Progressive Nation 2009 - Europe!

[The Butterfly Man]

Some of you may know that Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy organised a 'Progressive Nation'-tour through North America last year, including bands like Between The Buried And Me, Three, Opeth and of course Dream Theater. Last month there was a new Progressive Nation-tour announced, featuring Pain Of Salvation, Beardfish, Zappa Plays Zappa and Dream Theater. I was really hoping they would bring this tour to Europe this time, so I was a bit disappointed when I found out that they would only be touring North America again. But now there's some great news...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For Immediate Release
March 26th 2009
 
DREAM THEATER TO TAKE THEIR "PROGRESSIVE NATION 2009" TOUR TO EUROPE / UK IN THE FALL WITH SPECIAL GUESTS: OPETH, BIGELF AND UNEXPECT
 
New York progressive metal veterans DREAM THEATER will take their PROGRESSIVE NATION tour overseas for the first time with a run through Europe and the UK throughout Sept, Oct and Nov 2009.
 
PROGRESSIVE NATION founder and mastermind, DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy, once again hand-picked the bands based on musicianship, originality and diversity...not necessarily by popularity and marquee value. He comments: "After the excitement of putting together two very cool PROGRESSIVE NATION packages for North America, I knew it was time to bring the concept overseas and share some of these other great bands with our amazing fans throughout Europe and the UK".
 
Joining the tour will be DT's tourmates from PN08 (and Roadrunner Records labelmates), the legendary OPETH from Stockholm Sweden. Vocalist/Guitarist Mikael Akerfeldt was excited to partake in another PROGRESSIVE NATION experience: "Once my man "The Port" suggested they're going to bring PROGRESSIVE NATION over to Europe, I more or less begged him to get us on it, haha! We had such a great time doing it in North America and it did many great things for us as a band. It's fair to say that I can't wait to get going with this one. It will be a blast, believe me!!"
 
Los Angeles band BIGELF will bring their unique brand of psychedelic, progressive hard rock to PN09. Vocalist/Keyboardist Damon Fox adds: "When I first met Mike Portnoy, I felt like we were cut from the same cloth, a brother from another mother. We could talk rock & roll for eons (we probably will on tour, hell yeah!). Being added to the PROGRESSIVE NATION tour feels like the planets have aligned for us and the elves have finally come home to Rivendell. The mentality of Dream Theater and PROGRESSIVE NATION reminds me of a quote from the great Willy Wonka, "There is no life I know to compare with pure imagination. Living there, you'll be free if you truly wish to be..." We eagerly await our return to Northern Europe and on a special note, we have never performed in England. This has driven us completely mad over the years. We are just brimming with passion and excitement to be able to bring our music back to the homeland which has inspired us so deeply."
 
Opening the show each night will be Canada's UNEXPECT who will surely blow people's minds with their insane musicianship and avant garde style of extreme progressive metal. Guitarist Syriak had this to say: "How can we rationally express that crazy excitement we feel about this awesome turn of events...Upon getting offered by Mike to be on board this amazing prog vessel, we accepted at once to participate and add our own mad musical touch to the crew!  Being part of the European leg of PN09 is an extreme honor for us and playing in company of such talented musicians shall be a true and heartfelt enjoyment! See you all on stage guys!! "
 
The European leg of PROGRESSIVE NATION will follow on the heals of the North American version of PN09 which will run throughout July & Aug 2009 in the US and Canada featuring DREAM THEATER, ZAPPA PLAYS ZAPPA, PAIN OF SALVATION and BEARDFISH.
 
PROGRESSIVE NATION's successful inaugural run throughout North America in 2008 featured OPETH, BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME and THREE.
 
A festival and headlining run of Europe in June, followed by the two PN09 tours will be the first treks across the globe for DREAM THEATER in support of their newest Roadrunner Records release "Black Clouds & Silver Linings" which is slated for a late June 2009 release.
 
For more information, including dates to be announced soon, visit:
www.progressivenation2009.com (coming soon)
www.dreamtheater.net
www.myspace.com/dreamtheater

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DT and Opeth on the same bill! I'm really excited! Now bring on some tourdates!

Tom

[maddox]

DT and Opeth on the same bill! I'm really excited! Now bring on some tourdates!

Tom

A big +1 from me. 

[The Butterfly Man]

Dream Theater and Opeth (+ Bigelf and Unexpect) will play in Ahoy Rotterdam on October 7th. Tickets will go on sale this friday!

I love living in Rotterdam!

Tom

[The Butterfly Man]

Nicky, better start saving some cash...

September 27th - KB Hallen - Copenhagen, Denmark

Tom