Romantic Warriors: A Progressive Music Saga

Romantic Warriors doesn't present the history of progressive rock so much as serve up a snapshot of today's practitioners, with co-directors Adele Schmidt and José Zegarra Holder offering a brief overview of the genre and then speaking with artists, editors, label owners, festival organizers, and fans in the United States about their interest and involvement. Virginia-based DJ Debbie Sears, of WEBR's Prog-Rock Diner show, defines the genre as “music that defies the boundaries of commercial music.” Many cite British acts from the 1960s and '70s—such as Yes, Genesis, and Emerson, Lake and Palmer—as influences. The directors also interview members of Sweden's Karmakanic, Mexico's Cabezas de Cera, and Italy's D.F.A. and La Maschera di Cera while they're playing in the U.S. Other groups include Deluge Grander (who eerily sound like a Yes clone, music-wise), Cheer-Accident, the Flower Kings, Gentle Giant, and Chapman Stick player Rob Martino. Since 1996, many have played at Mike Potter's Maryland-based Orion Sound Studios, which triples as a venue, recording studio, and rehearsal space. As Potter notes, the Northeast is a hotbed of progressive rock activity due to ProgDay in North Carolina, RoSfest in Pennsylvania, and other annual events. Along with the interviews, the filmmakers capture the bands on stage and in rehearsal, while archival footage offers glimpses of Gentle Giant (the only first-wave participants included here) in their early days. A strong optional purchase. (K. Fennessy)