Could Hillage or Camel have a successfull NA tour??

[progman1975]

With the recent success of Magma and Goblin touring North America, I was pondering if Camel and or Steve Hillage could have the same kind of success?? I guess my reasoning
is I would like to cross two more bands off my bucket list ...Seriously, thoughts????

[progeezer]

Imho Hillage - No Camel - Maybe

[progman1975]

Imho Hillage - No Camel - Maybe

Be nice if Hillage could open up for someone like Rundgren, maybe??

[progmeister]

Unfortunately not

[Wah3]

Camel did have a short but successful tour in 2003.

[Leibowitz]

I don't think enough people know either act to fill venues. Camel was great at Nearfest in '03.

[SteveSly]

Camel did have a short but successful tour in 2003.

As was mentioned in the other thread about this not too long ago, in 2003 Camel had NEARfest to use as an anchor that they could base the tour around. Today I think their asking price is way beyond any current festivals budget unfortunately. Hillage might be able to do a small club tour, but breaking even would be a struggle I would guess.

[zeprogmeister]

Camel might be able to do a few east coast and west coast major cities. But I don't consider that a "US Tour" Would probably need a festival date to build around, and there's not many of those anymore..

[GuitarGeek]

Remember that one of the reasons the Goblin tour was successful was they weren't just playing to the (ahem) "prog rock" audience. They were also playing to horror movie fans, who were there because of Goblin's association with Dario Argento. So you had at least double the normal audience.

Not sure why the Magma tour is doing well, unless it has to do with them coverage in places like NPR, and there also seems to be a decidedly "not prog rock" contingency who rate Magma highly in a fashion that they may not give to, let's say ELP or Genesis or whatever.

Or maybe all that underground college radio airplay, plus the occasional visits are finally paying off, and Magma is truly finally breaking Stateside, 40 years after Herb Alpert went off the reservation and signed them to A&M!

[HONDO]

everyone put their money where their mouth is. I mean what is to stop us a collective (co-op), if you will and fund our own festival(s).! Just a thought, but why not?? Collectively we have enough recourses to accomplish such a thing. Heck we may even get advice from the NearFest boys or others I know and you know on how to do this properly. If you truly have a passion and love live music then it is a no brainer. Never say No only YES. any thoughts??
Nothing is impossible unless it is left untried.

[SteveSly]

everyone put their money where their mouth is. I mean what is to stop us a collective (co-op), if you will and fund our own festival(s).! Just a thought, but why not?? Collectively we have enough recourses to accomplish such a thing. Heck we may even get advice from the NearFest boys or others I know and you know on how to do this properly. If you truly have a passion and love live music then it is a no brainer. Never say No only YES. any thoughts??
Nothing is impossible unless it is left untried.

A collective co-op, where a group people put their money together to fund a festival? It's called ProgDay. Its been around for 20 years, but I guarantee it can't afford Camel........

[HONDO]

Oh yes it could really easily! One must believe and never say no. Give the people what they want, so may as well give it to ourselves. We can make it work if we want to.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Remember that one of the reasons the Goblin tour was successful was they weren't just playing to the (ahem) "prog rock" audience. They were also playing to horror movie fans, who were there because of Goblin's association with Dario Argento. So you had at least double the normal audience. Not sure why the Magma tour is doing well, unless it has to do with them coverage in places like NPR, and there also seems to be a decidedly "not prog rock" contingency who rate Magma highly in a fashion that they may not give to, let's say ELP or Genesis or whatever.

Both assessments are absolutely true. Goblin's main audience seems to base around the much larger public of "retro" as a whole, with the combination of the Argento connection as well as the namechecking by other folks within close enough distance to the "hipster" safety zone. Magma are a true cult phenomenon within "out" rock - almost en par with someone like The Residents - give or take the "prog" affiliation. There's a huge undercurrent of avant-rock (or even "indie") musicians and listeners openly admiring of Vander and his legacy - in the US, Japan and certain areas of Northern Europe and even South America. Overall eccentricity helps art once it communicates as genuine.

[progman1975]

I guess I should have said mini tour ..Kinda like what Magma did...And Chris, Hillage has a whole **new** audience with his dance electronic/prog

[gpeccary]

I would imagine Hillage might be able to pull it off due to his association with System7 and the electronica world? But the motivation radio world? Not so much!

[PeterG]

No, not in 2015...1975 maybe.
I'm not being cruel, but they are hardly even known in their own country and they've never been top of the pile in popularity amongst prog fans, they've always been second division in popularity after the big prog names.

[Steve F.]

Oh yes it could really easily! One must believe and never say no. Give the people what they want, so may as well give it to ourselves. We can make it work if we want to.

Posting a bunch of happy blather on the internet doesn't make it happen.

You should contribute time and/or money to ProgDay if you want something to happen. They would be extremely happy to hear from you.

[Scott Bails]

Posting a bunch of happy blather on the internet doesn't make it happen.

You just killed Facebook, Steve.

[progeezer]

You just killed Facebook, Steve.

Euthanasia as far as some are concerned.

[Steve F.]

You just killed Facebook, Steve.

Extremely glad to help.

[HONDO]

Hey Steve I have indeed given money to ProgDay in the past. Have been to 4 of them and not to mention financial contributions over the years.

I was thinking of starting a new member funded and produced festival with the goal of strictly bringing in class acts for no financial gain or profit. THis can be accomplished.

[HONDO]

And yes my blather is Happy and somewhat crazy but one can dream right. I am not sure if you are mocking me or your intentions are good? If you are mocking me than it is not appreciated.

[battema]

And yes my blather is Happy and somewhat crazy but one can dream right.

Until someone stops saying "we can do this!" and actually does something concrete to actually DO it...then it will remain nothing but a pipe dream. You say it can be done? Great: go get it started then.

And money is not the only consideration here. There's will, health, and a zillion other considerations in the case of an older band like Camel.

[Steve F.]

And yes my blather is Happy and somewhat crazy but one can dream right. I am not sure if you are mocking me or your intentions are good? If you are mocking me than it is not appreciated.

I'm not mocking you.

But posting here doesn't get it done. I've done plenty in the music biz and in the concert biz and I know that.

I also know talk and blather is cheap. Cheaper today than ever in internet land. And pretty fucking cheap as well on specialized interest boards like PE, where people hear only from people who agree with them / share their p.o.v. / share their tastes and never have to go out and deal with the other 99.999% of people who do not share their interest or tastes.

You want to do it? Great. DO IT.

Otherwise, it's just more blather. The end.

[Steve F.]

I was thinking of starting a new member funded and produced festival with the goal of strictly bringing in class acts for no financial gain or profit. THis can be accomplished.

One should always attempt to not just break even. If your best case scenario is not losing money, then you will almost certainly and undoubtably lose money.