Hi Helen!

I just read your post! I am a big progressive rock fan and as far as I know there is pretty much going on in the Montreux area! You could check out the following website http://www.montreux-prog.net/index.html (an association based in Montreux that promotes progressive rock in "Suisse romande")

If you click on "Liens et contacts", there is a form to fill in for prog rock bands. Otherwise, all the concerts organized by the "Montreux Prog nights" take place at the NED in Montreux, it's a music club, here is there website: http://www.ned.ch/index08.html and you can obviously send them an email at the address [email protected]

If you need any help to write your email in French, i can help you, Im from France ;-)

Hope this will work!

Best regards

Mary



Mary H, Sep 1, 2009 @ 21:18

 Hi Mary

Thanks for your response.  Great to find a fellow progressive rock fan!  I did try Ned in Montreux earlier in the year.  I just sent a spec email but I didn't even get an acknowledgement.  I hate that!  That's why I posted on here as I have sent spec emails out to venues in Montreux and Lausanne and not even a reply.   I am losing faith! 

I didn't know about the montreux prog net at all so this is fantastic.  A new avenue to try.  I have sent a note on their website so let's see.  I don't want to give up on this especially if there is a progressive rock scene out there.  I may have been targeting the wrong venues as a couple of places came back and said it's not their genre or style.  My friends band is excellent.  They have played at some big festivals in London and a lot in Italy and I think it could even be a great night out for the glocals crowd.  If I can make it happen then you must come along.  It would be good to meet you. 

Merci bien et salutations
Helen

PS:  Thanks for the offer to translate for me.  I did get a translation done by a friend at the start of the year so I just used the same one :)
helenglobal, Sep 2, 2009 @ 11:35

 

Hi Helen!
 
I really have my fingers crossed and hope it will work! Whats the name of their band? Im getting curious now :-)
For sure if they happen to play here in Switzerland I will try and do my best to come to Montreux! :-) I love at least 2 Italian progressive rock bands - Alphataurus and Museo Rosenbach (from the 70's!). Do you know them? You can check this out :-) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ed5vapckrKs and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOExjg6z2n0&feature=related
 
What are your favorite prog bands? As for me, I love Porcupine Tree (and Steven Wilson in general!!), Riverside, Opeth, Dream Theater (but not everything), OSI, The Mars Volta, Black Bonzo but also older stuff like Jethro Tull, Focus, Pink Floyd or King Crimson! :-)
 
I just thought of something else that might help you! There is a website for prog fans in Switzerland called "Proggies" http://www.proggies.ch/index.htm You can register there for free and post your question on the forum, or if you dont want to, you can also transfer me your email and I can post it for you on the forum. Some guys really know everything about the prog rock scene, know about all the concerts and all, and so Im pretty sure people would be glad to help you too! For sure they would be really happy to have a new prog band coming to Switzerland!!!
 
Thing is most of the members are German speakers (some of them are French speakers too, but not so many), so either you can post your email in English, or you can also send it to me (in English or French) and I can translate it into German (I am a professionnal translator, normally only from German and English into French, but if its an email, I can translate it into German, no problem! ;-)).
 
Dont lose faith! Im sure there will be a solution! :-)
 
Best wishes,
 
Mary 
Mary H, Sep 2, 2009 @ 13:14

 Hi Helen,

I live in Zurich so can't help you in the French part...but if your friends want to perform in Zurich, I can arrange a venue and you don't even have to pay.

Cheers
Ehsaan

Ehsaan, Sep 2, 2009 @ 16:04

Hi Ehsaan

Thanks so much for your reply.  Why can't it be that easy in Vaud!!  I wish :)  

They have to come from Florence so unfortunately Zurich is just a little too far.

Thanks anyway.  

Helen
helenglobal, Sep 3, 2009 @ 22:11

Hi Ehsaan

Thanks so much for your reply.  Why can't it be that easy in Vaud!!  I wish :)  

They have to come from Florence so unfortunately Zurich is just a little too far.

Thanks anyway.  

Helen
helenglobal, Sep 3, 2009 @ 22:11

Hi Mary

The name of the band is Lupus in Fabula sometimes known as LIF.  Have a look at their website www.lupusinfabula.info.  They are just working on the Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd so I hope by the time they get a gig over here they will be able to perform some tracks.  I'm into Pink Floyd and Genesis.  Supper's Ready by Genesis is just a masterpiece.  I've always been into rock music particularly ACDC, Led Zeppelin, Rainbow and 80's rock like Whitesnake, Ozzy Osborne, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Guns & Roses but since meeting the band I've got more into progressive rock.  I'll have to download some King Crimson and have a listen.

Would you mind helping me with the translation for the website?  It;s really helpful and only if you have time.  I'll write to you again tomorrow as I think I have something in English on my work PC.  Honestly I'll try anything and if I can post on a site designed especially for progressive rock fans then I should have more luck :)

Thanks again.  Have a great evening.
Helen

helenglobal, Sep 3, 2009 @ 22:13

Hi Mary

Here is the piece I have written on the band.

Lupus in Fabula www.lupusinfabula.info were formed in 1993 in Florence, Tuscany by Alessandro Galleni and Leonardi Pagni.  Their main orientation is progressive rock.  They perform their own material in Italian and compositions by Genesis (e.g. Cinema Show, Firth of Fifth, Mama, Home by the sea), Peter Gabriel (e.g. Here Comes the Flood, Sledgehammer, Washing of the Water, Digging in the Dirt), Pink Floyd (e.g. the whole of Dark Side of the Moon) and Phil Collins (e.g. Something Happened on the Way to Heaven, You Know What I Mean) in English.  They are a six piece band comprised of five male members (all Italian) including the two founding members and a female lead singer (German). 

 

They have performed extensively in Tuscany, at the Ealing Acoustic in London in October 2005 and at the Ealing Summer Festival in London in 2006 (one of the main London events for world music).  Last year they performed at Cafe Le Ve in Vevey and they plan to play in Rome and Paris in 2010.  They are hoping to perform again in Swiss Romande later this year.      

 What do you think?  Do I add some more information?  Would you be able to translate it into German and post it for me.  My email address is [email protected].  I think you mentioned that you needed it to make the post.  Of course the purpose of posting is to say that they are looking for somewhere to play.  Do I need to make that clear in the information about the band that they are hoping someone will reply and give them a chance.   Sorry to bombard you with all these questions!

Have a fantastic weekend and hope to hear from you. 
Helen      

helenglobal, Sep 4, 2009 @ 14:18

 does it have to be in geneva or could it be in the french outskirts?
hay_, Sep 4, 2009 @ 15:18

 The only way you're really going to get someone interested in letting the band play is by
sending out demo cd's, venues want to hear what a band will sound like before letting them
play so they are sure you won't scare their customers away, It doesn't matter how brilliant your
emails are, they want to know what they will sound like. Also people will be very hesitant in
letting free bands play, free = bad. So charge a small nominal fee.
Hope
this helps.
Simon
DJ_Symcard, Sep 5, 2009 @ 16:28

Hi Simon

Thanks for the advice.  I know what you're saying and I have a CD of some tracks of theirs and mp's too.  The problem is knowing where to send them.  I need to find venues that will at least be receptive to a band playing progressive rock and rock music otherwise I risk the CD ending up in the bin.  When I have sent spec emails to some venues I have always offered to send mps's or a CD if they are interested in the music type and I have never mentioned that they will play for free but still nothing!  I have another swiss acquaintance in a band himself and he told me it is virtually impossible to get a gig for an unknown band here! I am willing to go to the venues in person and hand the CD in if I think it will work.  If you can suggest anywhere to try, please let me know,

In the meantime, thanks again!
Helen      
helenglobal, Sep 5, 2009 @ 18:07

 Hi and thanks for your reply.  The band are coming from Florence so they are ideally hoping for a venue in Montreux, Vevey or Lausanne.  It takes them about five hours by road to get tas far as Vevey so to travel on to France would I think be a little too far. 

Thanks anyway.  I'm sure they would have a lot more success anywhere but Swiss Romande!  

Best wishes
Helen  
helenglobal, Sep 5, 2009 @ 18:14