NEARfest Records is a new record label specializing in full-set or near-full-set live releases from the North East Art Rock Festival. Formed on January 1, 2003, NEARfest Records was launched for the 5th anniversary of its big-brother festival. All recordings are of the highest quality, courtesy of Mike Potter of Orion Sound Studios from Baltimore, Maryland, and made on 24-bit DA78HR digital recorders. The multitrack masters are mixed by the respective bands to ensure that the live performances sound as the artists intended. NEARfest Records is a wholly-owned entity of Progressive Arts, Inc. The first release was a co-release of Steve Hackett's set from 2002 courtesy of Camino Records and is available in now. Nathan Mahl and Djam Karet are next. And Thinking Plague and Birdsongs of the Mesozoic are being planned for late 2004 with many others under consideration.
Various Artists/NEARfest 2005: Rising to the Surface ....DVD $23.99
(excerpt from 'Felona e Sorona')
Download Stream
The North East Art Rock Festival has become a yearly mecca for progressive rock fans. With a world-class lineup of international talent and start-of-the-art production, NEARfest provides a common forum for bands and fans alike to immerse themselves in the music they love for an entire weekend. NEARfest 2005 was no exception featuring powerful headliners Le Orme and IQ, and rare U.S. performances by Japanese fusion-masters Kenso and Belgian avant-garde cult favorites Present. For the first time, the magic that is NEARfest has been captured on video. Sit back and enjoy many of the highlights from NEARfest 2005. Other bands featured include Wobbler, Frogg Cafe, Knight Area, The Muffins and Matthew Parameter.
Steve Roach/Storm Surge: Live at NEARfest ....CD $13.99
(excerpt from 'NEAR Storm')
Download Stream
For an uninterupted 45 minutes, synth/sequencer master Steve Roach captivated the NEARfest audience with his ambient/electronic landscapes. Accompanied by a vibrant visual presentation, Roach weaved his way in and out of 10 colorful compositions from his vast catalog, including a brand new track dedicated to the festival called "NEARstorm." Bubbling synths, pulsing rhythms and haunting bass didjeridoo artfully intertwine as "Storm Surge" progresses to an emotional climax. Prepare for an exhilarating aural adventure through the universe of Steve Roach. (Suggestion: Listen loud and in the dark for maximum effect!) This unedited live recording was made with a pair of stereo microphones in the concert hall and direct stereo outputs from the main mixing console. The final balance of these two stereo sources was made by Steve Roach in the Timeroom, Sonoita, Arizona. Steve Roach - Synthesizers, sequencers, laptop computer, didjeridoo. Mixed, Mastered and Produced by Steve Roach
Various Artists/After the Storm - A Benefit Album for the Survivors of Hurricane Katrina ....double CD $20.00
Djam Karet's Gayle Ellett has spearheaded an effort to raise money for the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Gayle posed the idea of a compilation album to the co-founders of the popular North East Art Rock Festival (NEARfest), Chad Hutchinson and Robert LaDuca. Hutchinson and LaDuca gladly offered to fund the project and take the reins with regards to coordinating the effort. To date, 21 artists have agreed to donate music to the album. The amazing response has pushed the compilation to become a 2CD set. Produced by Mr. Ellett, the music for the album will primarily consist of unreleased studio and live material, which will make this compilation extra special. "After the Storm" is an effort by the progressive rock community to do its share to help out the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. All of the artists involved have graciously donated music to this project, and many have contributed previously unreleased live or studio material, including New Orleans' own Woodenhead. The costs of manufacturing have been donated by NEARfest and NEARfest Records and all proceeds from the sale of this unique compilation will be donated to aid the survivors of Hurricane Katrina through Habitat for Humanity.
Hidria Spacefolk/Live Eleven A.M. ....$13.99
Finland's Hidria Spacefolk quietly crept onto a dark stage to take on the now-legendary Sunday morning slot as they prepared to unleash their sonic attack on a sleepy unsuspecting crowd at NEARfest 2004. From the first note of synthesizer and subsequent blast of space rock powerage, the band had assumed control of the theater. For over an hour, this young troupe of Finns swirled and twirled their way deep into the minds of the mesmerized audience aided by a sequence of brilliant audio-visuals. What ensued was a full-out spiralled assault of head-grabbing dual guitar intertwined with dazzling synthesizer and Fender Rhodes textures, soul-stirring bass lines and hyperactive rhythms and fills. This live recording captures Hidria Spacefolk's spectacular performance at NEARfest 2004, from the adrenaline-bubbling grooves to the electricly-charged crowd.
Birdsongs of the Mesozoic/2001 Live Birds ....CD $13.99
A volcanic cauldron of melodic chamber rock, "2001 Live Birds" oozes with virtuosity all the while bubbling with humorous overtones. Celebrating their 20th anniversary, Birdsongs of the Mesozoic took the stage to open NEARfest 2001 and captivated the enthusiastic crowd of over 1000 people, hungry for progressive sound and spirit. This energetic live album, the first ever for the band, covers the full range of their discography, all of which is available on Cuneiform Records. Ample samplings from the then-new "Petrophonics" and "Dancing on A'A" dominate the set, but the band reach back to "Faultline", "Beat of the Mesozoic" and even "Magnetic Flip" to round out the selection. One of the most refreshing aspects of Birdsongs of the Mesozoic is their sense of humor, and they brought it along in full force to this live show. Their renditions of the themes to "The Simpsons" and "The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show" are twisted, hilarious and amazing all in one. The packaging for the album bear mentioning as it featuring a breathtaking painting by Edward Gordon. The elegance and beauty of the scene call to the craft, talent and style which Birdsongs of the Mesozoic apply to their tightly arranged compositions. The cameo of the pterodon in the window reminds one that this is a Birdsongs album and that primoridal joviality also patrols these lands. This inspred performance provides an excellent cross-section of the band's repertoire and truly gives the listener a great feel for the electricity in the hall that Saturday morning.
Thinking Plague/Upon Both Your Houses ....CD $13.99
Recorded live at NEARfest 2000, "Upon Both Your Houses" is a stunning document of Rock-In-Opposition at its finest. Thinking Plague delivers a commanding set of highly technical and challenging, yet melodic compositions in a manner that must be heard to believe. The masterful musicianship displayed by this sextet is exquisite. They draw from obvious progressive rock sources, but refuse to merely relive the 70's as they push their unique brand of music forward. The multifaceted guitar of Mike Johnson, the acrobatic reeds of Mark Harris, the dexterous piano of newcomer Matt Mitchell, the quirky, dynamic vocals of Deborah Perry, the strong counterpoint and melody laid down by bassist Dave Willey, and the superb percussive antics of drummer Dave Kerman define a performance by a band on top of their collective game. The recording was expertly mixed and mastered by Bob Drake, allowing the spectacle that is Thinking Plague to be presented at a level of which they highly deserve.
Glass Hammer/Live at NEARfest ....CD $13.99
This dazzling rare live performance from NEARfest 2003 is our latest release and is a cooperative effort with Arion Records. Here, Glass Hammer is in top form, performing selections from "Chronometree," "Perelandra," and the symphonic masterpiece, "Lex Rex." Soaring keyboards, poignant guitars, and top- notch vocals, rounded out with an 18-member chorus and a surprise guest appearance by Richard Williams of Kansas make this a one-of-a-kind live recording. The album was meticulously mixed and mastered by Glass Hammer's Steve Babb and Fred Schendel at Sound Resources to ensure maximum sound quailty.
Djam Karet/Live at NEARfest 2001 ....CD $13.99
Back in June of 2001, hot on the heels of the release of "New Dark Age," California's Djam Karet came east to light up the NEARfest stage. From heavy grooves to atmospheric excusions, Djam Karet brought their entire arsenal of sounds to electify and entrance the audience. We are proud to annouce the forthcoming release of Djam Karet's entire live set from NEARfest 2001. The set list touches on much of the band's catalog from 1989's "Reflections from the Firepool" up through "New Dark Age" and its counterpart release, "Ascension." Currently, the band is mixing the album with eyes on a January 2004 release. Work on art and packaging is also now underway. Stay tuned for details in the coming weeks.
Nathan Mahl/Live at NEARfest 1999 ....CD $13.99
NEARfest Records is proud to announce their first solo release! Nathan Mahl's live performance at NEARfest '99 is now legendary for blowing the attendees of their seats and causing great disappointment in those that were not able to score tickets to the show. Generally unknown at the time and a late-comer to the lineup, the Canadian quartet, led by keyboard wizard Guy LeBlanc, dazzled a drowsy Sunday morning festival crowd with over an hour of blazing symphonic fusion. This live album also documents the only time a song from the then-forthcoming "Heretik" was ever played live. Unlike other NEARfests, NEARfest '99 was not recorded to digital multitrack tapes. The source for this release is the excellent board recording from Studio M Live. The recording was then masterfully polished by Brett Kull (echolyn) at Farmhouse Studios. The raw energy of this performance has been rediscovered on this rousing one and only live album from Nathan Mahl.
Order Now!
Back to Musea | | On to Noisy Records 