2010 Winter Jam!

Almost forgot! Details shot into my inbox this morning about:

Winter Jam 2010!

Here's some of that info!

Remember last March's Christian music Winter Jam tour featuring tobyMac that filled the VanAndel Arena with 11,000 fans? The no-ticket, $10 at-the-door-admission event has been a HUGE draw across the county.

Well the 2010 version of Winter Jam is already set for Thursday, March 25th at the VanAndel Arena. The headliner was just announced, the Grammy-winning pop-rock band, Third Day, who last performed in the Grand Rapids area in Fall of 2008!

The rest of the line-up? Pretty impressive:

• Newsboys
• Fireflight
• Tenth Avenue North
• NewSong
• Tony Nolan (Speaker)
• Robert Pierre (Pre-Jam)
  
• Sidewalk Prophets (Pre-Jam)
  
• Revive (Pre-Jam)
  

For more information about this rockin' event...Head to JamTour.com!

~j
themusictest@gmail.com

Headline Makers

Here is what's making headlines today!

Hillsong United on the Big Screen

Several artists, including Third Day, tobyMac, and David Crowder* Band, have debuted new DVD-CD releases on the big screen with a one-time showing in movie theaters.

Coming up Wednesday, November 4th, get ready for Hillsong United, the popular Australia-based worship group. The live-on-tape performance will be followed by their cause-based documentary "The I Heart Revolution: We're All in this Together" telling the stories of justice, compassion, and mercy around the globe.

For more information visit CelebrationCinema.com. If you're a JQ Family Rewards member, head HERE to enter to win a Family 4 Pack of tickets!
(Contest closes out Sunday night at Midnight)

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Live Chat with SCC

Tuesday, November 3rd, Steven Curtis Chapman releases "Beauty Will Rise". To help celebrate the release of this amazing album, Steven will be broadcasting live through his Facebook page to talk about the new album. You can catch this live chat November 3rd at 10p (EST)/9p (CST).

For more details head to Steven's Facebook Page!

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Top 5...wait...no..6 Selling Albums
(Week ending October 25th)

1. WOW Hits 2010
2. Kutless - "It Is Well"
3. Skillet - "Awake"
4. David Crowder* Band - "Church Music"
5. Chris Tomlin - "Glory in the Highest"
6. Relient K - "Forget and Not Slow Down"

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Tuesday New Releases

• Steven Curtis Chapman - "Beauty Will Rise"
• Shane & Shane - "Everything is Different"
• Plumb - "Beautiful History: A Hits Collection"

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Big in Canada

Remember a few weeks back I talked about Downhere having all these nominations for the 2009 Covenant Awards in Canada. Well...the 31st show was last Friday and Downhere ranked as the highest award winner this year being nominated 11 times and walking home with 9 awards! Here's the awards list:

• Artist of the Year
• Album of the Year (Ending is Beginning)
• Song of the Year (Here I Am)
• Recorded Song of the Year (Here I Am)
• Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year (Ending is Beginning)
• Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year (Here I Am)
• Rock Song of the Year (My Last Amen)
• Seasonal Song of the Year (How Many Kings)
• Inspirational Song of the Year (The Beggar Who Gave Alms)

Way to go Downhere! You guys really rock...in CANADA! Now come on down and spend a little time with the U.S.! :) Just kidding fellas!

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Late Night TV Fans

Switchfoot will be on Jimmy Kimmel Live on either November 12th/13th, which happens to be the street week for the new album "Hello Hurricane". This appearance also effectively kicks off the "Hello Hurricane Tour".

(Dates and information subject to change.)

11/8 San Diego, CA E.C Performing Arts Center – N/A
11/11 Los Angeles, CA The Roxy Theatre – L.A Regional FB
11/13 Scottsdale, AZ Martini Ranch – St Mary’s FB Alliance
11/14 Tucson, AZ The Rock – Community FB of Tucson
11/16 Oklahoma City, OK Diamond Ballroom – Regional FB of Oklahoma
11/17 Dallas, TX House of Blues – North Texas Food Bank
11/18 Austin, TX The Parish – Capital Area Food Bank
11/20 Houston, TX Warehouse Live – TBA
11/21 New Orleans, LA The Parish – Second Harvest FB
11/22 Nashville, TX Exit In – Second Harvest FB
11/24 Atlanta, GA The Loft – Atlanta Community FB
11/27 Anaheim, CA House of Blues – Second Harvest FB
11/28 Ventura, CA The Majestic – Food Share
12/3 Charlotte, NC Amos’ Southend – TBA
12/5 Richmond, VA The National – WDYL Snowball – N/A
12/7 Baltimore, MD Rams Head Live – TBA
12/8 New York, NY The Fillmore @ Irving Plaza – Bowery Mission
12/9 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club – TBA

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~j
themusictest@gmail.com

Kutless Album Preview!

Need something new in your iTunes, CD Player, iPod, etc? How about the latest Kutless album? This new worship album, is awesome. Don't believe me? You can preview the entire album the rest of this week at NewReleaseTuesday.com

Go check it out and then go grab the album so you can add it to your iTunes, CD Player, iPod, etc.!

Oh, also for the next 12 days, leading up to November 10th, you can preview the upcoming Switchfoot album, "Hello Hurricane"! I personally can't wait for this album! The "12 Day's of Switchfoot" is happening right now at Switchfoot.com First song went up yesterday, "Needle and Haystack Life"!

Enjoy!

~j
themusictest@gmail.com

FREE Song!

Hey there! How would you like a FREE Jars of Clay song? Here are the details:

"As you fall back this week, help spread the word about Jars of Clay's new album, 'The Long Fall Back to Earth'. Tell your friends they can currently go to JarsofClay.com and get a FREE download of the Jars of Clay song, 'Heaven'."

Jars of Clay via Facebook

I'll do you one better...Just click the image below to go directly there!

~j
themusictest@gmail.com

A little bit of this...

Here's a 'Road Update' from Case of VOTA:

"The tour with Superchic[k] and BarlowGirl has been ballistatic and stablatic (P-90X reference)! I think my favorite thing about this tour is having a bus with 15 people on it (us and Superchic[k]) and all the craziness that occurs because of it. Nothing generates community and brotherly love like packing oneself in a steel tube with wheels, going town to town like traveling minstrels, and doing life together.

"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" is a favorite Proverb from the Bible. Sparks can tend to fly, but the end result is a sharpening that can't be achieved on one's own. It's the brilliant design of God. All of us on the tour were able to listen to, pray for, and comfort Trish and Melissa of Superchic[k] when their mother had a heart attack while on the tour (she's doing very well now), and we all got the text about Mark's (Superchic[k]'s road manager) father being tested for cancer this coming week. "Together" let's carry each other's burdens, laugh, get silly, get ridiculous, get loud, and live life. I'm thankful for it."

-Case (VOTA)

Side note. VOTA currently has a song in my list of songs to consider, "Honestly". Man is it a good one. I hope to share it with you soon!

Q&A with Sara Groves:
Q: Earlier this summer, your family had the privilege of visiting your sponsor child Iranzi in Rwanda. Share about that experience.

Sara:

"When we got to the house, Iranzi was away playing with some friends, and we had some time to talk to his mom and meet one of his older brothers and his youngest brother. Iranzi has eight siblings, ages two to twenty-one! His father was at the market with his two older sisters, so we did not get to meet them. The mother was very kind, and we talked about our kids through an interpreter. It was customary for them to ask us what they could be praying for, for us, and in turn we would ask the same of them.

After a while, Iranzi and a group of boys came down the hill. I could tell right away that sweet Iranzi was not used to being the center of attention. He is very serious and quiet. He seemed overwhelmed with the attention, so we decided to go inside the house to give them some small gifts. We had brought a bag of school supplies for each of the siblings, and a couple of other special things for Iranzi. We brought a hand powered flashlight for his father, and some lotions and other useful things for his mother. I had brought all of the gifts in a market bag, and also gave that to the mother... I think that was her favorite thing.

We prayed together in the house, and I couldn't help but notice that her prayers were all about heaven. Maybe because I have so many conveniences here on earth, I don't think about heaven like she does, but her greatest prayer was that we would all get to heaven, and her greatest thanksgiving was that when we got there, we would be together. What a hope, what joy, what a promise!"

Skillet - "Monster" Official Music Video.

Whoooo...This is dang cool. Love the video, love the song. We'll have to see where it goes. Without more delay...Watch the video below:


That's enough for today. Enjoy your day, and recommend a song if you get a chance, I'd love to hear what you're listening to.

~j
themusictest@gmail.com

FREE Song

Pst...Hey real quick...Here's a link for a FREE download of Pillar - "Secrets and Regrets" at Amazon.com

Hurry up, I'm not sure when this offer will close out.

(Click image below for link)

~j

themusictest@gmail.com

3rd Post!?

Okay...I couldn't help myself on this post.

I took Me In Motion - "Losers" for another couple spins over the last couple of days, and during that time I couldn't help but think there's a similar song floating out there. Now, let me preface this by saying, I'm not drawing any conclusions from this, just saying that there are some influential similarities between the following songs.

Since there isn't a music video for Me In Motion - "Losers" yet...You need to head to their MySpace to hear it. Once you have that reference...Come back here so we can finish. Here's the LINK!

...

Okay...Got it in your head? Now...Take a listen through The Bravery - "Believe".


Hmm...All I'm saying is that I felt I could sing "Believe" inside parts of "Losers",and vise versa. Am I claiming shenanigans? No...Clearly the chorus is different, I'm just drawing similarities in sound and style. So...If you like The Bravery, chances are you'll dig Me In Motion.

After the extra spins this week, "Losers" is still in my stack of need to listen to.

~j
themusictest@gmail.com

Headline Makers

Top 5 Albums of the Week (Ending October 18th.)

1. WOW Hits 2010
2. Skillet - "Awake"
3. David Crowder* Band - "Church Music"
4. Relient K - "Forget and Not Slow Down"
5. Chris Tomlin - "Glory in the Highest"

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Goodbye Delirious?

Delirious will be releasing "History Makers: Greatest Hits" November 17th. It's a final goodbye over a 16-year career for a band that gave Christian Music, "Do You Hear the Mountains Tremble?", "I Could Sing of Your Love Forever", and More! The band's last performance in the U.S. is this weekend in Dallas, Texas.

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Rolling Stone Appearance

If you can...Quick run out and grab an October 29th edition of Rolling Stone magazine. Inside you can read an interview with Switchfoot! The interview includes details about their upcoming album, "Hello Hurricane" and their efforts with Hurricane Katrina Relief and Habitat for Humanity.

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That's it! Go...Listen to music and enjoy your day.

~j
themusictest@gmail.com