Delirious?, the UK-based band regarded internationally as the galvanizing force that changed the face of worship worldwide and mentoring many of today’s influential worship musicians, releases today amidst wide acclaim its Farewell Show – Live in London 2-CD, DVD and Blu-ray throughout North America. The award winning band captured its final, farewell concert at London’s HMV Hammersmith Apollo Nov. 29 on a recording that CCM magazine declares is “an essential purchase for anyone who’s ever followed the band, plus a brilliant bookend to an extraordinary career.”
Delirious? lead vocalist Martin Smith, guitarist Stu G, keyboardist Tim Jupp, bassist Jon Thatcher and drummers Stew Smith and Paul Evans, who took over for Delirious? founding member Stew Smith in 2008, engaged the sold-out, 5,000-seat Hammersmith Apollo with in a rousing 26-song grand finale that included all the hits that launched the band to international acclaim. Arguably the most well-known Christian rock band in the world, and called “the most influential modern worship band in the history of Christian music” by NewReleaseTuesday.com and “one of the greatest worship groups of all time” by JesusFreakHideout.com, Delirious? helped score a whole new soundtrack for the church around the world.
“Ages before there was David Crowder Band or the Passion conferences, a British band named Delirious? changed the way we worship…Now, a new 26-song release covers the band’s amazing 17-year journey,” says YouthWorker.com as Delirious? peers reflect on the band’s farewell in the current issue of CCM:
“What an amazing band – and great friends of mine who I have had the privilege to minister with over the years. Delirious? broke the mold and made history…as they wrote and performed songs that truly inspired the church…” – Michael W. Smith
“…I cannot recall another band who has had the ability to prophecy and declare through music, a sound that literally calls out to missionary and worshipper in all of us to stand taller, sing louder and declare the Kingdom of God…I will always count it a great privilege to call you mentors, friends and family.” – Darlene Zschech
“Delirious? is the band that has continued to set me on fire when I hear their music. I love these guys. My first tour was with them, and I still count those days as some of the most important days of my music-life…” – Chris Tomlin
“Delirious? is one of the most important bands in the past 10 -15 years, not to mention my all-time favorite band. They have worn their passionate love for Christ on their sleeves while making some of the most creative music of any genre.” – Bart Millard, MercyMe
“Martin and the Delirious? team have had a profound effect on worship music globally, and I’m thankful to call them my friends.” – Israel Houghton
“…Delirious? were a band whose impact cannot be measured simply in terms of album sales, crowd sizes or air miles racked up. Their influential style and substance went deep into the hearts of many, many young worship bands around the earth, and the echoes of their ministry will therefore keep resounding for many years to come.” – Matt Redman
“Everywhere you go around the world, you see the impact of Delirious? in encouraging and releasing creativity, but also great passion and hunger for God. Their willingness and risk in ‘Taking it Wherever it Goes’ was inspirational, not only for me but for many worship leaders around the globe. They have been fire-starters and encouraged many to believe that the best is yet to come.” – Tim Hughes
Worship has always been at the heart of Delirious?, and that focus is throughout the Farewell Show – Live in London recording. Along with the music, the 145-minute Farewell Show – Live in London DVD features an exclusive “On the Road – The Farewell Tour” documentary that includes behind-the-scenes footage and individual band member interviews. The 199-minute Blu-ray disc further includes the band’s compelling, in-depth interview with GOD TV’s youth presenters Chip-K and Emma Owen, “Making History – The Final Interview.” This interview gives the viewer a chance to see Delirious?’ career from the band’s perspective, and gives a glimpse into the individual members’ future. The full GOD TV interview can also be viewed online at http://www.god.tv/video/play?video=1069.
Churches around the world will also be able to share this interview, and the whole DVD/Blue-ray, as Delirious?’s label, Kingsway, is offering churches the license to publicly run the Delirious? Farewell Show – Live in London DVD/Blu-ray through CCLI’s Church Video License (CVLI) program. This is available in all CCLI territories including North America.
After nearly two decades of traveling around the world performing thousands of concerts to millions of fans, Delirious? was never about itself, the accolades, the tours or even the songs.
“All the 17 years that the band was together, we never existed just to get in the charts or sell sell sell,” says Martin Smith. “Our best motives and highest calling was to try to be a voice that made others think, that called out praise and tried to chase down the smile of God.”
Having released 14 albums, earning two Top 30 general market UK chart albums and selling over three million recordings, Delirious? also garnered it’s eighth Top 40 general market UK chart single just last month with the release of “History Makers,” a song featured on the Farewell Show recording. With Billboard reporting the song at No. 4, marking the highest charting single of the band’s career, the song simultaneously became the No. 3 iTunes UK best-seller, with the studio version and live version taking both the No. 1 and No. 2 positions respectively on the Amazon.com UK sales chart.
Delirious? grew out of the UK “Cutting Edge” youth meetings in the early 1990s and currently have 22 songs on the CCLI charts. Known as the forerunners of the modern worship movement and as one of the industry’s best live bands, Delirious? over the last decade have closed for the Pope in front of a million people in Germany, played in front of hundreds of thousands in India, headlined the 2004 Olympic Celebrations at the Omonia Square in Athens, Greece, toured with Bon Jovi, Bryan Adams and Matchbox 20, and headlined at SWR3’s Arena of Sound 2004 music festival, where more than 80,000 fans filled the Schlossplatz in Stuttgart, Germany. With its music being played and sold in over 100 countries, the band has also been honored with two Gospel Music Association International Awards.
More information about Delirious? and Farewell Show – Live in London can be found at www.delirious.co.uk.
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