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Thread: Any Questions/Memories for Rob & Chad?- NEARFest

  1. #1
    Moderator Sean's Avatar
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    Any Questions/Memories for Rob & Chad?- NEARFest

    Next week on my Saturday night FB talk show my guests will be our old friends Chad Hutchinson and Rob LaDuca and our theme will be "NEARFest Memories" as we look back at the great moments from the long running festival. 1999 thru 2012.

    We have some guests dropping by including Brett Kull from Echolyn and Larry Fast from Synergy/Peter Garbiel/Tony Levin bands. We might have another surprise guest or two pop up before it's over too.

    I will upload the show to my YouTube page once it's done and post it here so you all can check it out, if you miss the live stream on FB at Saturday 9pm Eastern.


    -S
    Last edited by Sean; 07-06-2020 at 05:08 AM.

  2. #2
    Hi Sean, Rob and Chad.

    I loved my lone experience of Nearfest. It was here I first met my friend for life Steve Feigenbaum, the wonderful Paul Sears (who was one of my favourite drummers) and Dave Kerman, who I would go on to play with in Bob Drake’s band. I will never forget drinking into the small hours with Gary Green who, after being extremely complimentary about Guapo’s set, said ‘I guess you must be familiar with the concept of a day job’.

    But the memory I know will have stayed with them is the stress of our torturous journey from Philadelphia* in two cabs throughout the night to get to Bethlehem in time to, pretty much, grab several cups of coffee, do a brief soundcheck, change into our stage clothes and perform, having been up half the night unsuccessfully trying to fix Zombi’s van (who we were touring with) after a show.
    I don’t remember what time you got the call or when the decision to take the cabs was made but I’m sorry for the stress these four sketchy British drop outs caused you!

    *At least I think it was Philadelphia. Wherever it was, the journey took ages.
    Last edited by Kavus Torabi; 07-06-2020 at 04:25 AM.

  3. #3
    I am from the Bethlehem area, but moved away before NEARfest. However, the Lehigh Valley has always been a hot bed of prog fans.

    It would be nice to know how the region and its taste in music played a role in deciding that Bethlehem was the right place for the festival.
    "The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"

  4. #4
    Where did I get that really good sandwich that day?
    Sleeping at home is killing the hotel business!

  5. #5
    Moderator Sean's Avatar
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    NF SOAL.jpg

    Thanks for the memories and questions! Keep them coming!

  6. #6
    Moderator Sean's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wilcox660 View Post
    Where did I get that really good sandwich that day?
    The food truck?

  7. #7
    Member rickawakeman's Avatar
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    One of my fondest NF-related memories was running into Rob at the Iron Horse here in town in the early aughts. We were seeing Keneally with the big-band BFD, Rob said he was scouting them for NF. Rob knew me by name which for whatever reason made me feel a part of the NF family (I had yet to miss one at that time!)

    Rob probably doesn't remember (sob)

  8. #8
    Member since March 2004 mozo-pg's Avatar
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    I would be interested to hear how the original idea for NF was created by Rob and Chad. Where did they get the idea? How did they go about the early planning? When did they know it was going to be the incredible success it became? What were NF highlights from their perspective?
    What can this strange device be? When I touch it, it brings forth a sound (2112)

  9. #9
    "Playing" the entire Dark Side of the Moon album on various bottles and glasses at the hotel bar with Matthew Parmenter, and not actually realizing it was Matthew Parmenter until the next day.

    Crashing a party with Zoltan Csörsz and Michael Gardiner. Smoking up the flute player from La Maschera Di Cera with the always awesome Scott from Denver. Chatting the night away with Hasse Bruniusson discussing the joys of weird music.

    Waiting in line for tickets at Zolener and afterwords meeting the mighty Jim Robinson at the Bethlehem Brew Works for the first time. Meeting, hanging out, and partying with most of Frogg Cafe when they were still a one album band.

    But my most fond memory was finding out there was a progressive rock festival in the state I lived in, less than 4 hours from my house and being annoyed that I hadn't heard of it two years earlier when it first started (and thanks to Rob for letting me know, via email, after I had sent an email to the address on the Deus Ex Machina website telling them how much I loved their music and how sad I was that I would probably never get to see them play live............which I then did at my first Nearfest in 2001).

  10. #10
    We've been doing this over on Facebook for the last couple weeks, at the prodding of Kevin Feeley.

    A few great NEARfest memories (and I'll try to be as brief as possible)

    1. Meeting a bunch of my online friends for the first time, notably friends Tina, Rhea (who figures into another memory prominently below), Roy, Zoey (RIP), Cyndee, Jeff (RIP), John, and a bunch of others.

    2. Magma dropping the US premiere of KA on us on 2002. I knew there was a new/old Magma piece being played in Europe, at the time, but I didn't know it was gonna be a full album length piece.

    3. As I'm scooping my brains up from the floor after memory 2, my friend Rhea calling me from the aisle to tell me the seats next to her and her husband were empty (they had patron seats that year, I did not), so she led me down the aisle and we got to their row just as the band was starting MDK.

    4. Seeing the second ever VDGG US performance (then seeing them again about a week later here in Cleveland)

    5. Talking to Steve Hillage at NEARfest 2009. In particular, he notes that I'm wearing a Magma badge around my neck, I then point to the Gong badge I'm also wearing, and he says "You've got the yin and yang of French prog rock on you". Then I greet Miquette Giraudy by saying, Bon jour, Mademoiselle", and Steve says, "What a polite young man you are!". That was too much fun. And since I had already met Steve and Miquette in Amsterdam a couple years earlier, and had them sign my albums there, I had nothing for them to sign but my program at NEARfest, so the guy in line in front of me asks if I'd have Steve sign one of his LP's as my "second item" (I think we were only allowed two).

    6. Finally seeing Djam Karet perform after a decade of being a fan. Also, hanging out with Djam Karet

    7. Roger Trigaux of Present (another band I waited the better part of a decade to see) asking me, "Where is pissing room?"

    8. Seeing the look on Dave Newhouse's face when I yelled out "CAPTAIN BOOMERANG!" at the start of The Muffins' set.

    9. Cyndee Lee Rule and Jeff Nutkowitz letting me have their second or third row seats for Magma's 2007 performance.

    A bunch of the memories but I'm trying to be brief here.

  11. #11
    Moderator Sean's Avatar
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    This is shaping up to be a great show!

    Special guests are Larry Fast (Peter Gabriel), Derek "Mo" Moore (Nektar) and Brett Kull (Echolyn).

    Never know else might drop by too.

    Fun starts at 9 this week instead of 10. BTW Eastern

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Sean View Post
    The food truck?
    No. It was a deli. I gave half of it to the frontman of Sleepytime Gorilla Museum after their set as he was famished!
    Sleeping at home is killing the hotel business!

  13. #13
    Laughing & joking with Gary Green.

    Lovely conversations with folks I didn't know about wonderful music.

    Roger Dean drawing a new Yes logo on my Close To The Edge booklet.

    The wonderful Zoellner staff.

    Hanging of with Frank & Stan from HTM / OS.

    Great shows but even greater folks. THAT was the lightning in a bottle.
    Sleeping at home is killing the hotel business!

  14. #14
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    Why didn’t they call it BARF?


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    Would they consider a one off festival if they could have a big reunion like gentle giant as headliners?


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  16. #16
    Moderator Sean's Avatar
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    Saturday is shaping up to be quite a party! Check out these guests that will be dropping by!

    Annie Haslam/Renaissance
    Larry Fast/Peter Gabriel
    Derek "Mo" Moore/Nektar
    Brett Kull/Echolyn
    Mike Keneally/Zappa and more

    Who wants to tune in live and watch this on FB?
    I can post a link in this thread once we go live Saturday.

  17. #17
    The eons are closing
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    Can it not be on FB? Or can you post somewhere afterwards?

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  18. #18
    Member nosebone's Avatar
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    I'll watch!
    no tunes, no dynamics, no nosebone

  19. #19
    Moderator Sean's Avatar
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    I go live on FB with every episdoe, so it kinda has to be there.

    But I always upload the show to the show's YT page right away, as soon as it's over, so I will post a link to the YT version asap.

  20. #20
    Member AncientChord's Avatar
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    Living on the west coast made it impossible for me to attend any Nearfest performance although I always kept up on the news every year. And I also read all the posts on The Progressive Ears website forums from you guys. I'm sad that not every performance will ever be released in any audio/visual form, but do understand the restrictions involved. However I do have a question for Larry Fast. Mr. Synergy, I have been an admirer of your work for many years. The Synergy albums have always been a highlight of my music collection, and have stood the test of time. Also your work with other artists has always helped to light the fire. Your contribution to the Nearfest performance with Nektar was stunning. Just to hear you perform Recycled in itself was tear inducing. IMO it's better than the studio version. I know you did a solo performance also at Nearfest. I do understand the difficulties at being a one man show, but would you ever consider doing any more solo concerts? Nearfest proved you could pull it off.
    Day dawns dark...it now numbers infinity.

  21. #21
    Watching it now - it's great! Thanks for putting it on YouTube so we who missed it live can enjoy it still.

    Quote Originally Posted by Sean View Post
    We are live on FB now. If you don't have it, fear not! I will post a YouTube version asap once it's done.

    https://www.facebook.com/sean.tonar/...0586914915594/

  22. #22
    Moderator Sean's Avatar
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    That was a really cool show, if I do say so! I think I got to most of your questions. Though I didn't have time to share more than a couple memories. Sorry about that. Too many were happening in real time.

    Thanks all for tuning in and thanks to Chad, Rob and our guests (Annie Haslam, Mo Moore, Larry Fast, Brett Kull and Mike Keneally) for making this such a unique episode! Some cool info about the new Nektar album is here, along with info on Mike's new solo record and Brett's new album with Echolyn. Annie recalls Carnegie hall and discusses how awesome playing with an orchestra can be. Her collab with Steve Howe on "Turn of the Century" comes up too. That almost became a new group with new music but Jon Anderson called in the middle of it to reunite Yes so that was that. Larry stuck around and last hour is a chat with him about the first four Gabriel albums, playing with Nektar on Recycled and the reunion at NF, Synergy- one man shows and his friendship with synth pioneer Wendy Carlos. Among other topics.

    Next weekend I have a double shot- two shows. A special Friday night show with Derek Shulman of Gentle Giant and my usual Saturday night show with Wings guitarist Laurence Juber. Thanks all for tuning in and thanks to Chad, Rob and our guests for making this such a unique episode!
    Last edited by Sean; 07-12-2020 at 06:17 AM.

  23. #23
    Moderator Sean's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by arabicadabra View Post
    Watching it now - it's great! Thanks for putting it on YouTube so we who missed it live can enjoy it still.
    My pleasure! Your delicious coffee came up more than once tonight too!

  24. #24
    Member nosebone's Avatar
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    Hey Sean, great show. You were an excellent host, a natural in that format.

    Larry Fast was a really interesting guy, unfortunately I missed the two years he performed.
    no tunes, no dynamics, no nosebone

  25. #25
    NEARfest Officer Emeritus Nearfest2's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fracktured View Post
    Would they consider a one off festival if they could have a big reunion like gentle giant as headliners?
    Nope.
    Chad

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