Born in Los Angeles, California, David Clark Allen and sister Angela were raised on Spanish music, as their parents operated a club on the Sunset Strip. In the early 70s, the pair met another kindred spirit: dancer Roberto Amaral. With a vision of combining flamenco music with rock, they formed Carmen with former The Gods and Toe Fat drummer Brian Glascock. However, it took moving to London and catching the attention of the glam world for the band to take flight.

In the two years or so since District 97 first sprang upon the progressive rock scene, they've quickly (and rightfully) earned themselves a spot as one of the genre's bright new stars. A great debut album, some high-profile endorsements, crowd-winning festival performances, chart-topping fan support, coupled with tour dates opening for prog legends Kansas and Roine Stolt's Agents of Mercy, all confirm the great work this group of Chicago suburbanites are capable of, none of whom have broken their third decade on this big earth.

Coming from Rome, Il Rovescio della Medaglia ("The Other Side of the Coin") was founded in 1971 by guitarist Enzo Vita, bassist Stefano Urso and drummer Gino Campoli, with Pino Ballarini eventually joining on vocals. Their debut album, La Bibbia, was a live recording from late 1971, and very much a heavy rock album. Vita's guitar playing was rugged and hard-riffing, and the band quickly developed a reputation as a premier live act.