Hails Mad-With-Power-ians! (I’ve gotta think of a better name!)
I hope everyone out there is doing safe and well during this weird time. It’s crazy to think that it’s been almost an entire year of quarantine! At the moment, at least, it seems like there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, and that’s why I wanted to update you on the current state of Mad With Power Fest.
TL;DR – Mad With Power Fest 2021 is a GO! 8/27 & 8/28, tickets in April!
The full story, and additional details: As many of you have heard, various governmental and scientific bodies have stated that there should be enough vaccine availability to have every American vaccinated by the end of May. Even throwing in a bit of uncertainty, plus some additional time for the vaccine to take effect, that should give us plenty of time to be safely back for August 27th and 28th, 2021.
As I stated in our 2020 cancelation video: your safety is my #1 priority. We’re going to continue to listen to the advice of science, as well as local, state, and federal governmental bodies to make sure that we can run this festival as safely as possible. One of the immediate and obvious changes we’re making will be the addition of a TON of hand sanitizer stations for the arcade machines.
Now, there is a possibility that we still may have mask mandates in August, and businesses may still be at a limited capacity. I’ve spoken with local booking representatives at our venue, and we have multiple backup solutions for this issue, including moving to a larger venue down the street, or potentially having the fest outside (with tents, etc.). With all the advanced prep we’ve done, plus the backup plans, I feel very comfortable letting you know that YES – THERE WILL BE A FEST THIS YEAR!
At the time of this email, ALL of our bands for 2020 are planning on returning for 2021, so the lineup will remain unchanged. Many of our bands have been busy, too! Our headliner Immortal Guardian just released their latest album, and many of our other bands have been releasing a ton of music, content, etc. so it’s going to be quite a fantastic year!
The obvious question is: “when will tickets go on sale??” At the moment, we’re looking to release tickets for sale in mid-April. We’re closely watching vaccination rates, and trying to make sure we don’t jump the gun. If the trend of availability continues, and vaccination rates keep increasing, I feel it will be perfectly fine to stay on this schedule. I will also do my best to make sure we’ve got things like hotel discounts available ahead of the ticket drop.
As always, Lords of the Trident Patreon backers will have FIRST DIBS at tickets, starting in early April. We sold out of VIP tickets pretty quickly last year, so if you want to make sure you get one, pledging at any level is your best bet.
“What can I do to help?” Get. Vaccinated. The sooner the better. There are a number of friends and fans who attend this fest who are immunocompromised, and may not be able to currently get the vaccine. Myself and the venue management will strongly recommend that you vaccinate well in advance of attendance. We will assume that everyone who attends has been vaccinated, and will take additional health and safety measures as recommended by local officials.
Another thing you can do is support the bands! Mad With Power focuses on more independent (and independent-minded) bands of our genre, so many of these bands have been hit especially hard by COVID. Purchasing their albums, or simply liking and following their social media/YouTube/etc. goes a long way!
If you’ve completed all these steps and STILL wish to lend additional support, I’d humbly request a look at the Lords of the Trident Patreon. For those of you who don’t know: I (Ty) am the singer for Lords of the Trident, and run this fest. The financial support of members of our Patreon allows us to take big risks (like starting a festival!) without worrying if we’re going to be able to eat food next month. We’re still 100% independent, and put out a ton of additional content for our backers. Signing up at any amount – even $1 – helps us tremendously.
Thank you so much for your support, your patience, and your willingness to deal with the uncertainty this year has thrown our way. I’m certain this year’s fest will be overflowing with METAL HUGS, good mead, and good times.
Keep watching your email, and I’ll keep you updated as things unfold!
-Ty