Comeback Kid Announce New Tour
A band truly known for their constant tour schedule and intense live show, Victory veterans Comeback Kid have announced yet another batch of January dates with H2O and Attack. It’s been a few months since Comeback Kid have graced American’s oil, and what better way to return than with H2O and Attack? Catch them on a quick US trek before they head over to South America in the spring. Comeback Kid is in the running for the cover of AMP’s “Fan Anticipated Band of 2011” issue.
Tour Dates:
1/4 – St. Louis, MO
1/5 – Atlanta, GA
1/6 – Pompano Beach, FL
1/7 – Orlando, FL
1/9 – Jacksonville, FL
1/11 – Birmingham, AL
1/12 – Little Rock, AR
1/13 – Oklahoma City, OK
1/14 – Dallas, TX
1/15 – Austin, TX
1/16 – San Antonio, TX
1/18 – Mesa, AZ
1/19 – Las Vegas, NV
1/20 – San Diego, CA
1/21 – Lancaster, CA
1/22 – Anaheim, CA
1/23 – San Francisco, CA
3/12 – Curitiba, BR
3/13 – Sao Paulo, BR
3/15 – Rosario, AR
3/16 – Buenos Aires, AR
3/17 – Buenos Aires, AR
3/18 – Lima, PE
3/20 – Bogota, CO
Winter’s Fall Signs To Velvet Blue Music
Berkeley, CA based, Winter’s Fall will release their new record At All Angles on 02/15 with Velvet Blue Music. San Francisco Weekly described them as something like “a mix between Cormac McCarthy and Ray Bradbury”, or for the less well read, Western meets Science Fiction, or for the music minded Math Rock meets Twang? Peter Winter Stanley and his band mates have created a beautiful and unique record we think you’ll enjoy.
Tour Dates:
1/08 – San Jose, CA
1/26 – San Francisco, CA
1/30 – Sacramento, CA
2/19 – Berkeley, CA
Stars Go Dim Update
As a result of winning the Subway Fresh Artist competition Stars Go Dim will be going to San Francisco, CA this Friday, December 10th to open up for The Goo Goo Dolls and Kris Allen at the Star 101.3 Jingle Ball. Join SGD for their first ever Live Web Concert and Chat Wed, Dec 15th at 7pm CT. If you haven’t seen SGD live this is your chance. Reasons why you don’t want to miss this special event:
1. Finally see SGD live
2. Send them your requests
3. Watch the debut of their new “Like I Mean It” music video
4. Get their Christmas song “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” download free
5. Giveaways! They will pick several names of people who join the FB event page. You must be present at the video concert/chat to win.
We recently released a brand new song called “Like I Mean It” available on iTunes, or slightly cheaper and with an exclusive digital booklet on starsgodim.com1. Leave us a comment on our Facebook page and let us know what you think of it. If you are with radio or media and want serviced please email us at sgd@starsgodim.com. Live your life and love like you mean it!
Raging Storm Expands
Often times newer Christian artists come Raging Storm’s way that are very sincere and even have potential, that they don’t get to work with. It’s been an interesting ride determining who gets Raging Storm’s help, ie artists they hope to sign to a recording contract and which artists they have to say “thanks for writing, go work harder”. What Raging Storm is doing is starting a branch off from Raging Storm Records with a similar but wider reaching goal. What they’ll be doing is offering marketing, executive production and overall consulting services to bands outside of their label roster. The purpose of this is to really benefit the type of bands that either need a lot of work to be “label ready”, or bands who are otherwise want some promotional help but would rather not sign on to a label.
If you know an up and coming artist that could benefit from Raging Storm’s experience, please tell them about Raging Storm!
Overcome Signs With Facedown
Facedown Records are proud to announce the return of Overcome to the Facedown Family! The partnership between Overcome and Facedown Records goes all the way back to the birth of the label in 1997, and now Overcome is back to release their new album on Facedown. Release number 100 will be titled The Great Campaign of Sabotage and will be Facedown’s first release of 2011. The Phoenix hardcore legends lead by Jason Stinson have returned with new music and new members, but their message remains the same. Says Stinson, “Be ready, a new flame is burning.” Facedown founder, Jason Dunn had this to say about Overcome and the significance of their return album being Facedown #100: I first saw Overcome in 1994 when they only had a demo tape out. Before I played drums for No Innocent Victim, I would travel with them and sell merch for them. NIV went out to play a couple of shows in Arizona and Overcome was the band that was also on the show. We instantly connected and have remained friends to this day. I always say that I don’t think Facedown Records would be around today without Overcome. They were the cornerstone of the label in its early years and teaming up with them instantly put our name out there for hardcore fans worldwide, both Christian and non. It’s an honor to be able to still work alongside these guys and to be able to release the new album as Facedown #100. I could not have dreamed of a more appropriate release for this landmark in the label’s history. Overcome’s The Great Campaign of Sabotage will be released on February 1, 2011.
The Choir Going Live Online
2010 has proved to be a stellar year for Grammy-nominated, indie rock pioneers The Choir. The band, who hadn’t released an album in 5 years, proceeded to put out 2 new albums that received rave reviews from fans and critics alike. Then the artists spent the fall on the road, re-connecting with old friends and introducing a new audience to their catalog of music. As a thank you to their loyal fans for their support over the years, The Choir will be hosting a free online concert on Tuesday, December 14 at 9:00pm EST. Through Ustream.com, viewers will be able to talk with the band via online chat, make requests and view this exclusive live acoustic performance. Log in information for the broadcast will be available at the band’s website thechoir.net starting December 13th. Similar to many of the tour dates this fall, Derri Daugherty and Steve Hindalong will be performing classic Choir songs and new material from Burning Like the Midnight Sun. For all who log in, the band will also be giving a link to receive a free Christmas song, recorded by the band especially for the event. Burning Like the Midnight Sun released in the summer of 2010, to praise from the likes of the Chicago Sun-Times who gave the album 4 out of 4 stars and calling it “a late career triumph,” PopDose.com stating it “defies expectation,” BigTakeover.com praised the album’s “timeless sound and excellent songs.” CCM Magazine gave the album a 4 star review, stating, “Even with a five year hiatus, the band’s entrancing rhythms, dreamy arrangements, thought provoking lyrics and overall attention to artistic detail hasn’t missed a step, ensuring its current relevance in addition to upholding pioneer status.” This was followed shortly after with a project titled de-plumed that recreated an acoustic version of one song from each of the band’s dozen albums. Since the release of these two projects, the band has been traveling coast to coast, sharing their twenty-five years of artistry in small acoustic settings. This online event will take on the same concept of these shows, allowing the fans to participate and hopefully feel a part of the event.
Believer Finishes Tracking For New Album
Believer has just finished tracking their second release for Metal Blade Records. The recording will be mixed by Kevin Gutierrez at Assembly Line Studios and produced by Trauma Team Productions. The band is once again pursuing new musical territory. “We decided to bring back some of the orchestral feel of Dimensions by utilizing more layered guitars, keys and melody with different vocal arrangements. There is still the ‘Believer’ sound, but the musical progression continues for us.” – Kurt Bachman “We revamped our writing and recording process so that everyone could work at their peak times. We also spent a lot of time finding the right combinations of gear to achieve the sounds we wanted. Each Believer album has had its own sound that distinguishes it from the preceding album, and this project is no different in that respect. You still have the core elements that make it recognizable as Believer, but the guitar tone is heavier, the songs are tighter and musically it seems more refined.” – Jeff King Believer’s Metal Blade debut, Gabriel, was released to rave reviews in 2009 and is available at these links: Amazon.com & iTunes.com.
Aaron Gillespie Readies His Debut Solo Album
Nearly four months until the release of the debut solo project, Anthem Song, from Aaron Gillespie (former Underoath drummer, front man of The Almost), is already generating a strong buzz amongst his loyal fans. This album is set to release on Tooth & Nail Records / BEC Recordings on March 8, 2011. Fans can experience a taste of this album with the debut radio single, “We Were Made For You” (co-written with Paul Baloche), premiering now on Aaron’s Facebook page. “I’ve always wanted to make a record like this. The Almost is a rock band, and we didn’t want to mix the two styles,” Aaron begins to explain. “I have this desire to see our generation worshipping God. But a lot of the people I get to meet through music—kids with tattoos and swoop over haircuts—don’t think of worship as ‘cool.’ I want them to find a home and a vocabulary to experience this kind of music.” As a dynamic, outspoken artist in the music scene, Aaron Gillespie isn’t always what one might expect to find in a faith-based performer and such is the case with this project. Aaron’s strong musical history began at the young age of 14 as a standout drummer and co-founder of the popular metalcore band Underoath, which he amicably left earlier this year. Aaron recorded Anthem Song in Seattle with versatile producer Aaron Sprinkle (Jeremy Camp, Kutless). Both multi-instrumentalists, they played nearly everything on the album. Co-writers Paul Baloche, Sarah Hart, and Phillip LaRue also helped pen what is largely a very personal record about adoring God, worshiping Him “because He is and because you are; just because you woke up today.” Much of that outlook was influenced by a mission trip Aaron took to Africa.“The people in Africa, which I experienced were so happy, so joyful despite their circumstances. They have nothing, but they worship so wholeheartedly,” recalls Aaron. “I went there as a rich American expecting to fix something in their world. But we are the ones who need fixing. I’ve learned that God’s goodness is an anthem that will play forever. Our job is to grab a piece of that song while we are here.”
Switchfoot Gets Nominated For A Grammy
San Diego rock band Switchfoot has seen multi-platinum success over its vast career, which spans eight acclaimed albums, globally sold-out arena concerts and numerous music industry awards and honors that now includes its second GRAMMY nomination. As the band gets ready to go into the recording studio next month to work on its new album slated for Summer 2011, Switchfoot’s seventh studio album, Hello Hurricane, received a GRAMMY nomination yesterday for Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album. Released November 10, 2009 on Atlantic and Credential Records, Hello Hurricane bowed at No. 13 on The Billboard 200 and continues to gather widespread critical acclaim. Paste Magazine declared “Hello Hurricane will rock you like a…well, you know…” Alternative Press calls the record “a hope-giving affirmation of resurgence from a band who might have been down but were never out.” Rolling Stone says, “The group added some heft to its super catchy alternative rock,” while Relevant Magazine calls the recording “one of the best albums of Switchfoot’s career.” The band’s first single from Hello Hurricane, “Mess of Me,” went Top 10 at Modern Rock radio, as did their second single, “The Sound (John M. Perkins’ Blues),” which also became a No. 1 Christian radio hit. The current singles from the album, “Bullet Soul” and “Your Love Is A Song,” are impacting both mainstream and Christian radio stations now across the nation. Switchfoot’s commercial successes, including 2001’s A Beautiful Letdown going double-platinum and sparking two gold-certified singles, “Dare You To Move” and “Meant To Live,” are matched by the band’s myriad of philanthropic efforts: They have worked with Habitat For Humanity, The ONE Campaign and Invisible Children, among others. Notably, the band started its own charity called Bro-Am, a surfing event and auction hosted by Switchfoot benefiting StandUp for Kids. This year Bro-Am raised over $130,000 for Stand Up for Kids and saw over 7,500 people out to support the event this past June.
Liberty N Justice Fund Cause With New EP
Liberty N’ Justice is trying to create awareness of epilepsy and raise money for research to find a cure. The disease hits very close to home for Justin Murr and his family. Justin’s oldest daughter, Trinity Paige Murr, was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 7. For the past five years she has battled through daily medication, hospital stays, cluster seizures, induced comas, three weeks in the ICU — and finally brain surgery. To raise awareness, Murr got together with Vic Rivera and wrote 5 songs from a perspective of what he saw his daughter going through, his love for her, doubting his own faith, and where his relationship with his wife was at the time. Murr states, “I held nothing back in the lyrics and wanted people to see what this disease was doing to my family and my heart really wants to raise awareness and help other families going through the same thing.” DONATE $7.50 or more and you will be able to download this new LNJ EP while helping a great cause. Donations will be made to The Epilepsy Foundation in Trinity’s name. All the musicians and the cover artist (Rex Zachary) donated there time and talents to this EP.
Track Listing:
1. Say Uncle (Paul Shortino of Rough Cutt/Quiet Riot/King Kobra, Ron Keel of Keel, and Eddie Ojeda of Twisted Sister)
2. Throwing Stones (Donnie Vie of Enuff Z’ Nuff and JK Northrup)
3. Paige’s Song (Philip Bardowell of MAGDALEN/Unruly Child/The Beach Boys and Tony Palacios of Guardian)
4. Playing God (Terry Ilous of XYZ, Jeff Paris and Richard Kendrick of Near Life Experience)
5. Chasing A Cure (Benny Mardones, John Pine and Bill Leverty of Firehouse)
Besides the new EP, LNJ has opened there own digital store (our complete discography including a newly released album “Here: LNJ demos and unreleased songs) through there website and any album or song bought between now and Feb 14,11. LNJ will donate those proceeds as well.
Robert Randolph And The Family Band Announce Tour
Robert Randolph and the Family Band will kick off 2011 with a U.S. headlining tour launching in Fayetteville, AR on January 20th. While on the road, the band will also play the January 26th BMI showcase at the Sundance Film Festival. Robert Randolph and the Family Band has spent most of 2010 touring in support of its latest album, We Walk This Road, which released by Warner Bros. Records earlier this year. Produced by the legendary T Bone Burnett, We Walk This Road continues the sacred steel tradition that Randolph – named one of the 100 Greatest Guitar Players of All Time by Rolling Stone – is known for. USA Today hailed it as “a thrilling synthesis of rock, blues, funk and old black gospel” while Rolling Stone called it a “great album.” “Randolph’s playing is joyously flashy yet never glib or predictable,” said Spin. The band’s interpretation of Prince’s “Walk Don’t Walk” is currently climbing at AAA radio and follows the album’s first single, “If I Had My Way,” which featured Ben Harper. Doyle Bramhall II, Jim Keltner and Leon Russell also guest on We Walk This Road. The group will wrap up its current headlining tour with a New Year’s Eve show at Chicago’s House of Blues with North Mississippi AllStars. In addition to its summer outing with Zac Brown Band, Robert Randolph and the Family Band has recently performed alongside Dave Matthews Band, Eric Clapton, The Roots and – at the NFL Kickoff event -Trombone Shorty and Allen Toussaint. The group has appeared on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.” You can check out Robert Randolph and the Family Band’s recent Daytrotter session here.
Tour Dates:
1/20 – Fayetteville, AR
1/21 – Lawrence, KS
1/22 – Denver, CO
1/24 – Park City, UT
1/28 – San Francisco, CA
1/29 – San Francisco, CA
1/30 – Crystal Bay, NV
2/1 – Albuquerque, NM
2/4 – Austin, TX
2/5 – Austin, TX
2/17 – Boston, MA
2/20 – Burlington, VT
David Crowder Band Gets First Grammy Nomination
sixstepsrecords garnered two GRAMMY ® nominations Wed. evening. “Our God” from the Passion: Awakening album, recorded and co-written by Chris Tomlin, was recognized in the “Best Gospel Song” category while David Crowder*Band’s critically acclaimed Church Music received a nod in the “Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album” division. This marks the first GRAMMY ® nomination for both the David Crowder*Band and Passion, and the fourth GRAMMY ® nomination for Chris Tomlin. The 53rd Annual GRAMMY ® Awards will take place on Sun. Feb. 13, 2011 at 8pm ET/PT on CBS. The awards will be held in Los Angeles at the Staples Center. “Our God” was originally featured on the Passion: Awakening album recorded live at the 2010 Passion gathering in Atlanta with over 22,000 university-aged students in attendance. Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Jonas Myrin and Jesse Reeves were writers on the song. David Crowder*Band’s Church Music was released in fall 2009 and is 73 full minutes of music – 17 tracks, which ably stand alone, while at the same time seamlessly join together. Tomlin’s recently released And If Our God is For Us… ranked in at No. 17 on the Billboard Top 200 selling over 45,000 units in its first week. In this same week, his Christmas album, Glory in the Highest, was also No. 20 on the Billboard Top 200 giving Tomlin the rarity of having two albums in the Billboard Top 20 simultaneously. He is currently on the “Glory in the Highest Christmas” tour with Louie Giglio, the visionary and leader of the Passion Movement and pastor of Passion City Church in Atlanta, GA. David Crowder*Band’s music video comprised of 700,000 LITE-BRITE ® pegs for the Church Music track “SMS (Shine)” was recently featured on NBC’s The Today Show, Fox & Friends, USA Today online, Paste online and more. To view the video, go here. “All of our sixstepsrecords/EMICMG team is humbled to be recognized once again by the GRAMMY ® community,” remarks Giglio, the visionary and leader of the Passion Movement, sixstepsrecords and pastor of Passion City Church in Atlanta, GA. “Our hope all along has been to create music that lifts the souls of people around the globe while inspiring artistry that is rich and diverse. To be nominated in the company of such accomplished musicians is a huge honor.”
©2010 HM Magazine All Rights Reserved
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