Any press is good press?

Ah, Seattle (sigh) — even a “pick” in the Seattle Weekly calendar comes laced with backhanded sarcasm:

‘Prog rock’ can be a scary word, conjuring images of Geddy Lee’s terrifying soul patch and beady circular glasses staring you down. But ‘progressive music’ by nature isn’t just bound to one sound or one Canadian space-rock band—it’s an amorphous term that just means ‘music with roots in psych rock that tries something a little different.’ Seaprog—an artist-created festival featuring local proggers—ranges from Midday Veil’s Jungian synth-landscapes to Fang Chia’s jazz odysseys to Super Z Attack Team’s brave use of the Chapman Stick, a relative of the guitar that’s wider and designed for tapping. We promise Lee won’t be there to terrorize anybody.”-Kelton Sears

Now if all of us just grew stovepipe beards and pretended we were from 18th century Appalachia, they’d be eating out of our hands. 😉

Call for Seaprog 2014 artist submissions

The Seaprog festival of progressive/art rock is now fielding submissions from artists interested in performing in the 2014 festival, to take place June 20-22 at the Columbia City Theater and the Royal Room. Several confirmed acts will be announced shortly, but we still have a number of open slots to fill.

Preference will be given to artists from the Pacific Northwest.

We’re primarily — but not exclusively — interested in instrumental acts with a contemporary orientation, rather than re-creations of historical progressive styles. To be considered for inclusion in this year’s festival, please message us with a link to audio and / or video samples of your recent work, as well as a brief artist description, contact information, and a few words about why you think you’d be a good fit for Seaprog. Please note that, as a musician-run event without institutional support, the festival has a limited budget and hence can only offer modest performance fees. Looking forward to hearing from you!

— The Seaprog Central Committee

Seaprog 2014 will exist for sure

Seaprog 2014 is confirmed for June 20-22 at the lovely Columbia City Theater, with a free Friday kickoff event at the inviting Royal Room. Roster planning will commence shortly, with guidelines for inquiring artists to be posted in due time, likely after the holidays. Mark your calendars for what’s sure to be another exhilarating weekend!

Seaprog 2013 photo gallery: Zhongyu

Seaprog 2013 photo gallery: Trimtab