Is there anybody out there who misses BajaProg

Hi,

And here is another major issue of these Prog shows ... in 1999, at the SFPMF (San Francisco), there were a couple of things listed. In that list were a few "no names" ... but some nice ones ... so are you ready?

Lana Lane and the Rocket Scientists. Put on one of the most professional and clean shows I have ever seen any band do ... at most half the audience in there, and some of the complaints were that it had a bit too much metal in it! I find that comment really harsh ... and not appreciative of the music itself, and their work, which was unlike most of the bands, well rehearsed and ready for prime time ... and they will never even get a thread on PA about their shows!

Brand X. A fractured band showed up with just John on his guitar ... it wasn't super, but it looked like they rehearsed a bit and tried ... sadly it sounded ... weak. Half the audience ... probably because Phil Collins was not there! (Right!!!!!)

Buckethead. I'm not sure this belongs in the "progressive" mold of things, unless you consider watching someone play his guitar to Godzilla a great ... something or other ... might go better in Japan, but in SF with only one third of the audience? I ended up thinking that no one was gonna buy a single Buckethead CD that night!

Bondage Fruit. Probably a complete unknown band for most fans, and you could tell ... most of the audience were going in and out ... and did not pay attention to the music, and even the guitarist got upset during a solo and turned around and just played for his band! The did a nice show, but I think they were hoping for a nicer appreciation, and they got none ... and barely 50 claps at the end ... saddest thing I have ever seen in a "progressive" show!

The Per Lindh Project. With Ms. Hedberg at the front playing violin, and helping the band, it showed more "metal" on stage than Lana Lane. But the keyboard wizardry was nice, and Per Lindh did not use it to simply show off solos and do a RW impression! He stuck to their music and did well. Only half an audience!

Gong. A new bunch of folks on this one, with Travis, (sorry, forgot the drummer's name from Soul2Soul), and what I would say was a not a great show by the band, compiled by the fact that Daevid Allen got upset and I wished he had stopped the show and tell the video camera folks off and out of the stage ... there was a moment when he was "telling a story" and the camera was on him and the camera person walked away, half way through the whole thing ... DA threw a finger on his side step, and continued on, but you could tell by his tone he was not happy, and then the show straightened up and continued. About 2/3's of the audience. It wasn't bad ... just sad to see that after 30 years, a camera idiot still did not know what was important or not in the music!

Porcupine Tree. Supposedly a bad show, according to a roadie, because the Prophet 5 took a nasty spill at the airport and they spent from noon 4 or 5PM to try and fix it with it spread out on the floor backstage. Richard, spent at least 3 of these hours backstage while 2 other bands played, and fixed up a couple of synths to do the parts he needed. For me, and I had NEVER heard PT at that time, it was a fantastic show even with SW making a snide remark about the keyboard that broke ... but the band sounded absolutely fantastic ... and I was standing next to the producer of the show when that roadie came buy and I told him to shut up and leave the building ... he was hurting his band. Sean looked at him and pointed to the door! I have never seen, PT do a bad show! Full audience.

Magma. This was the show that I think everyone wanted to see. And the worst part of it, was waiting 30 minutes for Christian to nail his drum set down, which had to be done again later ... so he could play hard and harder, the only thing that determines what Magma is like, so to speak! It was an absolutely magical night and so special, and I am not sure that most folks in the audience had ever seen anything like it, even if they more than likely had a single album of Magma's (I had 13 of them!). Stunning sets and a 15 minute standing ovation ... that had both Stella and Christian in tears. Full audience.

My only desire and point here, is that even though I was one of the professional photographers for the show, I watched and saw all the bands, and gave them all the proper assistance in pictures ... with only one thing that soured me on SW ... he saw me with camera backstage and he immediately put his hand up front and said no pictures of his band or the show or they would stop. 

I have to tell you that SW was not one of my favorite folks, and that the "commercial" side of PT was already in full bloom. I didn't get a PT album for at least 5 years! I just didn't want a jerk-off in my collection! I've eased up since, but that moment is, for me, one of the saddest ever ... SW could give a sh*t about "progressive" anything, except what comes out of his crapper!

And this is the main issue I have with a lot of folks here ... there is not enough care, and respect for a lot of music, and too much of too many posts is about the favorites and the rest is crap ... and that is a very sad state of affairs, and until someone can improve that, and ensure that any band gets a better handshake for their music, I am not sure that most fans will ever give it a listen ... what I saw happening to Bondage Fruit and Lana Lane and the Rocket Scientists is one of the saddest realities of a lot of live shows ... RESPECT ... and appreciation for the music.

And this, kinda soured me on the chance of going to any other shows ... I just did not see the point ... and I remembered what Roy Harper said when he turned down touring with PF ... what for? so folks could throw sh*t at me to get off the stage?

We do not have enough respect for the music ... and some cynics here will report on all the stuff I wrote that they won't read because they are one of those folks!