Going independent has energized THOUSAND FOOT KRUTCH as its momentum continues to build following the release of the band’s 5-star acclaimed, seventh studio album, The End Is Where We Begin. After entering at No. 1 on the Hard Rock and Christian/Gospel-Mainstream, No. 3 on Alternative and Independent and No. 14 on the Top 200 Billboard charts, the recording continues to sell 41% ahead of its previous best selling album while Canada’s favorite modern rockers get ready to launch their unique blend of towering choruses, razor-sharp rhythms, epic arrangements and stadium shaking rumbles on main stages across North America during this festival season.
Billed as a top headliner for the first time at Christian music’s largest festival, Creation Festival, for its 34th annual event (6/29, www.creationfest.com/ne), as well as headlining for the first time Creation 2012 Northwest (7/19, www.creationfest.com/nw) and Sonshine 2012 Festival (7/12, www.sonshinefestival.com), THOUSAND FOOT KRUTCH is also featured on the main stages at Ichthus (6/22), Alive (6/23), Kings Fest (6/28), Lifest (7/14), Ignite Fest (7/22), HeavenFest (7/28) and DownPour (8/17) festivals, among others. The band will also be featured on the Uproar Festival along with Shinedown, Godsmack, Staind, Papa Roach, POD and others.
“Festivals locked TFK into their schedules early, foreseeing the success they are now having with their independently released new album and the strength of their growing fan base, the friends and family of the band,” says Tony Patoto, The Fuel Music Management Co. “Plus, TFK is spectacular live, well-known for delivering one of the industries most compelling live concerts.”
“TFK’s The End is Where We Begin is ahead of the last album's sales by 41%, which is unheard of today!” exclaims Shawn Fowler, The Fuel Music Management Co. “Digital singles’ sales numbers are even stronger; up 64%. And the festival season is sure to drive that upward momentum as the recording continues to be featured at all the major retail outlets.”
“We’ve been impressed with THOUSAND FOOT KRUTCH from day one. The level of energy they bring to their live show, and their commitment to excellence in everything they do, set them apart from the pack very early on,” says Mike Snider, Head of Paradigm Talent Agency, Nashville. “Throughout the years they’ve consistently delivered the goods, and this newest record takes things to a new level. Fans and newcomers alike are sure to be blown away when the band hits the road this summer.”
“Each year we look for a band that we feel can step up to a headlining spot. The band has to have mass appeal, great music, killer live show and the stage presence to stand with other headliners like Skillet, etc.,” says Wayne Seboa, Creation and Sonshine festivals producer. “This year we all felt that THOUSAND FOOT KRUTCH was ready to take that next step. The band has great songs, an amazing live show and have the maturity to entertain a crowd in that covered headline spot. I am sure that the fans will come to the same conclusion after seeing their brand new show this summer.”
In addition to the festivals, TFK is gathering significant radio airplay across multiple formats. Its adrenaline-infused Active Rock single, “Let The Sparks Fly,” hit No. 2 this week on SiriusXM Satellite Radio’s Octane Big-Uns Countdown (www.siriusxm.com/octane) as its CHR No. 15 and climbing single, “Be Somebody,” became the second-highest radio spin-gainer last week in the format.
The band also continues its string of sports entertainment song placements, including new songs from The End Is Where We Begin on ESPN (NASCAR, NCAA basketball), EA Sports NHL 2013 releasing this fall and, most recently, “War of Change” was named as the official theme song for WWE's “Over The Limit” pay per view event happening May 20 (www.wwe.com/music). WWE programming reaches nearly 16 million people per week in the US alone and 14 million more monthly online. “Light Up The Sky” further became the soundtrack for the L.A. Kings' (NHL) playoff reel (http://ht.ly/aFciK).
Receiving over 1,350, 5-star average customer reviews on iTunes® alone for The End Is Where We Begin, THOUSAND FOOT KRUTCH has found that sometimes the best way to move forward is to go back to the basics, taking all of the raw energy and emotion of the past and channeling it into the present. For those who’ve been following the Ontario-bred players since their formation in 1997, it’s been a continuously escalating highlight reel that includes best-selling albums, four top 25 Active Rock hits (including the top 20 smash hits “Fire It Up” and “Move”), plus a slew of soundtrack slots. In fact, the group has literally infiltrated every facet of pop culture, from ongoing ESPN appearances, to various NASCAR, MLB, NHL and NFL airings (including the 2010 Super Bowl), along with the “GI Joe” movie trailer, WGN-TV’s “Smallville” and EA Sports’ NHL 2010 video game.
All the latest tour dates and additional band information can be found at www.thousandfootkrutch.com, http://twitter.com/officialtfk and www.facebook.com/thousandfootkrutch, where the band has over 556,000 fans.
Last week music industry icon Steven Curtis Chapman celebrated the release of his 17th album re:creation and in less than 24 hours of its debut, re:creation became the top selling Christian album on iTunes ® Christian chart while also landing at No. 3 on Christian/Gospel overall soundscan chart and was the 43rd top selling album in America according to Billboard's Top 200. The Sparrow Records' project also continues to not only attract the attention from fans but from critics as well:
"Steven Curtis Chapman has presented us with an album that is compelling, personal, and touching. Both the old songs and the new ones inspire and encourage…The man makes incredible music and his 17th release is right on track with the first 16. This is an album that is destined to be ministering to generations long after ours is gone."- About.com
"There’s no better soundtrack for this brightening season than re:creation, the Dove and Grammy Award-winning artist’s latest release where he recasts eight of his classic hits and offers six more all-new tracks as well…If you’ve ever liked Steven Curtis Chapman, re:creation—nostalgic yet forward thinking—will make you like him even more."-Crosswalk.com
"You can tell that Steven Curtis Chapman took his time with this album. It’s evident in every new note and old lyric. It beautifully captures his heart… and is a must-hear."-Hollywoodjesus.com
Critics and fans are not the only ones who are showing their admiration for Chapman’s new album. Chapman also has fans in outer space. On August 9, Chapman visited the men and women at NASA's Johnson's Space Center in Houston, TX. He was also privileged to be able to share a few words with American astronauts Ronnie Garan and Mike Fossum while they are aboard the International Space Station as they spent the morning in space working and listening to re:creation. (Watch the conversation
here.)
Chapman also recently sat down with the ever-popular beliefnet.com for an in-depth two-part interview about his journey over the past few years and the new season of healing he and his family are in. Join the millions of readers to be touched by the captivating interview
here.
re:creation features six brand new songs including his current single "Do Everything," which is currently No. 2 at AC Indicator, No. 4 at National Christian Audience and No. 6 at AC Monitored. Chapman also premiered the music video for his chart-topping single at Gospel Music Channel and Klove.com last week. Fans can check it out at www.stevencurtischapman.com.
Chapman will be performing "Do Everything" and more songs from re:creation this fall on his "Songs & Stories Tour" with Andrew Peterson and Josh Wilson. The uniquely formatted songwriters night tour starts Sept. 29. For more information on Steven Curtis Chapman, re:creation and the tour please visit www.stevencurtischapman.com.
Yesterday morning, multi-platinum selling artist and five-time GRAMMY award winner Steven Curtis Chapman celebrated the launch of his latest release re:creation with his friends at NASA. As a special treat, Chapman was able to speak directly with the two American astronauts currently stationed on the space station about the album. With a solid track record of consistently delivering remarkably transparent and musically engaging albums throughout his prolific 20+ year career, Chapman's 17th album, available nationwide, is no different as it receives praise from critics across the board including New Release Tuesday, USA Today, Beliefnet and more:
"Overall re:creation is at its most powerful in its most personal new material. Those are the most poignant and inspirational, and he blends them well with an organic version of his signature upbeat style. It's also encouraging to hear Chapman having fun again while welcoming listeners into renewed hope. re:creation recognizes there are more tears to come, but also shows that Chapman is able to laugh again." -ChristianityToday.com
"Far from a remix, re:creation offers us Steven Curtis Chapman's timeless songs for a generation that needs to hear them. New, stripped-down instrumentations, new instruments and new voicing not only breathe new life into classic songs like 'Dive' and 'Speechless,' but they are clear evidence that this songwriter has rediscovered new themes in his own life. This is like picking up a conversation with an old friend, right where you left it." --NewReleaseTuesday.com
" re:creation is Steven Curtis Chapman at his best: creative, uplifting, and deeply emotional. The re-invented songs showcase his continuing growth as an artist, and are only upstaged by the spiritual depth of the new material."-Beliefnet.com
"Chapman, who has written thoughtfully about his faith since the late 80's, revisits early hits such as 'The Great Adventure' and 'For the Sake of the Call.' The older material deserves a listen."- USA Today
"Whether newcomers to the SCC canon or longtime followers, there is something for everyone on Steven Curtis Chapman's latest, re:creation. Whether old or new, however, the common thread among the tracks is Chapman's ability to change the heart's perspective time and time again."- CCM Magazine
"Nearly 25 years into his career, SCC is finding that the ups and downs of life have given new meaning to old lyrics. The songs (and the singer) seem more fragile but the message is just as sure. " -Rhapsody.com
In addition to the critics' rave reviews, the world premiere of Chapman's current single from the new album, "Do Everything," can be seen this week on the Gospel Music Channel's Uplifting Pop starting at 9am/8c all week long. The video also premiered on KLOVE.com and fans can watch it here . "Do Everything" is continuing to climb the charts as well as it is currently No. 2 at AC Indicator, No. 5 at National Christian Audience and No. 6 at AC Monitored. Yesterday, Chapman stopped by the morning show at KSBJ in Houston, where he shared the story behind the song and album.
It has been over three years since the Chapmans lost their daughter Maria, but the family finally feels the sun is starting to rise as they are continuing their journey of healing and restoration. Chapman opens up about this new season with Billboard Magazine, on stands next week, AOL's The Boot and on the cover of the latest issue of CCM Magazine .
Chapman's support of the album continues with the launch of a 23-city "Songs & Stories Tour" this fall starting Sept. 29. For more information on Steven Curtis Chapman, re:creation and the tour please visit www.stevencurtischapman.com.
On August 9, multi-platinum selling artist Steven Curtis Chapman will unveil re:creation, his 17th album release over his iconic 20 + year career.
The new album features five new songs from the five-time GRAMMY ® Award winner and all new re-imagined recordings of his eight biggest hits. (See full track listing below)The entire record has a progressive and fresh acoustic sound, which reflects the energy and life found in the songs. The title speaks to the actual recreation of these songs, which are entirely new re-recordings in a new musical space. More and most importantly though, the word recreation speaks to the new life God is now recreating for Chapman and his family as they walk forward in their lives.
In examining how to best recreate some of the songs that made him the most awarded artist in Christian music history, Chapman once again tapped Brent Milligan, whom he worked with on Beauty Will Rise, to co-produce the new project.
“Musically I felt Beauty Will Rise went to a new place for me,” Chapman explains. “It was a more acoustic, more organic recording, and that was something that I felt was really appropriate for this album as well. I write almost all of my songs with just an acoustic guitar. They begin in that organic and stripped down space, but then you get into the studio and the sounds of the day and the technology of that era influence how the songs get recorded. I thought, ‘Wow, I’d love to redo ‘For The Sake Of The Call’ because that song means something different now. It means continuing to live out the call to share our faith in light of all we’ve been through. When I did it originally, it was a big production. The sounds of the drums were real big and there was a lot of reverb and I was thinking, ‘I would love to do that song more the way that I perform it live now.’ I found that since Maria went to heaven, many of the songs that I have written over the years continue to grow in meaning. The heart behind doing this was asking, how can I take some of those songs that have a new depth to me and reinterpret those, recreate those? Thus the title re:creation.”
The first single from the album “Do Everything,” recently made its debut at radio and in one week over 28 stations added it to their playlist, making it the most added song at Christian radio last week. Chapman opens up about the upbeat anthem in a personal video shown here.
Chapman cherishes his connection with his fans and supporters as they have walked with him throughout his career. “I feel like they’ve been on the journey with me from the very beginning and I feel like this album is another step in that and a chance for me to say, ‘Friends, you’ve prayed for us and loved us so much. I want you to know it’s okay to laugh with us. We’re still going to cry, but know that we feel like we’re coming into a new season and the sun is coming up.’
For more information on Steven Curtis Chapman and re:creation, please visit www.stevencurtischapman.com.
On the heels of their second American Music Award win for Contemporary Inspirational Artist, MercyMe recently garnered the National Christian Audience Song of the Year and Christian AC Song of the Year with “All of Creation” according to Billboard magazine. The track dominated Billboard’s AC Monitored chart for 11 weeks, the longest run at No. 1 in the band’s career.
Along with the Song of the Year nod, MercyMe is closing out 2010 with a bang in other ways as well. Having wrapped their successful “The Generous Mr. Lovewell” tour, the Dallas-area locals had a dream come true when they were recently asked to open a Dallas Cowboys Football game by singing the National Anthem for Sunday night football.
“2010 has been an amazing year for this band,” remarked lead vocalist Bart Millard. “Christian radio, fans, etc have just been so good to us, and this year was no exception - it’s just beyond incredible. Of course standing on the football field before the Cowboys fans and such was mind blowing – what a thrill for all of us! We’re a blessed group of guys for sure.”
The multi-platinum selling band was also invited to visit Sam’s Club associates in Bentonville, AR for their quarterly business review and holiday party. With nearly 1000 in attendance, MercyMe charmed the crowd with their humor and gave an intimate stripped down performance of some of their greatest hits, along with a selection of new favorites off of their latest best-selling album The Generous Mr. Lovewell (INO Records).
MercyMe will kick off 2011 on January 28th when they hit the road for the third annual Rock and Worship Roadshow. Compassion International will serve as the executive producer and along with MercyMe the tour will also feature Jars of Clay, Thousand Foot Krutch, Matt Maher, The Afters and LeCrae.
For more information on MercyMe please visit www.mercyme.org.
Creation Festivals, voted "Favorite Festival" by CCM Magazine readers for the 3rd consecutive year, has proven to be the hallmark summer event music fans can't afford to miss. Hosted in two incredible settings, Creation Festivals host todays top Christian artists, compelling speakers, and stellar entertainment all for one low price. Both festivals are home to 5 stages, 60 artists, 20 speakers, an extreme zone, kid's entertainment, exhibit buildings, and much more.
Creation 2010 Northeast will celebrate the 32nd annual festival June 30th - July 3rd at the Agape Farm in the beautiful mountain ranges of Mount Union, PA. Creation 2010 Northwest will be held at its new home, the Enumclaw Expo Center, in Enumclaw, Washington (just 45 minutes outside Seattle) on July 21st - July 24th.
“Creation is a destination” says festival Producer, Bill Darpino. “The beautiful mountains of western Pennsylvania or the awe inspiring view of Mt. Rainier allows each attendee to experience Gods creation in a unique and personal way.”
Each festival boasts world-class artist lineup that includes bands such as Skillet, TobyMac, Casting Crowns, Chris Tomlin, the David Crowder Band, Switchfoot, Newsboys, Red, Family Force 5, and many more. The Nations top speakers such as Bob Lenz, Louie Giglio, Reggie Dabbs, Ron Luce, Tony Nolan, and Matt Pitt will also take the stages at Creation. The "Fringe Stage" will feature the best alternative Christian artists, including Group 1 Crew, Seabird, The Classic Crime, R-Swift, and Brian “Head” Welch (founding member & former lead guitarist of Korn). In addition, Creation Northwest will feature Hillsong Live from Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia - a Creation Festival exclusive.
The Creation Festivals are more than just entertainment for families and groups - it's an experience. Generations have come to the Creation Festivals over the years with an expectancy to see God move.
"Nothing can compare to worshiping with tens of thousands of people, being a part of the candle-lighting service, or even watching young and old be baptized,” states Co-founder and Director of the Creation Festivals, Pastor Harry Thomas.
The message of hope and encouragement is one that is carried throughout the week at Creation. Each afternoon there are special seminars on a variety of topics from keynote speakers at various locations on the festival grounds. Creation has once again teamed up with Interlinc to provide youth leaders with the "Youth Leader VIP Experience." This special tent will house daily seminars by festival speakers, exclusive artist talkback sessions where youth leaders can meet and have candid discussions with some of the artists appearing at the festival, enjoy free snacks, and a place to connect with other church leaders from across the nation.
An event for the entire family, Creation Northeast and Creation Northwest features a "Kid's Stage," geared especially for children of all ages. The Donut Man, Phredd, Mark Thompson, and Stephen Courtney will all make Creation an exciting experience for children. Each afternoon, kids also gather in the "Kid's Grove" for a special craft time, puppets, and a petting zoo. For teens and adults alike, there is an “Extreme Zone” featuring a skate and BMX park, climbing walls, spider jumps, sumo wrestling, basketball courts and much more.
Creation strives to offer the best entertainment value for families as well as youth groups. Advanced tickets start at $49.00 per person for the entire four-day festival, providing the attendees with jam-packed entertainment, lodging, and more all for one low price. In addition to Creation's group rates, Creation offers free tickets to kids under 5 years of age and has once again offered its "Ticketing Payment Plans" and "Carpooling to Creation" contests to help fans spread their dollars even further.
Nick Kulb, Director of Marketing and Sales, states “We will continue to support our attendees by offering a tremendous amount of entertainment for the lowest possible ticket price.
Creation has become a staple on the summer calendars for tens of thousands of people and we will continue to provide them with great value.” Tickets for both festivals are available now at www.creationfest.com.
For more information about Creation 2010 Northeast and Creation 2010 Northwest go to www.creationfest.com or Google keyword - "Creation." There you will be able to view the complete program, find information on purchasing tickets, volunteering, and much more. Media and press outlets looking to cover the festival on-site please go to www.creationfestpress.com. Become a fan of Creation Festival on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.
Multi-platinum and award-winning band MercyMe is encouraging “All Of Creation” to “love well” with their upcoming studio album “The Generous Mr. Lovewell” (INO Records), scheduled to arrive May 4th nationwide.
“The album, “The Generous Mr. Lovewell,” revolves around a fictional character we created who reminds us that we simply need to love others well,” explains MercyMe frontman Bart Millard. “For some of us, it means that we need to put hands and feet on our ideology and rhetoric. For others, it means that we need to continue in doing well, but to not stop there. We need to let people know why we are called to make a difference. Our prayer is that this album would mobilize the body of Christ to encourage people in word and deed.”
MercyMe recently had the opportunity to share this concept as they personally premiered their first single, “All of Creation” to radio stations across the U.S. The band split up into three teams of two, making stops at major market stations such as K-LOVE, Z88 in Orlando, The Fish Los Angeles, KCMS in Seattle, WCSG in Grand Rapids and dozens more.
Produced by Brown Bannister and Dan Muckala, the project features 11 tracks, and with each member sending regular tweets throughout the recording, photo shoots and more, fans have been able to stay connected to the process. The band plans to continue this process, and has already posted YouTube videos talking about the idea behind Mr. Lovewell and the new single:
Millard Describes the idea behind “The Generous Mr. Lovewell”-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS4Q8xiP6N8
Millard Introduces “All Of Creation”-
http://www.youtube.com/user/INORecords#p/a/u/0/q-tywXLREik <http://www.youtube.com/user/INORecords#p/a/u/0/q-tywXLREik>
“We as a band are all very excited about “The Generous Mr. Lovewell,” continues Millard. “And hopefully it will create a movement of encouraging people to make a difference in the world whether it’s helping your neighbor or just loving each other.”
Also this spring, fans can catch MercyMe on the Rock And Worship Roadshow as they travel across the country alongside fellow acts David Crowder*Band, Family Force 5, Francesca Battistelli, Fee, Remedy Drive and Sidewalk Prophets. To see if the tour is coming to a city nearby please visit: www.rockandworshiproadshow.com.
For more information on MercyMe and “The Generous Mr. Lovewell,” please go to www.mercyme.org or www.mrlovewell.com, or via Twitter @MrLovewell.
Nashville, TN (October 22, 2009) - America's largest Christian music and teaching festivals, the Creation
Festivals, announce a new venue for the annual Creation Northwest. Creation 2010 is “going green” with
this exciting new move. After twelve amazing years in the high desert and extreme heat at the Gorge
Amphitheater; Creation Festival Northwest is moving to the picturesque, green valley at Enumclaw Expo
Center in Enumclaw, Washington.
The Enumclaw Expo Center, also known as the home to the King County Fair, will be the perfect setting
to carry on the Creation tradition of paying “Tribute to our Creator." Generations have come to love and
cherish the seclusion of the Creation Festivals - the Enumclaw Expo Center carries on this tradition with
spectacular views of Mt. Rainier and the beautiful landscape of the great Northwest.
"We are extremely excited to see God provide this great new venue for Creation Festival Northwest. God
continually amazes us with His grace and provision. What a gorgeous place with Mt. Rainier as the backdrop
for the camping areas and the Fairgrounds;" says Pastor Harry Thomas, co-founder and director of
the Creation Festivals. "As Creation 2010 Northwest embraces the beauty of Mt. Rainier, green valleys
and cooler temperatures, we are believing for the Lord to do great things for the thousands in attendance.”
The Enumclaw Expo Center in Enumclaw, Washington is conveniently accessible to many of the
Northwest's major metropolitan cities. This close proximity will allow for a better commute for fans and
ticket purchasers, while putting major highways, hotels and the like within a short driving distance.
The new dates for Creation 2010 Northwest are July 21 - July 24, 2010. This summer will prove to be
another stellar festival, as Creation provides an experience like none other with jam packed entertainment,
world renowned speakers, exciting festival extras, and much more.
For more information about Creation Northeast and Northwest, log onto www.creationfest.com.
Nashville, TN (August 26, 2009) - Creation Festival: The Tour hits the road for a second time this fall and is pleased to announce the dates and cities for its one-of-a-kind traveling experience. Kicking off September 14 in Music City USA, Nashville, TN, the tour will make stops in 30-plus cities across the nation and will include an element of local outreach in each city. Tickets for many of the dates are currently on-sale through iTickets.com.
Patterned after the Creation Festivals, the nation's largest Christian music festival and the premier name in Christian music events, this "mini Creation on wheels" will be headlined by the multi-Platinum and three time Grammy Award-winning band, Jars of Clay, along with rock-sensation, Thousand Foot Krutch. Audio Unplugged, featuring Mark Stuart and Will McGinniss from the Grammy Award-winning rock band, Audio Adrenaline, are also a part of the tour, performing their record-breaking classics and sharing stories from the heart. The star-studded line up is rounded out by the new soulful pop sensation on Gotee Records, B. Reith, Forefront Recording artist, This Beautiful Republic, and highly anticipated pop-punk band, FM Static. Pastor Harry Thomas, Creation Festival director and co-founder, will also join the tour on many dates.
Mark Stuart exclaims "Creation has always been an excellent experience for us and we can't wait for this tour to kick off! Will and I are pumped to share our music and stories on stage with some of our favorite artists. We're definitely looking forward to seeing fans of `Audio A' from the past and making new friends as we take the stage as
Audio Unplugged."
Creation Festival: The Tour sets out to not only provide an exciting evening of great music and ministry, but also to provide attendees with something no other tour can provide. iTunes has teamed up with Creation Festival: The Tour to give away an exclusive tour branded iTunes card featuring a special collection of 20 free songs. Every person attending the tour will receive the card absolutely free. Creation will also provide a pre-tour sampler, available to every visitor to www.creationfesttour.com. Details on the website promotion and launch date will be released in the days ahead.
Nick Kulb, producer of Creation Festival: The Tour states "We have aligned ourselves with proper partners and promoters to ensure each attendee gets a tremendous amount of entertainment for one low price. Our teaming up with iTunes to provide each person with a plethora of free music is a small, yet valuable incentive, and will ensure that families from all over the nation receive one great night of music, ministry, and fun." Additional elements, ministry opportunities and highlights will be added to the tour, with many announcements forthcoming.
For up to the minute information about Creation Festival: The Tour, please visit www.creationfesttour.com.
Tour Dates:
9.14 - Nashville, TN
9.17 - Springfield, MO
9.18 - Wichita, KS
9.19 - Longview, TX
9.20 - Baton Rouge, LA
9.22 - Dallas, TX
9.24 - New Albany, IN
9.25 - Wheaton, IL
9.26 - Excelsior Springs, MO
9.27 - Marion, OH
10.2 - Arvada, CO
10.3 - Salina, KS
10.4 - Dodge City, KS
10.8 - Frederick, MD
10.9 - Greenville, SC
10.10 - Atlanta, GA
10.11 - Panama City, FL
10.15 - Lancaster, PA
10.16 - Rochester, NY
10.17 - Erie, PA
10.19 - Grand Rapids, MI
10.29 - San Bernardino, CA
10.30 - Las Vegas, NV
10.31 - Phoenix, AZ
11.1 - Albuquerque, NW
11.3 - Farmington, NM
11.5 - Sacramento, CA
11.6 - Portland, OR
11.7 - Seattle, WA
11.8 - Kalispell, MT
11.12 - North Platte, NE
11.13 - Cedar Rapids, IA
11.14 - St. Louis, MO
11.15 - Effingham, IL
* Dates and venues subject to change
For tickets go to:
http://www.creationfesttour.com/dates.php
Creation Festivals, the nation's largest Christian music festival and the premier name in Christian music events, is pleased to announce the 2nd annual Creation Festival: The Tour. Kicking off on September 17th, the "mini Creation Festival on wheels" will allow fans across the country to experience one night of music, teaching, fun, and tremendous extras.
The multi-Platinum and three time Grammy Award-winning band, Jars of Clay, will headline the 25+ city tour, along with rock-sensation, Thousand Foot Krutch. Audio Unplugged, featuring Mark Stuart and Will McGinniss from the Grammy Award-winning rock band, Audio Adrenaline, will also storm back onto the music scene via Creation Festival: The Tour. They will share stories of hope, grace, and challenges from their 17 year long career, along with a message and altar call, intertwined with a time of worship and classic Audio Adrenaline hits that fans have grown to love. The star-studded line up is rounded out by the new soulful pop sensation on Gotee Records, B. Reith, Forefront Recording artist, This Beautiful Republic and highly anticipated pop-punk band, FM Static.
"We are excited to bring Creation Festival: The Tour to so many cities this fall. The music, the visual, and the spirit behind the whole show is going to be amazing," exclaims Dan Haseltine, frontman for Jars of Clay.
Creation Festival: The Tour prides itself on its dedicated focus on ministry. Nick Kulb, producer of Creation Festival: The Tour states, "Our sole goal of this tour is to pay tribute to our Creator. It is a privilege to bring the Creation experience and these amazing artists out on the road this fall. We have spent countless hours in creating not just another concert, but an event that has unique features and focuses heavily on the ministry component, which is the foremost purpose of everything we do."
The evening will be jam packed with music, but will also provide time for the Gospel to be shared with all in attendance. The Tour is proud to be partnering, once again, with Interlinc and Youth Specialties, bringing an exciting youth leader experience out on the road. Youth leaders will be able to participate in exclusive meet & greets and talkbacks with artists, as well as get a sneak peak at exciting resources to help leaders connect with their youth through music and teaching. Creation is also proud to be able to offer some exciting extras exclusively for this tour. iTunes will be a part of the tour offering 20 free digital songs through an exclusive tour branded iTunes card. More tour extras and sponsor contributions will be announced shortly.
Creative Artists Agency is wrapping up final routing for Creation Festival: The Tour, with cities and dates to be announced shortly. John Huie, president of CAA Nashville, TN adds, "We are excited that Creation Festivals, the largest, most seasoned Christian festival, is taking its talent on the road and we are honored they asked CAA to book it."
Additional elements and highlights will be added to the tour, with many announcements forthcoming. For up to the minute information about Creation Festival: The Tour, please visit www.creationfesttour.com.
America's largest Christian music and teaching festivals, the Creation Festivals, are pleased to announce the line up for Creation Northeast and Northwest. Consistently voted as the "favorite festival," by Christian music fans, Creation Festival has proved to be the hallmark summer event. In two incredible settings, the Creation Festivals host the best Christian artists, the most compelling speakers, and stellar entertainment for one low price - the past three decades have proven that Creation continues to provide amazing events for youth, adults and everyone in between.
The 31st annual, Creation Northeast will be held June 24th – 27th at the Agape Farm in the beautiful mountain ranges of Mount Union, PA., and Creation Northwest will be marking its 12th year at the amazing Gorge Amphitheater in George, WA July 22nd – 25th. Tickets are available now through www.creationfest.com.
The festivals boast a powerhouse artist lineup that includes Relient K, Casting Crowns, Third Day, Chris Tomlin, Skillet, Family Force 5, Hawk Nelson, David Crowder Band, Thousand Foot Krutch, Red and many more, not to mention world renowned speakers including Joyce Meyer, Greg Laurie, Reggie Dabbs, Will Graham, Bob Lenz and Ron Luce. The "Fringe Stage" will feature the best the in alternative Christian artists, including Spoken, Disciple, The Classic Crime, Stellar Kart, John Reuben, We as Human, Reilly and more.
After the lights go down on the main stage, the entertainment continues at the Late Night Café. Each festival has a Creation Exclusive for fans attending on both coasts – Creation Northeast features AA Talks, with Audio Adrenaline, while Creation Northwest teams up with Hawk Nelson for an exclusive live DVD shoot and house party for Hawk Nelson's highly anticipated new album. Also appearing at both festivals is critically acclaimed comedian Kerri Pomarolli, as well as Creation's National Talent Search winners.
Creation Festival Co-Founder and Director, Pastor Harry Thomas states, "Creation is more than just fun and entertainment – it is a spiritually rewarding and enriching experience. Nothing can compare to tens of thousands of people praising God together, being a part of the candle-lighting service, or even or watching young people being baptized. We have ensured that the Festival features more than music and speaking and provides an overall experience that challenges Christians to be vessels and on fire for Christ – what happens at Creation changes one's walk with their Savior."
Providing for an intimate time of worship is an important goal at Creation. In doing so, Creation will partner with Integrity Music to provide a deeply enriching time of praise and worship each afternoon. In addition, the worship tent will offer a training conference for worship leaders, musicians and writers each afternoon. With distinct seminar classes ranging from songwriting to hands-on training for bands, worship leaders and musicians will have a rare opportunity to come together for teaching and fellowship.
The Creation Festival also strives to provide resources that will make the event an even better learning tool. Every afternoon there are special seminars on a variety of topics from keynote speakers. Creation has once again teamed up with Interlinc to provide youth leaders with excellent seminars and other resources, including a daily afternoon seminar lead by various festival speakers, talkback sessions where Group Leaders can meet and have candid discussions with some of the most popular artists appearing at the Festival, and a "VIP Youth Leader Tent," where leaders can get out of the sun, enjoy free snacks, look through an assortment of free literature and resources, and share ideas with other Youth Leaders.
An event for the entire family, both Creation Northeast and Northwest also feature a "Kid's Tent," which will have a program geared especially for children, including PureNRG, the Donut Man, the Bigsby Show, Phredd, the Stephen Courtney Band and Ryan and Friends will be joined by the Forgotten Friend Reptile Rescue. Each afternoon, kids gather under the trees in the “Kids Grove” for a special craft time, puppets and access to the petting zoo.
Creation provides additional entertainment and special features for all in attendance, including extreme games with climbing walls, spider jumps and sumo wrestling, a Skateboard and BMX ministry, a Gear Giveaway and a vendor Exhibit area with almost 200 booths with an assortment of merchandise and apparel available for purchase and ministries and colleges offering free literature and information.
While Creation continues to add to its overall entertainment and artist line-up, the festival has not raised prices in over a year and continues to be one of the most affordable summer events. Advance tickets range from $46.00 – $99.00 per person for the entire four day festival, providing the attendees with jam-packed entertainment, lodging and more for about $20.00 per day. On top of deeper discounts offered thru Creation's group rates, Creation offers free tickets to kids under 5 and has also established the "Carpooling to Creation" contest and the "Ticket Payment Plan" to help families and groups spread their dollars even further.
Nick Kulb, Director of Marketing & Sales sates "We stand by our loyal fans and hope to provide them with a fun, safe and enjoyable summer vacation for one low price. We trust the measures we have taken to keep costs low, as well as the new ticketing options offered, will help make the trip a little easier for every attendee."
For more information about Creation Northeast and Northwest, to view the complete program, for information on purchasing tickets or volunteering as staff, log onto www.creationfest.com. Media and press outlets looking to cover the festival onsite as a part of the Creation Press Pool, log onto www.creationfestpress.com.
Nashville, TN (October 28, 2008) – Creation Festival: The Tour and CCMMagazine.com are teaming together for an exclusive online contest. Four lucky music fans will win a prize pack including four tickets, meet & greet passes and more.
Beginning today, visitors to CCMMagazine.com can sign up for the contest by going to the contest page: http://www.ccmmagazine.com/just_for_you/giveaways/11583983/. Four winners – two this week and two next week – will be randomly chosen to win a 4-pack of tickets and meet & greet passes to Creation Festival: The Tour in the city of their choice. In addition, winners will also receive a “CD brick” with music from each band on the line-up and a Creation Festival Tour hoodie.
“We are excited about giving CCM fans the opportunity to see some of their favorite bands on Creation Festival: The Tour!” says CCMmagazine.com editor Lindsay Williams. “This tour has a terrific, diverse line-up, offering a little something for everyone. So, I think fans will really love the chance to get to come out to the shows and engage with these artists.”
Patterned after the Creation Festivals, the Tour is headlined by BEC Recordings band, Kutless, with special guests, Thousand Foot Krutch and Pillar, as well as female-fronted rock band, Fireflight and Run Kid Run. Integrity’s Worth Dying For provides a time of praise and worship and KJ-52 also performs and serves as MC for the night. World-renowned speaker, Bob Lenz, shares the gospel each night, with Pastor Harry Thomas, Creation Festival director and co-founder and Teen Mania’s founder, Ron Luce, joining the tour on select dates. A special “pre-show” kicks off the event, featuring performances by Esterlyn and Capital Lights.
“We are pleased to be partnering with CCM Magazine Online for this contest,” explains Nick Kulb, Tour Producer. “CCM has long been the go-to outlet for the best in Christian music and we’re excited to provide fans an opportunity see their favorite bands up close and in person. The Tour has been life-changing to this point with over 3,000 people making new decisions for Christ and hundreds of Compassion children sponsored. We hope to impact more lives throughout the rest of the tour and are happy that CCM fans are able to be a part of that.”
For full tour routing and up to the minute information about Creation Festival: The Tour, please visit www.creationfesttour.com. Ticketing information can be found online at iTickets.com by following this link: www.itickets.com/tours/663.html. The CCM Magazine Online contest can be found here: www.ccmmagazine.com/just_for_you/giveaways/11583983/.
Nashville, TN (October 16, 2008) – Creation Festival: The Tour, the buzz tour of the fall, kicked off last week in Cincinnati, OH. This one of a kind “Creation on wheels” experience will make stops in 30-plus cities across the Northeast, Midwest and South, with each date offering a community outreach event and a strong evangelistic message. Fans can follow the tour with exclusive online coverage.
“The first week of the Tour has been amazing,” says Nick Kulb, Tour Producer. “The shows have exceeded our expectations and after a quick stop back home, we are ready to get back on the road. We have seen God working through the first few shows and we are excited to see what He has in store for the weeks ahead.”
The Tour kicked off in Cincinnati, OH and made stops in Charleston, WV, Cullman, AL, Ozark, AL. In the first four dates, the shows have seen over 7,700 attendees and many decisions to follow Christ. This week they will hit Sterling Heights, MI on 10/16, Hoffman Estates, IL on 10/17 and Green Bay, WI on 10/18.
Fans can follow the tour online through the Tour Blog posted on the CreationFestTour.com website, featuring daily updates, fun videos and exclusive insights into the tour. CCM Magazine.com will also host a Tour blog, that will feature updates from band members. Fans can also find exclusive, behind the scenes coverage on VideoRocket.com and HearItFirst.com. VideoRocket will be featuring video blogs from the bands as well as on the road updates from Worth Dying For. HearItFirst will chronicle all the aspects of life on the road and what it takes to put a tour like this together.
Patterned after the Creation Festivals, the Tour will be headlined by BEC Recordings band, Kutless, with special guests, Thousand Foot Krutch and Pillar, as well as female-fronted rock band, Fireflight and Run Kid Run. Integrity’s Worth Dying For will provide a time of praise and worship and KJ-52 will also perform and serve as MC for the night. World-renowned speaker, Bob Lenz, will share the gospel each night, with Pastor Harry Thomas, Creation Festival director and co-founder and Teen Mania’s founder, Ron Luce, also joining the tour on select dates. A special “pre-show” will kick off the event, featuring performances by Esterlyn and Capital Lights.
For full tour routing and up to the minute information about Creation Festival: The Tour, please visit www.creationfesttour.com. Ticketing information can be found online at iTickets.com.
Nashville, TN (September 18, 2008) – Creation Festival: The Tour is pleased to announce several strategic partnerships with companies who have chosen to come alongside this one-of-a-kind event as tour sponsors. Through these relationships many unique promotions and perks will be made available for ticket holders, youth leaders and music fans.
The Tour has teamed with Apple's iTunes to provide each attendee with free music. Each person attending a concert date will receive an exclusive tour branded iTunes card, good for 20 songs of featured Creation artists when they arrive the day of the concert. Additionally, Tooth&Nail Records will provide attendees with 20 free songs for every ticket purchase. Each ticket holder will receive a 20 song pre-tour sampler via a download code received at time of ticket purchase. These are exclusive deals only made available to Creation Festival: The Tour and provide ticket holders with an unprecedented opportunity to receive free music in addition to a tremendous tour for one low ticket price.
Youth ministry advocates, Interl’inc and Youth Specialties are joining forces to provide special Youth Leader Talk Back sessions in each city. Youth leaders and their staff will have the opportunity to participate in exclusive meet and greet times and break out sessions with various artists from the tour as well as receive special resources to take back to their youth ministry.
Online Christian music audio and video providers, HearItFirst.com and VideoRocket.com will be following along with the tour and providing those at home with an insider’s look into Creation Festival: The Tour. Both sites will showcase exclusive behind the scenes footage, video blogs and special content from the artists on the tour.
“We are very pleased with the caliber of companies who have chosen to come along side and partner with us to make Creation Festival: The Tour possible,” explains Nick Kulb, Tour producer. “It definitely takes a small army of people to pull an event like this off and these companies share the vision of what we want to accomplish. I’m excited to get out on the road and see our partnerships and hard work come to life.”
Additional tour sponsors include child advocacy organization Compassion International, Integrity Music, Provident Label Group, PRS Guitars and Global Expeditions.
Patterned after the Creation Festivals, the nation’s largest Christian music festival and the premier name in Christian music events, this “mini Creation on wheels” kicks off October 9th and will make stops in 30-plus cities. The line up features nine bands, including headliners Kutless, and special guests, Thousand Foot Krutch and Pillar and is rounded out by Fireflight, Run Kid Run and Worth Dying For. A special “pre-show” will kick off the event, featuring performances by Esterlyn and Capital Lights and world-renowned speaker, Bob Lenz, will share the gospel each night.
For up to the minute information about Creation Festival: The Tour and a complete list of cities, please visit www.creationfesttour.com. Ticketing information can be found online at iTickets.com by following this link: www.itickets.com/tours/663.html.
(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) Sept. 17, 2008—Online Christian music lifestyle destination, HearItFirst.com is among a select group of partners to sponsor the first ever Creation Festival: The Tour this fall. An extensive multi-media campaign in support of the tour will ensue mid-September.
Creation Festival, the nation’s largest Christian music festival and the premier name in Christian music events, recently announced that it is expanding its brand once again to launch Creation Festival: The Tour. Kicking off in October, with headliners Kutless, Thousand Foot Krutch, and Pillar, the “mini Creation on wheels” will allow fans across the country to experience a taste of the annual 4-day events held in June and July in one night of music, teaching and fun.
HearItFirst.com has signed on to champion the tour via a comprehensive promotion that will include e-mail notifications to members, videos, a site-skinning feature, tour page, and other exclusive content. Among that special content will be an on-going video road diary to post at www.HearItFirst.com/creation. Commercial spots will also run on HearItFirst.tv.
Mark Adkison, Hear It First president and founder, comments, “Hear It First and Creation Festivals have enjoyed a long-standing relationship. With the advent of the tour, it was a logical choice for Hear It First to be involved and, building on the solid reputation of both brands, to extend into these new venues. We are excited about the partnership and are looking forward to continuing to build the Hear It First and Creation Festival brands.”
Creation Festival: The Tour producer and manager Nick Kulb agrees, “Creation Festivals first teamed up with HearItFirst.com in 2005, and it’s been sweet success ever since. Having them as a part of Creation Festival: The Tour is a natural next step for our two organizations, and we’re excited they’ve stepped up as a sponsor in our first year. Hear It First will not only bring the tour and our promoters added exposure and promotion, but also superior coverage and exclusive content to the public. We are looking forward to working with Hear It First this fall and far into the future.”
For the latest information on Creation Festival: The Tour and a complete list of tour dates, visit: http://www.HeaItFirst.com/creation or http://www.creationfesttour.com.
About Creation Festivals:
Celebrating 30 years, the Creation Festival was founded in 1979 in Pennsylvania and has since grown to become the largest event of its kind, adding a second event in 1998 on the west coast, held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, WA. In 2005, Creation branched out once again, this time internationally. Friendship Fest, held just outside the beautiful gardens and sold walls of Marrakech, the cultural capital of the Kingdom of Morocco, has been a huge success with more than 80,000 fans gathering for this truly historical event in a Muslim country. Tens of thousands of people attend the Creation Festivals from all across the United States and Canada, as well as many international countries, including Iceland, Switzerland, and France. The Festival has also been featured by many mainstream media outlets including CBS News’ “Sunday Morning”, VH1, CNN, FOX News, Details Magazine, The New York Times, and GQ Magazine to name a few. In April 2004, the Creation Festival was awarded the Gospel Music Association’s “Lifetime Achievement Award”, an honor that recognizes major contributions to the gospel music industry through a company’s commitment to the Christian community for 20 or more years. The festival has been recognized twice in CCM Magazine’s annual “Readers Choice Awards” as “Favorite Festival”. Most recently, Creation Northeast took place June 25-28 at Agape Farm in Mount Union, PA while Creation Northwest was July 23-26 at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Washington.
About HearItFirst.com
Now boasting more than 182,000 members, HearItFirst.com has become the definitive online community for fans wanting exclusive in-depth access to artists. Among member benefits are free daily updates, music downloads, weekly newsletters, early viewing of upcoming music videos, artist interviews updated daily, and behind-the-scenes footage from live events. The site also maintains an entire channel devoted solely to the latest in indie music. Versatile, fresh and timely content has come to define the site, which receives more than 500,000 visits a month and in excess of 1.2million monthly page views. For more information, visit www.HearItFirst.com
Seattle, WA...September 3, 2008...During the 30th anniversary year of the Creation Festival Northeast, it is only fitting that the 30+ city Creation Festival: The Tour is being launched this fall to allow fans across the nation to experience the "festival on wheels." BEC Recordings' Kutless is honored as the headlining act for the debut year of Creation Festival: The Tour, which kicks off October 9th in Cincinnati, OH (dates and locations found here).
"We are extremely excited to feature Kutless as our headlining artist on Creation Festival: The Tour," says Executive Producer Nick Kulb. "Kutless has been a regular at our festivals, most recently headlining the Wednesday night program at Creation `08 Northwest. We've enjoyed watching them grow over the years and shape into the industry's next major headlining band. The guys who makeup Kutless have a heart for ministry and for sharing the gospel - these two traits are not only what Creation is known for, but what we strive for, thus it only makes sense for us to put them to the top of our list. We look forward to working with them this fall and collectively, presenting one of the best tours of the year."
As headliners for Creation Festival: The Tour, Kutless will perform the intense rock show that their fans have come to know and love, while incorporating new songs from their recently released, fifth, full-length album To Know That You're Alive. This release follows the hit records that have sold more than 1.5 million copies that contained their hit "Strong Tower" and other multiple format singles.
The band partnered for the first time with producer Pete Kipley (The Afters, MercyMe, Phil Wickham) for this project that released late June. Leading up to the release, the band's debut rock single "The Feeling" was a free download in May through the band's website resulting in more than 22,400 downloads indicating their fans' addiction to nabbing Kutless' new tunes.
With Kutless being one of the five festival artists on their roster (nine total on the tour), Tooth&Nail Records and BEC Recordings is pleased to announce their role as sponsors of the Creation Festival: The Tour. The T&N and BEC artists include: Kutless, Thousand Foot Krutch, KJ-52, RunKidRun and Capital Lights. As sponsors, T&N and BEC are providing a 20-song pre-tour sampler that is available with each ticket purchased. Once a ticket is purchased online, the sampler is given via a download code.
"We are looking forward to a great established brand in concerts being turned into a powerhouse touring brand!" shares BEC Recordings' General Manager Tyson Paoletti. "Creation Festival has always been something we as a label support, and they continue to not only help raise the bar for our bands/artists, but for our industry."
For more information on the upcoming tour including dates, times, ticket sales and information on all artists go to: www.creationfestthetour.com .
Nashville, TN (August 27, 2008) – Creation Festival: The Tour, the blockbuster event of the Fall, is pleased to announce the dates and cities for its one-of-a-kind traveling experience. Kicking off October 9 in Cincinnati, OH, the tour will make stops in 30-plus cities across the Northeast, Midwest and South and will include an element of local outreach in each city. Tickets go on sale nationwide today through iTickets.com.
Patterned after the Creation Festivals, the nation’s largest Christian music festival and the premier name in Christian music events, this “mini Creation on wheels” will be headlined by BEC Recordings band, Kutless, with special guests, Thousand Foot Krutch and Pillar. The line up is rounded out by female-fronted rockers, Fireflight, Run Kid Run and Integrity’s Worth Dying For providing a time of praise and worship. KJ-52 will also perform and serve as MC for the night. World-renowned speaker, Bob Lenz, will share the gospel each night, with Pastor Harry Thomas, Creation Festival director and co-founder and Teen Mania’s founder, Ron Luce, also joining the tour on select dates. A special “pre-show” will kick off the event, featuring performances by Esterlyn and Capital Lights.
“I think Christian rock needs this tour”, explains Rob Beckley, frontman for Pillar. “It is a great effort from Creation to have the guts to put this together. Christian rock needs the tour; one, for the strength of the line up and two, because this generation needs the masses to come together and be encouraged every night through music and leave stronger than they came in. Pillar is excited to be a part of the tour, and I’m excited to see the other bands!”
The goal of Creation Festival: The Tour is to not only provide an exciting evening of great music, but also present an opportunity to impact the local community through outreach. Each city will partner with a local ministry, such as a food bank or clothing drop and attendees are asked to bring a can of food, thick socks or a warm blanket to donate to the cause. Details for the outreach for each date can be found online at www.creationfesttour.com/itstartswithyou.
"The center purpose and mission of what we do at the Creation Festivals and now thru this tour is to give ‘Tribute to our Creator,’” says Nick Kulb, executive producer of the Tour. “That simple founding principal from 30 years ago is still in the forefront of our operations and is proving the test of time. This tour is extremely ministry and community active - we are looking forward to seeing thousands of lives changed as they accept Christ in the nightly alter call - we've teamed up with Compassion International and we've also launched the ‘It Starts With You’ campaign. This tour is so much more than the artists performing nightly; collectively, each of the bands and speakers are heading out on a united front with the Good News of Christ Jesus and to see lives radically changed for Him."
Creation Festival: The Tour – Fall 2008 Routing
*Dates and venues to be added, all are subject to change without notice.
10/9 Cincinnati OH
10/10 Charleston WV
10/11 Cullman AL
10/12 Ozark AL
10/16 Sterling Heights MI
10/17 Hoffman Estates IL
10/18 Green Bay WI
10/19 Kalamazoo MI
10/22 Lacrosse WI
10/25 Bloomington IL
10/26 Burlington IA
10/30 Grove City OH
10/31 Rochester NY
11/1 Bethlehem PA
11/2 Elmira NY
11/5 Altoona PA
11/6 Fayetteville NC
11/7 Knoxville TN
11/8 Chattanooga TN
11/14 Albuquerque NM
11/15 Greenwood Village CO
11/16 Dodge City KS
11/17 Council Bluffs IA
11/20 Tulsa OK
11/21 Austin TX
11/22 Corpus Christi TX
11/23 Lindale TX
For up to the minute information about Creation Festival: The Tour, please visit www.creationfesttour.com. Ticketing information can be found online at iTickets.com by following this link: http://www.itickets.com/tours/663.html.
Medford, NJ (July 9, 2008) – Creation Festival, the largest Christian Music and teaching Festival in the United States, marked its 30th Anniversary the end of June by honoring the past and looking to the future. The four-day celebration saw special tributes and performances, including a surprise appearance from Amy Grant. The Festival also carried out its mission to impact lives, seeing over 4300 attendees visit the Prayer Tent, 238 get baptized and more than 1400 Compassion Children sponsored.
Throughout the past 30 years all of the top Christian artists have graced the Creation Festival stage, with many careers launched at the event. The Festival took time to pay tribute to some of those artists during this special anniversary. Luminaries Keith Green and Larry Norman were remembered with special video montages chronicling their performances at Creation and their impact on the Christian music industry as a whole and guitar legend Phil Keaggy marked the 30-year anniversary of the release of his album The Master And The Musician with a special performance. The Newsboys presented Pastor Harry Thomas, Festival co-founder, with a special guitar as a thank you for the part Creation has played in the band’s success, while many other artists shared special memories and acknowledgements from stage.
The highlight of the event was a surprise performance from Christian and pop music icon, Amy Grant. Grant has a special place in the history of the Festival, as the beloved Friday night candle lighting began during her performance in 1983. Just as she and her band were about to take the stage, an underground transformer blew and all power was lost. While she led the crowd in singing praise choruses, Pastor Harry remembered some candles that were in storage, so those were distributed to everyone and a tradition began! This year Grant returned to play a short set, featuring an exclusive performance of “One Little Miracle”, a duet she recorded with Hawk Nelson, and also lead candle lighting alongside Paul Baloche.
“It was totally amazing to stand on the stage and see so many candles declaring the light of Christ in the believer. I never get tired of seeing that beauty and the vivid statement that we are a ‘city set on a hill,’” explains Thomas. “Paul and Amy led us in a wonderful time of worship. Even with wax running down your hand to your elbow, you did not want that moment to end. One thing for sure, It was an unforgettable spiritual moment.”
Newer artists like Switchfoot, Chris Tomlin, Kutless, David Crowder Band, Skillet, Jeremy Camp and Flyleaf gave amazing performances, laying the groundwork for the next 30 years of the Creation Festival.
In addition to featuring great music, the Creation Festival is also committed to impacting lives through the event. Creation uses the tagline, “It will be the highlight of your summer, maybe your life” and, as in the past, that rang true for many attendees. Throughout the weekend, the Festival saw over 4300 people come to the prayer tent for salvation and various needs, and on Saturday 238 people were baptized.
Pastor Harry Thomas adds, “Nothing thrills me more than seeing people follow Christ. Our prayer tent was overflowing daily with people making commitments. There had to be 2,000 people gathered to watch the baptisms at the pond - tears of joy and new life in Jesus! We give God all the glory and pray for every person's decision to be sealed by His Holy Spirit.”
It is almost 2pm on Day 2 of Creation and I have been super busy! Got here this morning and did an interview with Sanctus Real which is always fun - then caught up with Phil Wickham and the CRAZIEST thing happened - Creation gave me a little pop-up tent to do my interviews in --- not like a camping tent but just a canopy kind of deal -- and it FLEW AWAY during the Phil Wickham interview! It was hilarious and we caught it all on film - look for that video next week!! We grabbed a quick interview with Britt Nicole before she jetted off the grounds. I ran into pureNRG and had fun chatting with them - ate lunch next to Family Force 5 and watched part of Sanctus Real's set from the side of the stage - I LOVE their live show!
What's up next? I'll be interviewing some Family Force 5 guys in an hour.. then a new worship band Worth Dying For... then Pillar! What a busy day but I'm having so much fun. The day started dreary but the sun is shining now - just had to put on my sunscreen and pull my hair back - it's getting toasty out there! Luckily the press trailer and the hospitality trailer are air conditioned.. that's where I split my time when I'm not interviewing. :)
Just caught a glimpse of Bob and Larry from Veggietales outside this trailer... I might have to go meet them too!!
Thanks for keeping up with our time at Creation... hope to see you at Creation Northwest!!
Jamie
What a day! I woke up at 5am to finish packing and head to the Nashville airport to fly out to Baltimore to rent a car and drive to the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania for Creation Northeast! If it sounds like I'm complaining, I'm not - I am loving this!
I am on this trip by myself and prayed that I would meet people to a) help me and b) keep me company. God is good and while I was waiting for my rental car, a guy standing there asked me if I was headed to Creation. They are here with Big Idea (the folks behind Veggie Tales) and they let me follow them to the farm (they had been here before... I had not!). We drove 3ish hours to the Agape Farm and we got a little lost but finally found it.
30 minutes after I arrived and got my credentials, I interviewed Leeland. It's always so great to see those guys and they were as funny as ever. Almost directly after, I interviewed John Cooper from Skillet. He is always so gracious!
I grabbed some dinner backstage and guess who I ran into... Switchfoot. I chatted with Jon and Tim while we went through the buffet line. I am interviewing one member of Switchfoot at 7:50 but I am not sure yet which one!
I am also doing stage announcements tonight and throwing t-shirts out to the crowd.... to the EIGHTY THOUSAND member crowd. Ummm yikes!
I haven't gotten too dirty/dusty yet but it is HOT! I need to stay well hydrated and in the shade... and not forget my sunscreen!
When I get back next week, Leslie and Erika (our awesome interns) will be editing this video and getting it online - so be sure to check back because you won't want to miss these great interviews!!!
Medford, NJ (March 18, 2008) – Creation Festival, the nation’s largest Christian music festival and the premier name in Christian music events, is pleased to announce that it is expanding its brand once again to launch Creation Festival: The Tour. Kicking off in October, the “mini Creation on wheels” will allow fans across the country to experience a taste of the annual 4-day events held in June and July in one night of music, teaching and fun.
Headlining this one-of-a-kind event is BEC Recordings band, Kutless, with special guests, Thousand Foot Krutch and Pillar. The line up is rounded out by female-fronted rockers, Fireflight, as the opening band and Integrity’s Worth Dying For providing a time of praise and worship. KJ-52 will also perform and serve as MC for the night. World-renowned speaker, Bob Lenz, will share the gospel each night, with Pastor Harry Thomas, Creation Festival director and co-founder and Teen Mania’s founder, Ron Luce, also joining the tour on select dates.
A special Tooth & Nail Records “pre-show” will kick off the event, featuring performances by Run Kid Run, Esterlyn and Children 18:3.
“We are excited to be a part of this ground-breaking tour,” exclaims Jon Micah Sumrall, frontman for Kutless. “It has been an amazing experience to play Creation – a festival we attended with our youth group when we were in high school – and now, to be invited to headline Creation Festival: The Tour, we could not be more honored! We are looking forward to heading out on the road and impacting lives together with the Creation folks and the other bands.”
As well as providing an exciting evening of great music, Creation Festival: The Tour is also very ministry oriented, with a local community outreach planned for each date. While the type of outreach will vary by date and may include activities such as clothing drops and food drives, every city will take part in having a direct positive impact on their community.
Pastor Harry Thomas, Creation Festival co-founder, explains: “Whenever Jesus came to a town, people became aware of God's love for them. Our vision for Creation Festival: The Tour is to bless people spiritually and in practical ways. We want to go beyond the venue walls into the community with a touch of God's love and good news!”
Several companies have partnered with Creation to make the Tour possible. Compassion International will serve as the ministry sponsor and Tooth & Nail Records, BEC Recordings and Interlinc have also come on board. Additional sponsors and their contribution will be announced soon.
“Our vision for this tour is to brand the Creation Festival model in a new and fresh way,” says Nick Kulb, tour producer and Creation Festival director of marketing & sales. “We have spent countless hours in creating not just another concert, but an event that has unique features and focuses heavily on the ministry component, which is the foremost purpose of everything we do.”
Creation Festival: The Tour will be routed and booked by William Morris Agency, with dates and cities to be announced soon.
Additional elements and highlights will be added to the tour, with many announcements forthcoming. For up to the minute information about Creation Festival: The Tour, please visit www.creationfesttour.com.
Medford, NJ (March 13, 2008)- Gearing up to celebrate its 30th Anniversary, Creation Festivals is pleased to announce the launch of the Creation Road Crew, an interactive street team allowing fans and attendees the opportunity to become involved with the Festival on a grassroots level and earn special perks. In addition, Creation is announcing the kick off of its partnership with Tooth & Nail Records and BEC Recordings for this year’s National Talent Search. These exciting new additions to the festival allow fans the opportunity to participate in and become an integral part of the event like never before.
Festival-goers across the country are invited to join the Creation Road Crew by registering at the street team website. Road Crew members have the opportunity to promote the festival by sending postcards and other promotional information through the website and in return receive rewards for their efforts. The top five ranking members will earn a variety of prizes including: Two free tickets to Creation Northeast or Northwest, two Meet and Greet Passes with a head-lining artist at the festival, two VIP seating passes, a $50 voucher for Creation Fest Merchandise, a Creation Music Store CD Bonus Pack, and a Creation Road Crew “Rockstar” t-shirt. Members of the Road Crew who rank sixth through eleventh place in the contest will earn: Two Meet and Greet Passes, a $25 voucher for Creation Fest Merchandise, a Creation Music Store CD Bonus Pack, and a Creation Road Crew “Rockstar” t-shirt. The contest is already underway and will run through May 31st, 2008. Team members will also be entered in random monthly drawings to win a free ticket to Creation Northeast or Northwest and a Creation Store Music Bonus Pack.
“Launching the Creation Road Crew is a very natural next step for us,” says Nick Kulb, Creation Festival director of marketing & sales. “We have a great network of Creation Festival ‘fanatics’ across the country who have experienced the event first hand and are already expressing their excitement by word of mouth, telling their friends that this is the must-attend event of the summer…which actually shows through in the fact that CCM readers have twice voted Creation their ‘Favorite Festival’. The Road Crew allows them to officially partner with the Festival to spread the word and receive some fun perks in exchange.”
Continuing their commitment to cultivate young talent and encourage rising artists, Creation Festival will be partnering with Tooth & Nail Records and BEC Recordings to host a National Talent Search and provide contest winners with the opportunity to perform in front of the largest festival crowd in the country. Interested bands may submit their Electronic Press Kit through Sonicbids, via a link from the Creation Fest homepage. Four bands will be selected to play at each festival: three acts will perform on the Fringe Stage and the first place winner on each coast will perform in the Late Night Talent Search Showcase Stage. All winners of this competition will also earn ten free event passes and free camping and the first place band members will receive All Access Backstage Passes for the day of their scheduled performance. In addition to the opportunity to play at this year’s festival, one of the four selected bands at each event will have their demo submitted for review by Tooth & Nail/BEC Recordings for use in an upcoming sampler.
Tyson Paoletti, general manager of BEC Recordings, comments: “We are excited to be partnering with Creation for this Talent Competition. There are great undiscovered bands all across the country…what better way for them to polish their skills and work on building a fanbase than to have the opportunity to play at the largest Christian music festival in the country!”
Creation Northeast will take place June 22-28 at Agape Farm in Mount Union, PA while Creation Northwest will be held July 23-26 at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Washington.
For additional information about Creation Festivals, to become a member of the Creation Road Crew or to find details about the National Talent Competition, please visit the Creation Festival website.
The Creation Festival proudly announces its renewed partnership with the internet's leading digital music provider, iTunes, for Creation 2007. The two will come together once again to provide music fans with exclusive free song downloads from top artists performing at this year's event.
To gear up for the 2007 Festivals, nearly 500,000 people on the Creation Festival mailing list will receive access to an exclusive iTunes Creation Digital Sampler, where they can download five free songs from top artists performing at the Festival, including Bethany Dillon and KJ-52.
In addition, every person attending the Festivals will receive an exclusive iTunes card featuring a special collection of more than 25 FREE songs from their favorite Creation artists, including Switchfoot, Relient K, Newsboys, TobyMac, Leeland, Jars of Clay, Fireflight BarlowGirl and more.
Creation and iTunes first began their relationship in 2006 by making the redeemable gift cards available to all Creation Northwest attendees, which marked the first time that iTunes had partnered with a Christian organization in this way. The response to this endeavor was the largest iTunes has experienced through this crowd pleasing marketing strategy. This groundbreaking event secured both companies reputations as innovators in each of their respective markets.
"Creation and iTunes partnered together last summer to supply over 25,000 download cards to every attendee at Creation 06 Northwest and saw record-breaking returns through download submissions," says Nick Kulb, director of marketing and sales for Creation. "We are eager to partner with ITunes again this year to provide every attendee at both the Northeast and Northwest events with the free download cards. This is a tremendous benefit to our ticket holders, allowing them to take a piece of the festival home with them absolutely free."
Also in store for Creation Northeast attendees are two new additions to an already impressive lineup. First, American Idol 5 fan favorite, Mandisa will be opening the festival on Wednesday night by singing our beloved National Anthem and also pleasing crowds on Saturday morning with a performance featuring songs from her debut release True Beauty. No stranger to the Agape Farm, Christian music legend KevinMax (DC Talk) will perform a rare and intimate set at the Acoustic Café on Friday night, an event that is sure to rank among the highlights of Creation 2007.
The largest outdoor Christian music and teaching festival of its kind, Creation Northeast will be held June 27th - 30th at the Agape Farm in the beautiful mountain ranges of Mount Union, PA., and Creation Northwest will be celebrating its 10th Anniversary at the amazing Gorge Amphitheater in George, WA July 25th -28th. This year's festival stages will offer performances from artists as diverse as Switchfoot, Newsboys, Casting Crowns, Barlow Girl, Emery, John Reuben, Flyleaf, Israel & New Breed, Project 86, Fireflight, David Crowder Band, Kutless, and more.
