Progday and Vaccines

[kenschwartz]

Maybe it is because I am really missing live music, and/or maybe it is because I will soon be fully vaccinated....

But I was wondering if there has been any talk of this year's Progday occurring? It is outdoors and relatively socially distanced by design. Would it be possible to hold this event if proof of vaccination was required for entry? Being from NY, I don't know the details of what North Carolina is allowing, it terms of large gatherings.

Anyway, just wanted to throw this out there, as I have been wondering about it for a few days now.

[progholio]

I have seen here locally in St Louis that concert venues are looking to pick things up starting this summer with no restrictions. This seems kind of ambitious but things are improving to where it might be possible.
I would think there would be plenty of room for social distance at Progday, I'd be up for it personally.

[flytomars]

I have a ticket to Moers Festival in Germany in May, it is about one month from now, I admire their (and my) optimism...
Really stoked- Le Grand Sbam + Black Country New Road + tons of great jazz, hope it will happen.

[Poisoned Youth]

If I had to venture a guess, I'd say ProgDay could happen if the organizers and artists invited want it to happen. "Presumably" by September there will be a large enough portion of the population vaccinated that one would imagine there would be no restriction on an outdoor event of that expected size. It's possible that there would be no indoor pre-show or weather contingency plan that would involve indoor performances.

I would imagine this thread will get the attention of the organizers and you might get a more definitive answer.

[JKL2000]

One consideration is if musicians from outside the US are willing to fly here. But I guess they would just have to book bands that are ok with that and can meet whatever requirements the airlines and the FAA have. Or do all/more area bands. I might have to drive down there for the first time, as opposed to flying. I would actually like to drive there with my family, but since the first day of school for my son is labor day, I've never relished the idea of leaving early on Monday morning to get home in time. I like to sleep in a bit on Monday after ProgDay, although the Comfort Inn is a bit lonely as it usually clears out early.

Anyway, for me the details would be worked out, I just hope it happens! I'm sure the exalted, grand high Poobah of ProgDay is mulling all this over already...

[Steve F.]

I was just discussing this with John Battema yesterday.
I have no inside information, but they could probably pull off a USA only bands event.

[chalkpie]

Might be USA artists for a while at any shows/gigs here in the states.

[markwoll]

I was just discussing this with John Battema yesterday.
I have no inside information, but they could probably pull off a USA only bands event.

Frédéric L'Épée of Yang said that they are scheduled to be there. Who knows. It might happen.
Magical thinking rules!

[Steve F.]

Frédéric L'Épée of Yang said that they are scheduled to be there. Who knows. It might happen.
Magical thinking rules!

Well, that would be great. We’ll see.

[Dan Roth]

One consideration is if musicians from outside the US are willing to fly here.

ProgPower USA just pushed their fest back for the 2nd year in a row, this time to June 2022. Glenn said he could have tried to pull it off with USA-only bands, but thats just not ProgPower.

[progholio]

I have no inside information, but they could probably pull off a USA only bands event.

I'd be completely fine with that.
Hell, i might even be ok with a tribute band or two if it came down to it.

[kenschwartz]

Frédéric L'Épée of Yang said that they are scheduled to be there. Who knows. It might happen.
Magical thinking rules!

if i could have picked one band, it would probably be them, so...fingers are crossed

[JKL2000]

Frédéric L'Épée of Yang said that they are scheduled to be there. Who knows. It might happen.
Magical thinking rules!

Perhaps I'll be sitting behind you and your camera once again (at least six-feet)!

No communal crab-dip this year, Ed!

Aim carefully in the Turdis, please!

[Shadow]

I was just discussing this with John Battema yesterday.
I have no inside information, but they could probably pull off a USA only bands event.

I was thinking it might be difficult bringing in foreign bands.

[Shadow]

Perhaps I'll be sitting behind you and your camera once again (at least six-feet)!

No communal crab-dip this year, Ed!

Aim carefully in the Turdis, please!

No more free beer either, the brewery stopped giving it away.

[kenschwartz]

I was thinking it might be difficult bringing in foreign bands.

one of the things i was trying to get at with the original post - and i don't think anyone knows...just a topic for speculation - is: with proof of vaccination, will people (fans and/or bands) be able to attend more easily? i could imagine a scenario where the opportunity for international travel (to or from the US) is dependent upon being able to prove that you have been vaccinated. if that happens, who knows what bands might be available....

[Shadow]

I'd be completely fine with that.
Hell, i might even be ok with a tribute band or two if it came down to it.

There is enough American bands that you could have bands that have never played Progday, or even an American festival before.

[battema]

IMHO

Lots still can happen in the next few months. Assuming restrictions and mandates are relaxed regarding the venue and surrounding area, that's a big plus. Audience willingness to attend probably isn't a significant concern. Limiting things to domestic bands would probably reduce costs and possibly eliminate some degree of risk.

Ed's not wrong: there isn't exactly a shortage of good/great/fabulous domestic talent that has yet to grace the stage. I'm sure there are some older favorites who might be game to be there to celebrate a return trip to the farm as well.

Frankly, they could book the front desk clerk from Comfort Inn to come read the rate card out loud from the stage and we should all be damned grateful to be able to be there for it

I'm also going to mention something uncomfortable but also kind of meaningful to me (and almost certainly others): when we go back, there are going to be a number of faces who aren't there because they aren't with us anymore. I'd be happy to have an official moment to recognize those who were there for the festival for so many years who have passed on. 60 seconds of silence, whatever. It just feels right somehow.

[adap2it]

I'm on the band selection committee and there has been no activity regarding Progday 2021. Like most music fans, I would be more than happy to have a return to Storybook Farm regardless of the line up. Not sure if it was public knowledge, but Storybook Farm was sold a couple of years ago. Apparently, the new owners were still open to letting the field to Progday (and possibly others).

[boilk]

one of the things i was trying to get at with the original post - and i don't think anyone knows...just a topic for speculation - is: with proof of vaccination, will people (fans and/or bands) be able to attend more easily? i could imagine a scenario where the opportunity for international travel (to or from the US) is dependent upon being able to prove that you have been vaccinated. if that happens, who knows what bands might be available....

This is a great point. I'd say it's also very much a two-way street. I don't know about the climate regarding Covid in North Carolina, but if I was a band from France and had proof of vaccination, I wouldn't go to a foreign festival (even a low attendance outdoor one), who didn't mandate their attendees and staff to also have proof of being vaccinated.

neil

[NogbadTheBad]

A USA band based festival would be wonderful, I would certainly do whatever is possible to attend.

[gearHed289]

There is enough American bands that you could have bands that have never played Progday, or even an American festival before.

This ^^^

[boilk]

Yes, I would see an all US line-up for sure. Being able to safely cross the border from Canada and back is another matter, however.

neil

[moecurlythanu]

I'll be a Free Man at that point, and would likely make my first PD.

"If you build it, they will come."

[boilk]

That’s not the impression I got for the in person 2020 festival. Im not sure if it was the new owners or someone who spoke for them and lived close by.

Anyway, because of the lack of Messenger RNA vaccines in the world, I think a worldly completely in-person fest is very unlikely to come off. MRNA vaccines are the only ones which deal with the South African variant which is expected to be a factor in 5 months. However, I think it would be interesting to consider a hybrid fest using a rental of a large projection screen plus streaming of international bands. There would also be in-person bands performing (perhaps streaming back to the world). I haven’t considered the cost but international travel of bands is cheap. Just think of how large effectively the fest would be, and if the fest was streamed outward, people would want to visit in the future, even though it could be more people than the capacity of Storybook

I admire your optimism on this, but I think a big part of the appeal of Progday is to be there in person, on that field with everyone and having the bands live. I know it is for me. And I love the drive down and back too. It's a beautiful area of the country. I'm not convinced streaming it will encourage a vast increase in attendance, either. It was streamed last year, if memory serves, and whilst an interesting diversion, was no substitute. YMMV.

neil