Author: bradbirzer

By day, I'm a father of seven and husband of one. By night, I'm an author, a biographer, and a prog rocker. Interests: Rush, progressive rock, cultural criticisms, the Rocky Mountains, individual liberty, history, hiking, and science fiction.

THE SOURCE Understandably Delayed in North America

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rockLeave a comment

This from Mascot and Arjen–for which I say, no worries!  Eager for the final product when it arrives.

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Dear Ayreonauts,

Here’s some important news about your Ayreon-The Source pre-order.

There is a delay in processing the orders from US and Canadian addresses. A few weeks ago, Arjen visited the Mascot warehouse in the Netherlands to sign thousands and thousands of Earbooks, vinyl, CDs, and what-have-you. After that, everything had to be shipped to our new fulfillment center in Albany, NY. Usually we process mailorder from our cozy New York office, but Ayreon is such a big project, there’s simply no room for that… 🙂

The shipment took a very long time to be processed by US customs, longer than usual. This delay is beyond our control, but we apologize for it anyway.

Everything has now been processed by US customs, and is now on its way to the MerchNow fulfillment center, where all your orders will be packed and sent out. Our order system is not linked to them, so you will receive 2 shipping notifications: One from MerchNow, one from MLG.

Of course, all these delays mean that you will not receive The Source on the release day, April 28. We are very sorry about this, but the logistics around this album ran into a few more bumps than expected. We really, really, really appreciate your support for Ayreon, and we thank you for your patience while you wait for your Source-goodies to arrive.

Until MerchNow has processed your order, we are not able to give you a status update. Please don’t ask us where your order is, or if it has been shipped. We simply have to wait until MerchNow gets back to us with an update. It’s also not possible anymore to update your order, t-shirt size or address.

Again, our sincere apologies for the delay. We hope you like… No, you WILL like The Source!

Kind regards,
The friendly folks of the MLG Webstore

Mew in North America!

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock1 Comment

Holy Schnikees!  Wouldn’t have imagined this would happen.  Wonderful.

***

DANISH ART/ROCK BAND MEW
ANNOUNCES “VISUALS” NORTH AMERICAN TOUR

L-R:  Jonas Bjerre, Silas Utke Graae Jorgensen, Johan Wohlert

Photo credit:  Sasha Ryabina
LOS ANGELES, CA – (Friday, April 28, 2017) — To support and celebrate today’s release of Visuals, the band’s seventh album (Play It Again Sam), Denmark’s biggest export, the indie-art-rockers MEW, announces an 18-date North American major-market tour that kicks off August 3 at the Bowery Ballroom in New York, and wraps in Los Angeles on August 26 at the El Rey Theatre.  Confirmed dates are below; tickets go on sale next Friday, May 5 at 10AM local time.  For all ticketing information, log onto www.mewsite.com
Additionally last week, Mew’s new single, “Twist Quest,” “a fascinating beast of a track,” according to
Stereogum, catapulted to the #2 position on FMQB’s SubModern Report chart with spins at Alternative and Triple A major and secondary market radio stations across the country.  Check the track’s lyric video out here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHIEEvJMZBI&t=1s
Said vocalist Jonas Bjerre, “One of the big questions on the minds of everyone in the band since we were close to finishing the new record has been, ‘When are we going to tour North America again?’ The last time was one of the greatest touring experiences we’ve had so far, and we’re longing to come back.  Well, we are confirmed for August 2017, we are super thrilled with these new Summer plans, and are currently working on making this tour really special, to live up to the title of the album!”
Indeed, Bjerre, who creates the visuals for all of the band’s art work and merchandise and has directed several Mew videos, has conceived and designed the stage production for the North American dates. Based around the concept of “visuals,” projections and videos, produced expressly for this tour, along with special lighting and other effects, will set the stage for Mew’s captivating and majestic music.  Fans can expect the band’s set list to draw from all points of their career, including selections from the new release.
For these dates, Mew’s line up – vocalist Bjerre, bassist Johan Wohlert and drummer Silas Utke Graae Jorgensen, will be joined by guitarist Mads Wegner and keyboardist Nick Watts.
Confirmed dates for Mew’s “Visuals” North American tour are as follows:
AUGUST
 3    Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY
 4    Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
 5    9:30 Club, Washington, D.C.
 7    The Foundry at The Fillmore, Philadelphia, PA
 8    The Sinclair, Boston, MA
10   Mod Club, Toronto, ON
11   Magic Stick, Detroit, MI
12   Park West, Chicago, IL
13   Turf Club, St. Paul, MN
15   Bluebird Theatre, Denver, CO
16   The State Room, Salt Lake City, UT
18   Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver, BC
19   Neumos, Seattle, WA
20   Hawthorne Theatre, Portland, OR
22   The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA
24   The Observatory North Park, San Diego, CA
25   The Observatory, Santa Ana, CA
26   El Rey Theatre, Los Angeles, CA

Continue reading “Mew in North America!” →

THE ONION: Canada’s Healthcare for Aging Proggers

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock3 Comments

Hilarious.  Time Lord?  Thoughts?

http://www.theonion.com/article/justin-trudeau-unveils-plan-meet-healthcare-needs–55878

“Wires” Video from NAO

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock1 Comment

I’m rather embarrassed to admit I missed this video when it came out.  Better late than never.  NAO is as good as it gets when it comes to prog-pop.  Extraordinary video and music.

Progstock 2017

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock1 Comment

2017-header

Even before two lectures delivered on the cultural changes that accompanied America’s Great Depression, I had the great privilege of talking with Tom Palmieri, manager of Circuline and fountainhead behind Progstock 2017.

Though we only had about 30 minutes to talk, I found Tom quite engaging and incredibly entrepreneurial.

Progstock 2017–hopefully the first of many more to come–will be held October 13-15, this year, in Rahway, New Jersey, a part of larger New York City, just to the west of Staten Island.

The lineup is simply astounding, featuring Glass Hammer, Echolyn, The Tangent, Karmakanic, 3RDegree, Simon Godfrey, and even our own Jason Rubenstein.

Continue reading “Progstock 2017” →

The Fierce and the Dead: Last Day for Signed Copies

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rockLeave a comment

From Mighty Matt:

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Hiya

This is the final reminder about the Fierce And The Dead’s new live record, thank you to all of you ordering, the response has been incredible. We’re 50 orders off our biggest ever pre-order sale and funding our DVD recording. Amazing.

If you want the limited edition signed postcard version of our new live album this is the last week to order it. The link it here:

tfatd.bandcamp.com/album/field-recordings-live

Tape cassettes are almost gone too.

All of the band really appreciate the support and it would be brilliant if we can do the final 50.

Thanks loads

Matt

Cygnus Visits Local Record Store

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock2 Comments

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It’s April 22. A huge day, as you all well know. It’s, after all, the Feast Day of St. Arwald of the Isle of Wight.

Oh, wait. Maybe that’s not what you’re thinking.

April 22???  Something, something. . .

Oh yes! Eart. . .

No, Record Store Day. That’s it. Record Store Day! No offense to St. Arwald. He was pretty cool.

checker record
Checker Records, Hillsdale.  Photo courtesy of the Hillsdale Collegian.

But, Record Store Day is the day we celebrate the local record stores, owned by families, groups of friends, and entrepreneurs who struggle against the collosal entities of the box stores and the cyber corporations. If you do nothing else today, please buy something from your local record store. My local record store is Checker Records–run by wonderful people and serving excellent coffee as well as good conversation and good humor.

Continue reading “Cygnus Visits Local Record Store” →

Big Big Train News

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock1 Comment

Featured Image -- 32441This just in from the band:

Hi everyone,
The new Big Big Train album is called Grimspound and will be released on April 28th 2017.

Here is a new promotional film made by Peter Callow for Experimental Gentlemen (Part Two). The full-length version of this song will feature on the Grimspound album:

https://youtu.be/lqlOm97Yh7U

And here is a promotional film made by Johan Reitsma for a song from the album called As the Crow Flies:

https://vimeo.com/212443344

Pre-orders of the Grimspound album are now available at our official stores:

Burning Shed (for vinyl and CDs):
https://www.burningshed.com/store/bigbigtrain/

The Merch Desk (for merchandise and CDs):
http://themerchdesk.com/merchdesk/index.php?route=product/category&path=87_115

Bandcamp (for hi-resolution 24/96 downloads):
https://bigbigtrain.bandcamp.com

There are two vinyl versions of the album. There is a limited edition frosted clear vinyl version alongside the standard black vinyl version. Both vinyl versions are gatefold releases featuring double heavy weight 180g vinyl and a 4 page booklet insert including the lyrics and the stories behind the songs. A complimentary code for a high-resolution download version of the album is provided with each vinyl order. Orders of the limited edition frosted clear vinyl will also include a postcard signed by all band members. A limited edition blue vinyl version of 2016’s Folklore album is also available at Burning Shed and includes a complimentary hi-resolution download code.

The CD edition of Grimspound is presented in a gloss laminated softpack and features a 24 page booklet with the lyrics and the stories behind the songs.

The hi-res download version available at Bandcamp includes a PDF of the CD booklet.

Grimspound is also available to pre-order on MP3 on Amazon and will be available on the iTunes store on the day of release. Spotify and other streaming and download sites will also feature the album from the 28th April.

A full range of new merchandise is available at http://themerchdesk.com/merchdesk/index.php?route=product/category&path=87_115

For the latest news on Big Big Train, please like our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/bigbigtrain/

And for discussion about Big Big Train, progressive rock and other matters of interest, please join our forum at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bigbigtrain/

Best wishes,
Andy, Danny, Dave, David, Greg, Nick, Rachel & Rikard

THE SOURCE: Ayreon’s Deeply Moving 9th Album

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock2 Comments

A review of Ayreon, THE SOURCE (Mascot, 2017).  Summation: Arjen Lucassen climbs ever higher in the prog pantheon.

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On April 28, 2017, Arjen Lucassen releases the ninth studio album of his progressive rock space opera project, Ayreon.  Entitled THE SOURCE, Lucassen’s latest–to no one’s surprise–throws everything the great man possesses into it.  From heavy guitar riffs to Queen-inspired vocal melodies to Celtic folk, the album comes in at over 88 minutes long.  Quite an amazing feat, even for Arjen Anthony Lucassen.

After all, what can’t the man do?

If I tried to pretend objectivity, I’d be readily and truly accused of dishonesty.  Since I first listened to Ayreon–well over a decade ago–I was quite taken with it.  Since then, I have collected every thing that Lucassen has done–from Star One to Guilt Machine to The Gentle Storm to Ambeon to Stream of Passion to his solo work.

Continue reading “THE SOURCE: Ayreon’s Deeply Moving 9th Album” →

Wishing Tim Hall (Kaylr) the Best

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock1 Comment

Some of you might know that our great friend and prog ally, Tim Hall (aka Kaylr), is experiencing some serious health issues.  I’m sure he would very much appreciate our good thoughts and prayers.

On facebook, Jane Armstrong wrote that he is in Lister Ward at Royal Berks Hospital, Reading.

Our absolute best to you, Tim!

For those of you interested, please be sure to check out Tim’s website: http://www.kalyr.com/weblog/