, the band has established themselves as the iconic alpha father of modern melodic prog and a great live act – always delivering the goods.
The new album named Look At You Now is a testament of persistence and tireless work
of the highest level of composition, playing, singing and production.
No other modern melodic prog band has even touched the level of all aspects like rock, jazz, cinematic, metal, electronic – of the 70’s prog rock like The Flower Kings do.
They were also one of the first bands signed to the now dominating prog label Inside Out/SONY.
A music consistent in quality and on their new album they prove their case: A collection of songs that rings with the nordic melancholy and the joyous inventions of both classical, artrock, fusion & pop.
It has been said more than twice – The Flower Kings music grows on you – over time, just like a fine wine, or a classic book.

THE FLOWER KINGS Band line-up

Roine Stolt – Vocals & Lead guitar
Hasse Fröberg – Vocals & Guitar
Michael Stolt – Bass & Moog
Mirko DeMaio – Drums & Percussion
Lalle Larsson – Keyboards

THE FLOWER KINGSwill be performing during theFinal Night Of The Prog Festival 2024on the Loreley on Sunday, 21 July 2024!

Tickets for theFinal Night Of The Prog Festival 2024are available in theWiV Ticket Shop

THE FLOWER KINGS Links

Official website
Bandcamp
Facebook
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Instagram
YouTube Channel

AMAROK from Poland have more than 20 years of experience in the music scene. They have released six studio releases, of which Hunt, released in 2017, gave the band wide acclaim, not only in their home country, but also internationally.
In 2019, band leader Michal Wojtas teamed up with British choreographer James Wilton, resulting in Amarok’s fifth album, The Storm.

In 2021, Amarok stabilized its lineup by inviting Konrad Zielinski (drums) and multi-instrumentalist Kornel Poplawski. Amarok’s sixth album, Hero, was released in the fall of 2021. Hero is a collection of innovative, fresh-sounding and exceptionally spacious compositions, with an equally strong lyrical layer that asks very topical questions about our future. The atmosphere prevailing in the songs mesmerizes from the the first listening and prompts many more.

Extremely balanced and filled with Floydian nostalgia, the music takes listeners on a journey into a world of sounds, conjured up by true musical shamans, as Michal and Marta Wojtas undoubtedly are.

Innovative techniques and combining the best elements of various musical genres are the hallmarks of the Warsaw-based Amarok band. Their lyrics are saturated with hidden meanings and messages, and their interesting musical themes enchant and attract both old and new fans.

Amarok put a slightly more predatory side on its latest single Hope Is. The track is based on a distinctive guitar sound and a characteristic drum rhythm, complemented by electronic additions that give the whole composition a modern twist. The message is based on the concept of hope understood as a force that shatters the safe but illusory order, giving a new direction to reality and the present. Hope as an almost cosmic force lends its energy, nourishes and saturates. It stimulates one to move forward, to live.

Hope Is is not a regular song, but rather a track with vocalizations from a distance, with lyrics sung by Kornel Poplawski and Marta Wojtas’ voice somewhat reminiscent of the sound from a space station. The single Hope Is will open Amarok’s next album, scheduled for release in spring 2024 and ready to be performed at the Final Night Of The Prog Festival 2024.

AMAROK Band line-up

Michał Wojtas: Guitar, Keyboards
Kornel Popławski: Vocals, Bass
Marta Wojtas: Vocals
Konrad Zieliński: Drums

AMAROKwill be performing during theFinal Night Of The Prog Festival 2024on the Loreley on Sunday, 21 July 2024!

Tickets for theFinal Night Of The Prog Festival 2024are available in the WiV Ticket Shop

AMAROK Links

Official website
Bandcamp
Facebook
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YouTube Channel

Steve Rothery is one of the best-known guitarists in the progressive rock genre. He is a founding member of Marillion, a band that has been a common name in the music industry for over 40 years. His guitar playing and sound shaped their early albums such as Script For A Jester’s Tear and Misplaced Childhood, as well as later albums acclaimed by fans and critics such as Brave, Marbles and most recently An Hour Before It’s Dark.

Rothery’s guitar playing clearly is in the tradition of David Gilmour, Andy Latimer or Steve Hackett. Creating atmosphere is more important to him than excessive, fast playing. Rothery’s Stratocaster sound became one of Marillion’s trademark.

Steve Rothery also plays regular gigs with his own band, the Steve Rothery Band. He now returns to Night of the Prog with his outstanding band to play a selection of classic early Marillion tracks including sections from the Misplaced Childhood and Clutching at Straws albums and several tracks from his highly acclaimed solo album, The Ghosts of Pripyat.

It’s the second time Steve Rothery will be playing with his own band at the Loreley for Night Of The Prog, after 2015. Steve says: “I’m really excited to return to Night of the Prog with my solo band for it’s final year. It’s a venue that’s always been very special to me ever since Marillion first played there in 1987! I know it’s going to be a fantastic weekend”.

The STEVE ROTHERY BAND

Steve Rothery – Guitar
Dave Foster – Guitar
Leon Parr – Drums
Yatim Halimi – Bass
Riccardo Romano – Keys
Martin Jakubski – Vocals

The STEVE ROTHERY BANDwill be performing during theFinal Night Of The Prog Festival 2024on the Loreley on Sunday, 21 July 2024!

Tickets for theFinal Night Of The Prog Festival 2024are available in theWiV Ticket Shop.

STEVE ROTHERY Links

Official website
Facebook
Twitter
Bandcamp
YouTube Channel

Over the past 20 years, Polish masters RIVERSIDE have built an excellent reputation. With many tours, more than 700 live shows all over the world, seven full-length albums, two mini albums, and two live albums, the band has become one of the bands at the forefront of modern progressive rock.
In the autumn of 2018 the band released Wasteland which became their biggest success so far. The album was high in many end-of-year album lists, and for some, it was even at the very top (like in the German Eclipsed Magazine). They also won a gold record award in their home country where the album was number 1 on the rock charts.
After playing a string of big shows in 2018/2019, they went on one last tour leg in Europe, in early 2020, before planning to go back into the studio to begin work on a new album. While being on the road for just three days, Covid hit, and during the following weeks, several countries were starting to close down. The majority of the shows took place but after two weeks, they had to hurry to get back home before borders were closed. Having this happen at the highest point of their popularity didn’t break them.

After a period of downtime, the band returned to the road in 2022. Touring in North America, South America, and Europe, they also worked hard on a new album which the band have just completed.
Now, with fresh energy and confidence, the band looks forward to a busy 2023.
They have released the new album ID.Entity on January 20th, 2023, followed by touring in the US, as well as shows planned in the UK/Scandinavia/Poland in the Spring.
With further touring planned throughout 2023, the future looks bright for these trailblazers of contemporary progressive rock music. The chart entries of the new album were amazing, i.e. #4 in Germany!

RIVERSIDE performed at Night Of The Prog in 2009, 2011, 2015 and 2018. They will return for the Final Night Of The Prog Festival 2024 and they will be performing on Friday, 19 July 2023 in one of the two headliner spots!

Tickets for theFinal Night Of The Prog Festival 2024are available in theWiV Ticket Shop.

RIVERSIDE Links

Official website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
YouTube Channel

Norwegian progressive rock band THE WINDMILL have more than 20 years of band history. They started in 2001 just for the fun of it, as a side project next to various other bands that the members at that time were involved in. The background for both the band and the name is a “revelation” Keyboardist Jean Robert Viita had somewhere in Germany in the early 90s. Above a hilltop, a wind mill farm appeared, and Jeanni discovered that the rotors in the windmills seemed to rotate in time with Camel’s Moonmadness playing on the car stereo. There and then the seed of The Windmill was sown! Founding members were Jean R. Viita (keyboards, vocals), Morten Clason (sax, flutes, guitars, vocals, keyboards) and Arnfinn Isaksen (bass). Bent Jensen (guitars), Vidar Kleivane (drums) and Erik Borgen (guitars, vocals) were later added to the line-up and for the next few years the band was actively writing material and performing live when possible.

Work on their debut album To Be Continued started already in 2005. At the time the band began to take shape as a proper band and not just a side project, and regular rehearsals were introduced, parallel to the studio work. It took the band several years to finish work on their debut album, a time where the band also had to face challenges with band members leaving and coming. Nevertheless, To Be Continued was finally released in May 2010.

In 2011, The Windmill got the chance to bring their music out to a larger audience, when a gratifying number of gigs appeared after the CD release: Nordkappfestivalen, Honningsvåg, warm-up for Fish in Drammen, and for The Watch at John Dee, Oslo , Norway and the Art Rock Festival in Lidköping, Sweden should be mentioned. The band became a well-known act in the Scandinavian prog scene.

Their second album The Continuation was released in 2013. The years 2010-2016 offered several pleasant tours and concerts at home and abroad. In particular, it was incredibly nice to play on the main stage at the Cambridge Rock Festival in 2014 and 2016, Haugaland Progrock Festival in Haugesund, with e.g. Junipher Greene, in 2015 and the concert with Adventure and Fish in Kimen cultural center in Stjørdal, also in 2015, just to name a few.

Before their third album Tribus was released, THE WINDMILL had to face another loss: Their drummer Sammi Nøland had contracted cancer. Although he managed to record his parts for the album, he sadly dies before the album’s release. Tribus was officially released in November 2018 in connection with the release gig at Belleville in Oslo, where drummer Kristoffer Utby took over the drums. Once again, the reviews were fantastic, both in Norway and abroad. In the wake of Tribus there was extensive gig activity in 2019, where the highlights must be said to be the Night Of The Prog festival in Loreley, Germany in July, and the Summers End festival in Wales in October.

COVID also had an impact on THE WINDMILL with less activity between 2020 and 2022, but they eventually started working on album number 4 in August 2022.

THE WINDMILL will perform on Sunday, 21 July 2024 during the Final Night Of The Prog Festival on the Loreley!

Tickets for theFinal Night Of The Prog Festival 2024are available in theWiV Ticket Shop.

THE WINDMILL Links:
Official website
Spotify
Facebook

MEER are an 8-piece alternative progressive pop orchestra from Norway. Their trademarks are a massive sound, fabulous melodies and awesome vocal harmonies. In addition, the listener can always expect quite a few surprises.

MEER started out as a duo in Hamar, Norway in 2008, and since then the duo has expanded considerably to become what it is today: an eight-piece eclectic collective whose music is a mix of orchestral pop, classical music and progressive rock. With their grandiose string arrangements and polyphonic vocals, MEER’s sound is far from minimalistic and flows in seemingly constant motion.

Today’s line-up comprises siblings Johanne and Knut Kippersund on vocals, Eivind
Stremstad on guitar, Asa Ree on violin, Ingvild Nordstoga Eide on viola, Ole Giestel on piano, Morten Strypet on bass and Mats Lillehaug on drums.

The first self-titled album was released in 2016 and received a positive feedback from fans and music press. MEER have released their second album Playing House to critical acclaim in January of 2021, and are now more than ready to go out into the world to play.
Sonic Perspectives said about Playing House: “When you discover a new favorite band, you want to shout their name from the rooftops.”
Prog Magazine: “Almost irritatingly gorgeous from start to finish”
Powerplay Magazine: “Enchanting and anodyne in equal meassure, Playing House is an alluring work of pure genius”
Currently the band is finishing a new album.

If you like your progressive rock to be symphonic, orchestral, melodic, catchy and with lots of energetic spurs, you should enjoy a MEER concert.

They will perform on Sunday, 21 July 2024 during the Final Night Of The Prog Festival on the Loreley!

Tickets for theFinal Night Of The Prog Festival 2024are available in theWiV Ticket Shop.

MEER Links:
Bandcamp
Spotify
Facebook
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Without question one of the brightest lights on the American symphonic progressive rock scene, IZZ melds classic and modern prog influences, strong melodies, complex male-female multi-part vocal harmonies, and stirring guitar, synthesizer, bass, and double-drumming work into a refreshing musical sound.

Since the release of their first album in 1999, IZZ has been a stalwart of the American progressive rock music scene. Combining a passion for melody with an adventurous musical spirit, IZZ has produced some of American progressive rock’s most beloved songs of the last 20 years including Coming Like Light, Star Evil Gnoma Su, Late Night Salvation and 23 Minutes of Tragedy.

IZZ marked the 20th Anniversary of the release of their breakout album, I Move, by releasing a special remastered edition of the album including over an hour of bonus tracks in October 2022.

IZZ released their most recent studio album Don’t Panic to critical acclaim in May 2019. Centered around the 18+ minute epic, 42, Don’t Panic revealed a fresh, new energy evidenced immediately by the title track’s driving bass and catchy hooks, the unpredictable musical twists of Age of Stars, and the instrumental tour-de-force Moment of Inertia.

IZZ is currently nearly finished recording their new studio album which will be ready for release in the first half of 2024, just in time to present parts of it on the Loreley!

Band Line-Up:

Paul Bremner: Electric Guitar
Anmarie Byrnes: Vocals
Brian Coralian: Drums and Percussion
Greg DiMiceli: Drums and Percussion
John Galgano: Bass Guitar, Vocals
Tom Galgano: Keyboards, Vocals
Laura Meade: Vocals

IZZwill perform on Friday, 19 July 2024 during the Night Of The Prog Festival on the Loreley!

Tickets for theFinal Night Of The Prog Festival 2024are available in theWiV Ticket Shop.

IZZ Links:
Official Website
Bandcamp
Facebook
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Flashback: The first Night Of The Prog Festival took place in 2006 – at the time it lasted only one day. One of the bands who performed during the premiere festival was the band SYLVAN, who were to be guests at the Loreley a few more times after that. So they were there when we started the journey – and they will be there when it ends …

SYLVAN were founded 25 years ago (strictly speaking, the band has existed since 1991, but at that time still under the name Chamäleon). Of the three founding members, Volker Söhl and Matthias Harder are still part of the band today. SYLVAN became known to a wider audience in the prog scene in 2005, when they opened for Marillion.

Over the years, SYLVAN have shown quite a variety of styles – concept albums, which are something of a standard in prog, have been recorded by the band as well as albums with shorter, catchier songs. Up until 2015, the band released music regularly and were quite often part the line-up of the Night Of The Prog Festival. After that, it became quieter around the band before a new album, One To Zero, was released in 2021.

After their last show in 2019, they’re now entering the stage again, doing both a best-of-show and playing the highlights of their almost 25years long lasting history.

Band Line-Up:

Marco Glühmann:Vocals
Volker Söhl:Keyboards
Sebastian Harnack:Bass
Matthias Harder:Drums
Johnny Beck:Guitars

SYLVANwill perform on Friday, 19 July 2024 during the Night Of The Prog Festival on the Loreley!

Tickets for theFinal Night Of The Prog Festival 2024are available in theWiV Ticket Shop.

SYLVAN Links:
Official Website
YouTube
Facebook
Instagram

Alex Henry Foster, who attracted attention in Europe especially in 2022, is a Canadian singer and co-founder of the band Your Favorite Enemies, with whom he released four albums. The death of his father in 2016 marked a break in Foster’s life and he left the band.

Windows In The Sky, his first solo album, was released in 2018 and went straight into the Canadian Top 5. The album was made with the help of his old bandmates. Two years later, it was released worldwide, followed by the live albumStanding Under Bright Lightsin 2021, which was recorded for a CD/DVD release at a Montreal music festival.

For Foster, music has always been a refuge, a gateway to other worlds. His father’sLed ZeppelinandBlack Sabbathalbums and his mother’s old rock’n’roll singles provided escape from the realities of growing up poor in Montreal.“That town does not treat poor people well,”he says.“I come from a difficult background, very blue collar. Music kept us together as a family. It was the most beautiful gift I could have received. My parents had nothing, and, in music, they gave me everything.”

His music unfolds a hypnotic effect, especially live – the tracks are sometimes improvised and extended to more than 20 minutes by the very well-rehearsed band. It seems as if there is a blind understanding among the band members, as if they are all very good friends with each other and as if they have already experienced a lot together. The audience is also integrated again and again and taken along by the charismatic frontman Foster. The tracks themselves often start quietly and increase into large, sometimes wall-of-sound thunderstorms of sound. Foster lets the listener share in his pain and despair and seems to process his past over and over again, almost like self-therapy. He grabs the audience with it because probably everyone has had to go through loss and grief in their own way. With this, Foster finds the connection and connects his audience to each other….
The intonation of Foster’s chanting sometimes reminds one ofAnne Clark‘s great deeds of the 80s …

In Europe, Foster most recently performed as the opening act for the bandThe Pineapple Thiefand impressed the audience there.

Foster was part of the line-up for the 2023 festival, but had to cancel his participation due to health issues. We are looking forward to finally seeing him and his band perform in 2024!

Alex Henry Fosterand his band will perform on the Loreley onFriday, 19 July 2024.

Tickets for theNight Of The Prog Festival 2024are available in ourWiV Ticket Shop!

Alex Henry Foster Links:
Officialwebsite
YouTubeChannel
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram