ProgPower USA Confirmed Bands

ProgPower USA III, Atlanta's third annual progressive and power metal festival, has been announced for Friday, November 15 and Saturday, November 16 at Earthlink Live. Confirmed bands include a number of artists making their first US appearances, including Germany's Blind Guardian, Brazil's Anagra, Germany's Gamma Ray, and the UK's Threshold.

“With great enthusiasm we are looking forward to our first US appearance ever,” said Blind Guardian vocalist Hansi Kursch. “We really feel privileged and greatly honored to headline one of the finest and best US Metal Festivals. This festival will be our first opportunity to present us as one of the most intense and exciting metal bands around in these days.”

Added Gamma Ray’s Kai Hansen: “We're absolutely looking forward to playing the US for the first time and bringing the American metalheads something different from Germany other than Schnitzel and Sauerkraut. We're expecting to have a ball with a lot of people that are ready to rock and have a good time singing, screaming, raising hands and shirts (girls only) and banging brains out.”

Sweden's Pain of Salvation, fresh off of an opening spot on the Dream Theater European tour, will be making their third trip to the States. Germany's Edguy will also be returning to the U.S. for the second time. America's own Reading Zero, the only independent band on the roster, has secured one of the opening slots. Three roster spots are still to be confirmed over the coming weeks.

"I'm thrilled with this year's lineup, as I truly believe it is the best roster for progressive and power metal ever assembled in the U.S.," said the event's organizer, Glenn Harveston.

Tickets will go on sale July 1 via all TicketMaster outlets. Only 850 two-day passes will be available to the public at a cost of $80 each.

Source: Electric Basement