Ok, let´s talk about this years Progpower USA VII. This excellent prog metal festival based in Atlanta, Georgia, will feature great bands. So far, the list includes:

Progpower USA VII, like previous years, will be an incredible experience!, only the best of the best get to perform there!, however, one thing we didn’t like about this year Progpower USA VII, are the strict rules established. I was very pissed when I found out that the organizers are not going to allow not just any kind of digital photography. According to the official web page, there will be a one time $10 fee charged at the door. You will be given a bracelet after your camera has been inspected. This bracelet verifies to security that your camera is ok. At this point, it sounds ok, $10 dollars is a fair price to use a digital camera on such an amazing event…. But wait, that’s not all…. You will go through a separate line for digital camera inspection, a list of banned cameras will be made available in the "event details" section one month prior to the festival. If your camera has the option to video over 30 seconds of video, it is banned. If you are caught using your camera for just those 30 seconds of video, you will still be escorted from the venue and not allowed to return. What????????, what the hell!?? This really sucks! And it’s a really stupid thing!! Almost all of today digital cameras have the option to record digital video!, and almost all cameras have the option to record more than 30 seconds of videos!, hell, almost all cell phones have that option…. The question is…. What’s going to happen to people who have cell phones with cameras? Are they going to ban those to?. What is this? And what about if I want to take a picture and to get it right on focus, more than 30 seconds pass… Will I be a suspect of recording video and will be escorted out?.
We understand that there are some copyright laws, but taking a picture or a small video doesn’t hurt anyone or any band, on the contrary, its free publicity. I mean I haven’t seen anywhere a bootleg video of Progpower. We are not talking about Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera!
“No backpacks will be allowed this year, only small camera cases”. WHAT???????????. What about all those who are not from Atlanta? What about those who want to take an extra set of clothes or want to carry personal belongings o some lunch?, come on you guys!
“Flash (regular film) photography is free and you can go through the main line for regular inspection”. Mmmm… I don’t think any person today uses that kind of cameras, well I don’t, I threw mine from the window a couple of years ago, simply because regular film sucks, and almost everyone prefers digital cameras. Additional paid spies in the audience. That really sucks, that is gonna make a lot of people feel very uncomfortable, I mean, you will be looked upon as a suspect of every move you make!
 “No Moshing. Period”. What in the #”$&$#””!!/&(=?? I almost had a heart attack!. No moshing? I been attending to rock concerts every since I was 16 and never encountered a rule like this. The organizers claim it’s for security reasons and to avoid lawsuits. I think if some guys want to join the mosh pit, it’s their own decision, and if they break a foot or an arm, that’s their fault and no one else to blame.
ProgPower is an excellent event, one of the best in the world, don’t let rules like encourage metal fans to look somewhere else or even worse, discourage them to attend Progpower.  
Well, that’s our opinion!!