| Flight of the Valkyries | |
|---|---|
| Genres | metal |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Website | www.flightofthevalkyries.com |
Flight of the Valkyries is an annual metal festival with editions held St. Paul, MN and recently (beginning in 2010) Baltimore, MD. The music festival is dedicated to metal bands with female lead vocalists.
In 2007 SwordLord Productions announced the first ever Flight of the Valkyries metal festival - dedicated to metal bands with female lead vocalists. Shortly after seeing the Minnesota promoter's festival announcement, Maryland-based promoter Bobbie Dickerson of BlackRoseMetalHeart Promotions contacted promoter Nathan Block of SwordLord Productions and the two immediately began working together to create and promote the US-based festival that showcased the talent and the diversity of women in the metal genre.[1]
In 2010, the Flight of the Valkyries festival began to spread its wings under the guidance and promotion of BlackRoseMetalHeart Promotions to include an east coast show, aptly titled FotV East. FotV East is debuted in Baltimore, MD at The Ottobar on Saturday, November 6, 2010. The FotV East Mini-Fest showcased regional female-fronted metal acts attempting to gather more east coast support for future FotV festivals in Baltimore, MD.[2] Due to the positive response to the first FotV East festival in 2010, the east coast edition of Flight of the Valkyries is already planning for continued growth with another festival in Baltimore in 2011 featuring more well-known national acts.[3]
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The festival debuted at Station 4 in St. Paul, MN in June 2007 featuring bands Doro, Vainglory, Earthen, The Ottoman Empire (now known as Luna Mortis[4]), Visideon, Spiritual Decay, and Sirens of Titan.[5] In June 2008, the Flight of the Valkyries continued with its second installment featuring Unexpect, Shadowside, Benedictum, Dendura, Visideon, Earthen, Something to Fear, and Aria Sharp.[6] In June 2009, Flight of the Valkyries held its third annual festival featuring Benedictum, Luna Mortis, Todesbonden (featuring Laurie Ann Haus), Hydrogyn, A.D.D., Sirens of Titan, Kaptivating Kate, Rott,[7] and guest vocalist Nina Osegueda.[8] Most recently in November 2010, a new fall edition of Flight of the Valkyries took place in Baltimore, MD at The Ottobar. The east coast regional festival included headliner Black Widow USA, Operatika, River Runs Scarlet, A Sound of Thunder, [geist], Suhgarim, Dying Design, and Cassandra Syndrome.[9]
Plans are already underway for another Flight of the Valkyries festival to continue annually in Baltimore, MD in 2011.[10]
[11]
DORO (Germany)
Vainglory (Georgia, USA)
Earthen (Chicago, Illinois, USA)
Visideon (Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA)
The Ottoman Empire (Madison, Wisconsin, USA)
Spiritual Decay (Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA)
Sirens of Titan (Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA)
[12]
Unexpect (Canada)
Shadowside (Brazil)
Benedictum (San Diego, CA)
Visideon (Minneapolis, MN)
Dendura (Detroit/Grand Rapids, MI)
Earthen (Brookfield, IL)
Something to Fear (Minneapolis, MN)
Aria Sharp (Minneapolis, MN)
[13]
Benedictum (San Diego, CA/Arizona)
Luna Mortis (Madison, Wisconsin, USA)
Todesbonden (Maryland/DC/Virginia)
Hydrogyn (Kentucky)
A.D.D. (Illinois)
Sirens of Titan (Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA)
Kaptivating Kate (Wisconsin)
Rott (Idaho)
[14]
Black Widow USA (Baltimore, Maryland)
Operatika (New Jersey)
River Runs Scarlet (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) Official Site
A Sound of Thunder (Washington, DC) Official Site
[geist] (Baltimore, Maryland)
Suhgarim (Columbia, South Carolina) Official Site (Ravenheart Records)
Dying Design (Baltimore, Maryland)
Cassandra Syndrome (Frederick, Maryland)
Flight of the Valkyries is also a misnomer for Ride of the Valkyries, the popular term for the beginning of Act III of Die Walküre by Richard Wagner.
Official Festival Website
Official Social Media