InProg

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InProg is an international Progressive rock festival held almost yearly since 2001 in Moscow, Russia.

The festival was organised by the Russian Rock-magazine InRock.

The whole reason for the original festival came to be the visit of Azazello to Norway. Azazello played on a Norway festival with Wild Willy's Gang (coverband featuring Willy Bendiksen and Jorn Lande). Azazello stopped in Moscow for a while so a concert with other bands was held. Responses were very good so it was decided to make it annual. However, because December isn't the best time for a festival it was moved to the beginning of the year, therefore year 2002 was skipped.

Most of the performers in this festival are progressive rock artists from Russia, but there are progressive rock artists from other countries too. The idea is to put well-known artists and unknown artists in the same concerts so more bands will gain recognition.

The organizers of this festival called it "a festival of intellectual music", because except giving to progressive Rock artists to perform they also give to Jazz and other genre artists to perform. The official slogan of the festival is "Music for the brains".

Since the festival began in 2001 it's popularity grew from year to year.

Since 2004 the festival was taking place in the biggest Moscow rock-clubs, B2 in 2004 and 2006, and Apelsin club in 2005.

In the year 2005 the festival turned into an international two-day festival, with legendary progressive rock bands not only from Russia but from other countries to coming to perform in the festival.

Though there was an InProg 2007 festival planned, it didn't take place because of a low financial situation.

The low economical situation was the fact that the tickets to the festival were traditionaly cheap, so people fron all economical backgrounds could arrive, while the expenses were large (paying for the electricity, for the transportation, for the hotel, for the flights of the bands from abroad, and paying to tha bands). Even thought the festival could have turned into an open air concert (it's popularity would allow that), and that would allow to sell more tickets and make more money, the organisers insisted on keeping the club mood of the festival and said that they would try to re-organise the festival again in 2008.

[edit] List of all festivals and performers

InProg 2006 (9 April and 23 April)

Day 1 - Vicheslav Gorskiy & Kvadro, EXIT project, Blind Vandal, Olle Lukoye, Kaftan Smeha, a Jam session of different musicians led by Alexander Kostarev, who was specially invited to lead the Jam session.

Day 2 - Little Tragedies, Azazello, Extrovert, Nightingale (Sweden).

All performers from Russia, except where noted.

InProg 2005 (14-15 May)

Day 1 - Samla Mammas Manna (Sweden), Tanquam, Invisible Front, Andrey Suchilin and Do Major Neo.

Day 2 - Olive Mess (Latvia), Hidria Spacefolk (Finland), Kostarev Group, Marimba Plus, Disen Gage.

All performers from Russia, except where noted.

InProg 2004 (11 April)

Arsenal, Kostarev Group, Disengage, NYL, Metropolis.

InProg 2003 (15, 22 February)

Day 1 - Nova Art, Orgiya Pravednikov, Face-X, Azazello.

Day 2 - NYL, Kostarev Group, Azazello.

There was also a one-day InProg 2003 festival in Sankt Peterburg (16 February).

InProg 2001 (11 November)

Azazello, Face-X, NYL, Nordream, Elisium.

[edit] Trivia

Azazello were not printed on the InProg 2006 poster because it was not known if they could arrive or-not till the festival itself. Nevertheless, their name was mentioned on the festival t-shirts.
On the poster of the InProg 2004 festival the name of the band Disen Gage was mistakenly printed in one word, Disengage.
The record for the most times to appear in the festival is four times, and currently it is held by Alexander Kostarev.
Though being a yearly festival, in 2002 and 2007 there was no InProg festival.
Thought originally announced to arrive to the InProg 2005, Blind Vandal eventually canceled their appearance due to the fact their guitarist was ill, and their place was taken by Andrey Suchilin and Do Major Neo.
In InProg 2003 the band Kupe didn't arrive, though they were suppose to.