US progressive rock band, Traverser, is confirmed to appear at ROSFest 2019.
Traverser was formed back in 2005 and has two albums to their name at the time of writing with “Redshift” from 2014 as their most recent production. At this point, the band is active in the studio preparing material for their third studio album. Traverser has built themselves a name and a reputation for being active in the live circuit and have a reasonably high degree of success as an independent band. Their second album has sold 1000 physical copies which is quite a lot for a non-label band in this era of streaming and digital sales. Musically, they belong on the harder side of the modern progressive rock landscape citing bands such as Porcupine Tree, Tool and Protest the Hero among the cited sources of inspiration. Or, as the band describes themselves; “A unique mix of progressive, alternative rock and metal”.
We were lucky to find Traverser among a long list of Florida bands as their music appealed to us on such a high level, we knew we had to sign this band for the 2019 edition of RoSfest. This is a band that hadn’t been on our radar previously and we look forward to sharing their music with our RoSfest audience. They are a seasoned live band with strong, quality music, which will prove to be a very pleasant surprise for many of our regular festival attendees.
RoSfest 2019 will take place on May 3rd through 5th, 2019 at the Sarasota Opera House, Florida. The final line-up and schedule for the festival is still TBA. Confirmed bands to appear so far are: Riverside (headliner), Karmamoi, and Traverser.
London – The John Wetton Estate and Geoffrey Downes are pleased to announce the re-release of the iCon Trilogy of albums, now remastered with bonus tracks in six-panel digipacks.
The re-releases have been personally overseen by Geoff Downes and are intended to be a return to the marketplace of individual albums for fans who may wish to purchase a definitive edition.
Of his songwriting relationship and the formation of iCon, Geoff Downes says, “Throughout my entire career, there is no doubt in my mind, that some of my proudest achievements have been the songs that I wrote with the late John Wetton. Not only were we great friends, but also blood brothers in the song-writing department. His magic rubbed off on me immensely, and outside of the hugely successful Asia template, we decided to step out together with our Icon project. It was a ‘bromance’ made in heaven because here we had the chance to expand our innermost thoughts and variety of influences, without interference. It was effectively ‘us’. We also had the luxury of working with some of the finest musicians in the world who were willing participants in the project.”
For fans of the whole iCon legacy, a box set is being planned out featuring these albums and all the other recordings of the iCon duo, including previously unreleased material.
Geoff Downes continues,“The Wetton Downes Icon catalogue spans across some 4 studio albums, this trilogy plus a prequel album called Zero and various live releases, and incorporates some of our greatest collaborations I firmly believe, and I am happy to impart the news that this entire body of work is being re-released with all of the bonus tracks and some previously unheard renditions of our classic songs. It is in fact Icon in its entirety. If you appreciate the music of John & I, then I sincerely hope you will appreciate these re-issues. Please sit back and enjoy. I know John would be equally proud to see these projects back on the market. All of these recordings mark special periods in our personal and creative lives.
“’Icon 1′ was the foundation of the Asia reunion. ‘Rubicon’ is thronged with the mysticism, symbolism, and multilayers that illuminate John’s lyrical prowess, virtually unrivaled in any era of creativity. John married events occurring in both our personal lives with Classical events in Roman History, crossing the Rubicon, the die is cast and some intensely personal reflections. His vocal performance is astounding. I look forward to discussing this amazing period in our lives at greater length in the box set planned for Christmas 2019.
“’Icon 3′ was a further milestone for us, with Dave Kilminster reuniting with John, a Japanese tour and possibly the most fulfilling DVD I have ever been involved in, Urban Psalm, filmed in St Mary Le Bow Church. I could reflect for hours and hours, take up the entire booklet, but for now…May our music live on forever.”
The albums are OUT NOW on the duo’s own Epicon Records via Cherry Red.
A previous re-release of the Wetton/Downes recordings of the 1980s, re-vitalized and re-packaged as iCon Zero continues to be available on Amazon ( http://geni.us/icon0 ) and iTunes ( http://geni.us/icon0dig )
InsideOutMusic, the leading light in today’s progressive rock scene, celebrate their 25th anniversary of being a label in 2018, in what will be one of their biggest and busiest yet. To coincide with this, two of their longest serving artists, Spock’s Beard & Roine Stolt’s The Flower King’s, will head out on a European co-headline tour in Winter 2018.
Spock’s Beard comment: “Spock’s Beard is excited to announce an upcoming Winter tour! It will be a co-bill with Roine Stolt’s THE FLOWER KING’s revisited band, so each show promises to be a great evening of music. We’ve been getting a lot of questions about who will be playing drums on this tour, so at this time let me introduce our new touring drummer, Mr. Mike Thorne, from SAGA! We are really excited to have him on board and are looking forward to seeing you on tour.”
Roine Stolt adds: “Asked to put together a band to go on the road, celebrate our label Inside Out’s 25 year anniversary – I was thinking of the ‘treasure’ that is the music I wrote for The Flower Kings during that same period. I felt compelled to bring out this music for yet another round – and in the process bring in some old friends and some new.
The music is universal – some songs timeless – and by November I hope to have an exciting set-list – to not only celebrate my 1st album and the origin of all things “The Flower King” – but to cover the rest of TFK’s history – and eventually a new tune & a few new faces. Tune up the engine – Time to prog!”
You can find the full list of dates below:
30th November – Cosmopolite, Oslo, Norway
1st December – Kulturhuset Studion, Stockholm, Sweden
2nd December – KB, Malmo, Sweden
4th December – Zeche, Bochum, Germany
5th December – Z7, Pratteln, Switzerland
6th December – La Machine, Paris, France
7th December – De Boerderij, Zoetermeer, Netherlands
8th December – Hedon, Zwolle, Netherlands
9th December – Islington Assembly Hall, London, UK
10th December – Academy Club, Manchester, UK
Formed back in 1993 in Kleve, Germany, the label made their name with acts such as Enchant, Spock’s Beard, Symphony X & The Flower Kings, many of whom they still work with now – a rarity in this day and age. Since that time, the label has played a key & continued role in the survival and resurgence of progressive rock in recent years and has always prided itself on shining a light on leftfield music. Now the band count some of the biggest & most exciting bands amongst their roster, including Dream Theater, Steve Hackett, Devin Townsend, Sons of Apollo, Kansas, Haken, Riverside, Leprous & more. On the label’s 20th anniversary back in 2013, one of the label’s founders, and current label-head Thomas Waber was given the Guiding Light award at the Progressive Music Awards, praising his aforementioned role in the continued celebration of progressive rock.
Many of InsideOut’s longest running relationships will see new albums released in the labels 25th year, including Spock’s Beard’s 13th album ‘Noise Floor’, a new collaborative project called The Sea Within that features Roine Stolt, Daniel Gildenlow & Jonas Reingold (all veterans of the label), a landmark live album from Devin Townsend filmed at a special performance at a Roman Theatre in Bulgaria, a new studio album from Riverside & much more.
This year will also see InsideOut release a whole host of lavish catalogue releases throughout 2018, including the second part of The Flower Kings ‘A Kingdom of Colours’ CD boxsets, a series of Devin Townsend high-end vinyl boxes, a CD collection covering the whole of Enchant’s illustrious career, & much more yet to be announced.
The Progressive Music Awards 2018 recently announced their nominations, with InsideOutMusic seeing 10 nominations in total, including Spock’s Beard for best international artist, as well as nods for Perfect Beings, Toundra, PFM, Sons of Apollo, Kino, Leprous & Caligula’s Horse. Find more details here: https://www.loudersound.com/features/vote-now-in-the-2018-progressive-music-awards
Vagabondages in North America tour featuring founding members Jean-Hervé Péron & Werner ‘Zappi’ Diermaier
German Krautrock legends faUSt will be embarking on their Vagabondages in North America tour in July 2018! faUSt is an experimental rock band which came out of the Hamburg music scene in the late sixties. Formed in Wümme in 1971, faUSt were the first band to have the term “krautrock” applied to their music, and to the genre that ensued. German for “fist,” and also the protagonist of Goethe’s eponymous play, faUSt was one of the first bands to use the recording studio as an instrument. Their live appearances were explosive (literally), as the pinball machines and jack-hammer legends detail.
Featuring founding member Jean-Hervé Péron, faUSt’s North American tour begins on July 11th in Chicago. There will be lineup changes and guest additions at various points of the tour – founding member and drummer Werner ‘Zappi’ Diermaier will join the ensemble in Brooklyn on July 22 to the end of the tour. Also featured with the band is guitarist Amaury Cambuzat.
Hello faUSt friends in Canada and USA!
As for 1994! and for the fifth time now, faUSt will ride again the highways of your continent, up and down from Chicago/IL to Montreal/QC, across and back, from Brooklyn, NY to L.A., CA, spreading the good words of DadaKrautRock.
Here all musicians involved in the tour… well, almost all because we do have “last-minute guests”…
In the North East faUSt will be: Jean-Hervé Péron aka Art-Errorist (voc, strings, wind and tools), Amaury Cambuzat (guit, voc), Tim Barnes (drums and sounds). In Chicago, we will share the stage with Bobby Conn (guit, voc), Monica Boubou (voc, violin) and Josh Johannpeter (drums). In Brooklyn we will meet up with Braden Diotte (bass and sounds)… and Zappi, yeah! That’s “ze big man wiz ze big nose!” on drums, voc, tools, and metal.
But wait: on the West Coast faUSt will fuse with the German/Spanish/Croatian all female dada-punk trio Ernsthafte Angelegenheiten. Yes, just call them “E.A.” before your tongue gets cramped.
Each day, each gig a new adventure, like vagabonds on tour… Rund ist schoen!!! – Jean-Hervé Péron
faUSt line-ups:
July 11 line-up:
Bobby Conn (vocals and guitarist), Monica BouBou (vocals and violin), Josh Johannpeter (drums), Amaury Cambuzat (guitar and vocals), Tim Barnes (drums and sounds), Jean-Hervé Péron ((vocals, strings, wind, and tools)
July 12-21 line-up:
Amaury Cambuzat, Tim Barnes, Jean-Herve Peron
July 22 line-up:
Amaury Cambuzat, Tim Barnes, Braden Diotte (bass and sounds), Werner ‘Zappi’ Diermaier (drums, vocals, tools, and metal), Jean-Hervé Péron
July 25-29 line-up:
Ernsthafte Angelegenheiten (all-female punk trio),Cincinnatibuzat, Braden Diotte, Werner ‘Zappi’ Diermaier, Jean-Hervé Péron
faUSt Vagabondages in North America tour dates:
July 11 – Chicago (IL) – The Empty Bottle
July 12 – Cincinnati (OH) – Woodward Festival
July 13 – Detroit (MI) – El Club
July 14 – Hillside Festival / Guelph (ON) / Canada
July 15 – Toronto (ON) / Canada – Jamfactory
July 16 – Montreal (QC) / Canada – BAR LE RITZ PDB
July 17 – Portland (ME) – Space Gallery
July 18 – Boston (MA) – Brighton Music Hall
July 20 – Philadelphia (PA) – Underground Arts
July 21- Baltimore (MD) – Creative Alliance
July 22 – Brooklyn (NY) – Murmrr Theater
July 25 – San Francisco (CA) – The Chapel
July 26 – Felton (CA) – Don Quixote’s Music Hall
July 28 – Los Angeles (CA) – Summer Happening / Social Shamans / The Broad
July 29 – San Diego (CA) – Casbah
Bellows Falls, VT – Veteran music journalist Joe Milliken recently announced a publishing deal with the Lanham, Maryland-based publisher Rowman & Littlefield Publishers to produce his first book, a biography about the late Benjamin Orr. Orr was the co-founder, co-lead singer, and bassist for the platinum-selling rock band The Cars. Titled Let’s Go! Benjamin Orr and The Cars, a release date is set for November 15, 2018.
Often considered the band’s heartthrob, Orr possessed an incredible voice, diverse musical talent, and rare stage presence, all balanced by a magnetic, yet enigmatic personality, striking good looks, and a relentless determination to reach rock stardom. Born Benjamin Orzechowski (aka “Benny Eleven Letters”) and raised in the Cleveland suburb of Parma Heights, Orr was, prior to becoming a world-famous rock star with The Cars, a “teen star” as a house band musician for the nationally syndicated television show Upbeat.
A few years later Ben met his musical partner and future Cars’ bandleader, Ric Ocasek, and by 1976 their quest for the perfect blend of songs, bandmates, and musical landscape finally materialized as The Cars. They would go on to sell over 30 million albums worldwide resulting in 15 “Top 40” hits.
From his early success in Cleveland through his stardom with The Cars to his solo band efforts and eventual rebirth with the emerging supergroup Big People, this definitive account of Orr’s rock-and-roll life is not a backstage ‘tell-all,’ but the story of a charismatic musician with a vision, a sense of adventure, and unwavering perseverance. Orr passed away much too young at 53, but he achieved his dream through hard work and determination, a long road that began in Cleveland and culminated with The Cars coming back to his hometown to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in April of 2018.
This first-ever biography about Orr spans 11 years in the making, as Milliken draws together interviews with over 120 family members, friends, bandmates, and music associates from Orr’s life, as well as many unpublished and never before seen photos from private collections, to reveal an intimate portrait of one of classic rock’s great talents.
About the Author: Joe Milliken has been a music journalist, editor and website publisher for two decades. A die-hard music fan with a degree in visual arts, Joe turned to writing as his creative outlet, first as a local reporter, then a sports/arts & entertainment editor and freelancer. In 2014, he launched Standing Room Only, a website dedicated to promoting music and the arts on a local (New England) and national level. Originally from Boston, Milliken now resides in southern Vermont with his wife, Kelly, and his children, Nate and Erin.
Learn more about upcoming book-related announcements, events, discounts, and author interviews at www.facebook.com/BenOrrBook, by email at benorrbook@gmail.com or follow @benorrbook on Twitter.
Joe Milliken: Author, Website Publisher
Donna Neale: Public Relations Assistant: benorrbook@gmail.com
Costa Rician Prog Metal band Wings of Destiny win award in the Best Metal Album of the year category for there release “Kings of Terror” at the 2018 Acam music awards in Costa Rica. this the second year in a row that the band has won this prestigious award. In 2017 the band won Best Metal Album of the year category for their release “Time.”
In a statement from the band:
This award goes to all our fans and supporters worldwide.
About Wings of Destiny
Wings of Destiny, previously called Destiny, is a Power Metal band from Costa Rica formed in late 2013 by vocalist Anton Darusso and bassist Bryan S. Molina, with strong influences from bands like Stratovarius, Angra, Helloween, and Rhapsody, among others. Currently, the band consists of six members: Anton Darusso (vocalist and founder of the band), Alejandro Amador (keyboards), Dani Chaves (Lead guitar), Cristian Jiménez (Rhythm guitar), Edgardo Monge (bass) and Roberto Ulloa (drums).
Bryan left the project shortly before the premiere of his debut album TIME which was produced by Marco Castro at Audio Macc Studios. Along with the debut of his debut album, also premiered his first video of the song Time, which gave the name to the album. In June of 2014, the first performance of the band was carried out at FireHouse Rock Bar.
In that same year, Destiny signed with the German label PowerProg and released a special edition of the CD TIME, which contains two bonus tracks, one of them with the participation of the Italian vocalist Roberto Tiranti (formerly Labyrinth). in the end, the band changed its name to WINGS OF DESTINY, due to the existence of a European band with the name Destiny. Parallel to the change of name, the band began to work in the second production.
In 2015, the band was dedicated to the production of the new CD, which would be called Kings Of Terror. For this opportunity, the band had the collaboration of the famous singer Fabio Lione (ex Rhapsody of Fire, Angra) in the recording of one of their songs: Angels and Demons. With a few presentations that year, at the end of 2015, the definitive version of the album TIME, under the new name of Wings of Destiny, came out with a new theme and the collaboration of the vocalist and producer Marco Castro.
At the beginning of 2016, the band released two singles from the new album, both the lyric video of Angels and Demons (with the participation of Lione) and Kings of Terror. In June of this year, the CD Kings Of Terror premiered along with the music video of the ballad Eternity.
At the end of 2016, the band finished its contract with PowerProg and a series of concerts were held in Costa Rica. The band also won the award for the best metal disc of the year in Costa Rica given by Asociación de Compositores y Autores Musicales (ACAM). In this year, the most recent member of the band, the guitarist Dani Chaves, was integrated at the beginning of 2017, Wings of Destiny released the video of the single Circle Of Fire in addition to being the support band of Kalmah in April.
