PROG Awards and PROG Magazine Video [Part 1?]

So to follow up my sharing of the stream of the 5th Annual PROG awards from a few days ago, I have meant to make an actual video about PROG Magazine and the Awards show.

And truth be, I didn't have down a laundry list of names to bring up on a dime like I would, which is why I may actually make another video or 2 about this hyperbole soon.

That being said, the jist of my rant is in there and supports my feelings about PROG magazine and the Awards.

Perhaps on the next 1, I will try and include some props aka the magazines, etc.

The Grape and the Grain (Solo/Side project of Daniel Grimsland of THREE)

I was introduced to this band/project of Daniel Grimsland of the band Three per Facebook, and I must say, its got something. "The Hudson" is I guess the most recent released work from The Grape and the Grain, but it appears they also put out a debut LP earlier this year titled Better Keep Digging, which I embedded from their Bandcamp as well below.

I haven't checked out the full length record yet, but the new single "The Hudson" and a 2nd/b-side titled "Lord I'm coming Home," I am enjoying. It's pretty ballsy, guitar driven blues-rock. I am reminded maybe a bit of a band like Hotel of the Laughing Tree in their heavy-blues moments, and even a little of older school hard rock/metal in some ways. The guitar work is tasteful, using lines that fit well. I suppose that is a big element of Bluesy kind of rock anyway.

Does it sound like Three? eh, maybe a little here and there, but I think it stands out enough to not realize it's their bass player.

Anyway, I haven't heard the full-length yet, but mean to. Right now, I gotta finish up some other posts and then head down to Northfield to see Miracles of Modern Science finally. But I'll by some miracle, lol, be able to get back to taking more of this project's music in, and hopefully some others will as well.

edit: Just based on their name, I could see The Grape and the Grain doing a good double bill with someone like Erick Serna Killing Floor or Trent Romens. Perhaps Daniel even knows Erick still as Three did tour with The Dear Hunter more than once.

Joey Eppard and Family in Rochester, MN 3/1/13

3/2/13 3:00PM

Purple Rain, such an epic, tasteful ending to last night's special show.


3/2/13 1:19AM
I just got home from seeing this private room party performance at Kathy's Pub in downtown Rochester, MN

this show was awesome. Joey and his Dad Jimmy played for probably close to 90 minutes including an acoustic set from Joey. My friend Josh Rundquist, filled in on drums for Joey's brother Josh who couldn't make due to obligations with Coheed and Cambria. And Josh was a very good fit for them, in this setting.

The whole thing was for Joey's Grandpa Waylon's 80th B-Day. There were like 30 or 40 family and friends there, myself and some of Josh's friends sort of felt we were crashing a private party. They had this great buffet of food with 2 or 3 types of meatballs and pigs in a blanket. Veggies, Fruit and a lot of other stuff.

The stuff Joey did was much if not all on his new Live DVD, which I would strongly recommend others pick up on his site (or at least download it I guess, in FLAC form? via bandcamp I thought Joey mentioned).

Joey's dad is a really good mostly blues/blues-rock guitarist, which now having seen him play, I can understand how the guitar chops runs in the family.

They even closed the show with Purple Rain

A really great, personal-able night, getting to see and chat with Joey and some of his family. His son Julian even ended up walking around near Joey, Jimmy and Josh during many songs, it was comical.

here's 1 of the tunes they did "Stranded in a Treetop" with Joey's father Jimmy (not from the show tonight obviously.

Coheed and Cambria w/ Three + The Dear Hunter (twice) Northeast Sept 2012

Okay, these are the tour dates Coheed and Cambria has posted this September. As this description shows, the 9/29/12 date in Atlantic City will have all of them on the bill. I also noticed my friend Neesh on facebook mention the Rochester, NY Coheed show on 9/21/12 will include 3 as well (but not necessarily The Dear Hunter).

I imagine this short Northeast tour could include them all. Not that it is so relevant to myself living in Minnesota, but it is a pretty cool 3-band bill, that I'm sure some folks will want to check out, if they are a fan of all of them, or 1 or 2, or just progressive rock in general.

edit: this link shows the modified Tour Schedule below shows

The Dear Hunter: only for 9/28 and 9/29 dates
Three: 9/13, 9/19, 9/20, 9/21, 9/22, 9/24, 9/25, 9/26, 9/28 and 9/29.




13 Kingston, NY - Ulster Performing Arts Center*
15 Chicago, IL - Riot Fest Chicago
16 Charlotte, NC - WEND Wienie Roast
19 Buffalo, NY - Town Hall*
20 Toronto, ON – Mod Club*
21 Rochester, NY -  Water Street*
22 Albany, NY - Hart Theater at The Egg*
24 Syracuse, NY - Wescott Theater*
25 Burlington, VT - Higher Ground*
26 Hartford, CT  Webster Theater*
28 Worcester, MA - Palladium**
29 Atlantic City, NJ - House of Blues**
* w/ 3
** w/ 3 and The Dear Hunter

tickets are available here

Cynic US Tour: Support 3, Anathema, STS

one posting with some dates

Cynic‘s upcoming tour with 3 has begun to take shape with initial dates available below. The trek will also apparently feature Scale The Summit and Anathema at a number of the stops with more details pending.

11/03 West Chester, PA – The Note (no 3)
11/05 New York, NY – Gramercy Theatre (“The Metal Suckfest“) (no 3)
11/11 Pontiac, MI – Clutch Cargo’s
11/12 Joliet, IL – Mojoes
11/13 St. Paul, MN – Station 4
11/18 Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theatre
11/22 San Francisco, CA – Slim’s
11/23 West Hollywood, CA – Key Club


I'll be going to the show on the 13th, however, it'll mean a lot more if in fact Anathema is there. Station 4? as I've said many times before about them, credit to them for booking good tours, but their sound and environment (namely how hot it gets) has really led me to sour about that place. So much so, I may even prefer 1st Crapenue now, lol.

But so be it. It's a show with some great bands, however the venue circumstances will have to be secondary. Perhaps they'll install air conditioning and have the right guy doing sound (unlike whoever did the last Fair to Midland show, along with Protest the Hero a few years ago).