CRIMSON GLORY Comments On PROGPOWER USA Festival Performance

Florida-based melodic metallers CRIMSON GLORY have issued the following statement regarding their headlining performance at the ProgPower USA X festival on September 11 at the Center Stage in Atlanta, Georgia:

"CRIMSON GLORY would like to extend their sincere thanks and appreciation to all of the people this year who helped make ProgPower USA X a truly special and memorable event:

"To Glenn Harveston and his efficient, steadfast and very accommodating cast and crew of stage managers, soundmen, stagehands, photographers, merch guys, shuttle drivers, and caterers. All of these guys (and gals) deserve a massive standing ovation for all of their hard work in helping Glenn bring this festival year after year, bigger and better every time. Like any great production, the real magic is what goes on behind the scenes, and Glenn and his people kicked ass every step of the way. Thank you!

"To the amazing collection of guest vocalists who took the time out of their day and their performances this year to lend their talents and their thoughts to Midnight's [late CRIMSON GLORY singer] tribute. Each and every one of them did a truly excellent job putting their heart and soul into the music. They each provided something for everyone this year; putting their own unique touch on the songs made each performance truly personal, and we know that Midnight was smiling down on each and every one of us that night. Thanks must also be extended to the bands as well for letting us borrow their frontmen during the festival. Thank you!

"To our backing musicians: Matt 'Moop' Laporte, John 'Azrael' Zahner, Todd 'Kidnight' La Torre, David 'Dude... where's my car' Van Landing, and Danaë 'Queen/Dragon Lady' Saree. We truly appreciate all of your hard work, dedication and long hot nights spent rehearsing in our warehouse helping us prepare for the ProgPower festival. You all did a tremendous job and deserve the all the credit and recognition you're received. Thank you!

"To our techs: Mark 'Borgy' Borgmeyer and Jimmy 'Mad Eye' Dupree. Thanks for keeping everything together and in working order, and for putting up with our constant demands! We couldn't have done the show without your dedication from start to finish. Thank you!

"Lastly, but by no means least, to our fans! At the end of the day, it's the fans who make the difference, and nearly 25 years later, CRIMSON GLORY still has some of the most loyal fans in the world. Whether you came from right up the road or halfway around the world to see this show, you are the driving force behind everything we do. We had a great time meeting those of you we did, and it was really touching to see all of the great photos and autographs of Midnight that many of you had. We saw some teary eyes out in the crowd Friday night, and to know how many people were moved by the performance as well as the memory of Midnight is truly a testament to what an influence his voice and his words had on everyone, including us. We love you!

"We would also like to briefly address the content of the set, and why we chose to perform the songs we did:

"This performance was a tribute to Midnight, but it was also a CRIMSON GLORY show. We wanted to make sure that our newer fans, as well as those who had never seen the band live before, were able to get a taste of the current incarnation of CRIMSON GLORY as well as the music of the past twenty-odd years. Wade Black is our frontman and the current voice of CRIMSON GLORY, and he deserves a big thank you for opening and closing our show with the face-melting power that we have all come to respect from the War Machine.

"As for why 'Strange and Beautiful' was not included in the set, there were many songs that we didn't get a chance to perform; we simply didn't have the time to perform them. We were pleasantly surprised at the number of fans who were looking forward to hearing some tracks off of that album, and we wish we could have accommodated everyone, but hey, that's what the next show is for :) See you all again on the ship! (Triton Power Cruise 4/29/10).

"Ultimately ProgPower X will go down as one of our favorite and most personal performances of our careers. Indeed, it was a very emotional experience for everyone involved, and we feel that Midnight absolutely received the heartfelt sendoff that he deserved."

Midnight passed away on Wednesday, July 8 from "total kidney and liver failure." He was 47 years old.

Midnight sang on CRIMSON GLORY's first three albums — "Crimson Glory" (1986),"Transcendence" (1988) and "Strange and Beautiful" (1991) — before going into self-imposed exile for almost a decade. He eventually rejoined CRIMSON GLORY in 2005 but was dismissed in January 2007.

CRIMSON GLORY's classic "Lonely" video (off "Transcendence"):