"AWAKE," the latest album from Skillet, has been certified gold by the RIAA for sales in excess of 500,000 after only 10 months. The album - which includes two Active Rock radio hits, "Monster" and "Hero" - continues strong in the upper half of the Billboard 200.
Produced by Howard Benson (Three Days Grace, Daughtry, Flyleaf), "AWAKE" reached the #1 spot on the iTunes Store's "Top Albums" chart within 24 hours of its release last August. The album also made a blockbuster debut on the SoundScan/Billboard 200, entering the chart at #2.
Skillet is currently on the road as part of Creed's "20-10 Tour," with dates continuing through early September. In addition, the Grammy-nominated rock outfit will be among the top artists appearing at a number of upcoming summer festivals, including a headline slot on the "Rock The River" festival tour of Western Canada. Beginning October 1st, Skillet will join Papa Roach for the co-headline Monsters Of Annihilation Tour also featuring Trapt and My Darkest Days. The highly anticipated 16-city Awake Tonight Tour with TobyMac and presented by Winter Wonder Slam, will launch November 11 in Springfield, IL and carry through until December 12.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
TobyMac Is the Soundtrack for TV's Hits
TobyMac's "Tonight" is being used on NBC promos for "America's Got Talent" while "ShowStopper" is being used in CSI:NY.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Police Dare Switchfoot Singer to Move
A police officer shut down an impromptu concert by Switchfoot front man Jon Foreman Sunday night, escorting him away from a group of fans outside a Tampa amphitheater. The crowd showed up when Foreman tweeted to fans, asking them to meet him after the show.
Switchfoot played a concert with the Goo Goo Dolls at the 1-800 Ask-Gary Amphitheatre at the Florida State Fairgrounds Sunday.
"Many times on tour I play after our show when time allows. The after-shows are all about the love of the music -- all acoustic: no amps, no mics, no tickets, just a couple tunes and whoever wants to listen. I see it as a chance to connect with music in a different way. Over the years, I've had a few policeman shut these after-shows down. Maybe they are nervous because these types of gatherings are unusual," Foreman said in an e-mail to CNN Monday.
Video of the incident posted on YouTube shows Foreman playing a couple of songs on an acoustic guitar with a collection of fans around him when the officer walks up and says, "It's over. It's over. C'mon, let's go."
The officer identified himself as "Fisher" when Foreman asked who he was and offered to shake his hand. After the small crowd mildly protested, asking if one more song could be played, and Foreman hesitated to leave, the officer said, "If I call somebody over here, we will be forcing you out. So what do you want to do?"
The smiling Foreman offered his hand again, which the officer shook, and escorted the singer away. "Thank you, Jon," several fans shouted as the crowd applauded.
"The officer last night wouldn't give me a reason for shutting it down, he only said that he had a family to go home to," Foreman told CNN. I respect the authorities, they have a difficult job."
"I love playing on the big stages in front of thousands of folks, it feels like a megaphone. It's how I pay the bills and it's the best job in the world. But I also love playing for just a few folks for free. It feels like a whisper." Foreman said of the intimate post-show gatherings he sometimes calls via Twitter.
Switchfoot played a concert with the Goo Goo Dolls at the 1-800 Ask-Gary Amphitheatre at the Florida State Fairgrounds Sunday.
"Many times on tour I play after our show when time allows. The after-shows are all about the love of the music -- all acoustic: no amps, no mics, no tickets, just a couple tunes and whoever wants to listen. I see it as a chance to connect with music in a different way. Over the years, I've had a few policeman shut these after-shows down. Maybe they are nervous because these types of gatherings are unusual," Foreman said in an e-mail to CNN Monday.
Video of the incident posted on YouTube shows Foreman playing a couple of songs on an acoustic guitar with a collection of fans around him when the officer walks up and says, "It's over. It's over. C'mon, let's go."
The officer identified himself as "Fisher" when Foreman asked who he was and offered to shake his hand. After the small crowd mildly protested, asking if one more song could be played, and Foreman hesitated to leave, the officer said, "If I call somebody over here, we will be forcing you out. So what do you want to do?"
The smiling Foreman offered his hand again, which the officer shook, and escorted the singer away. "Thank you, Jon," several fans shouted as the crowd applauded.
"The officer last night wouldn't give me a reason for shutting it down, he only said that he had a family to go home to," Foreman told CNN. I respect the authorities, they have a difficult job."
"I love playing on the big stages in front of thousands of folks, it feels like a megaphone. It's how I pay the bills and it's the best job in the world. But I also love playing for just a few folks for free. It feels like a whisper." Foreman said of the intimate post-show gatherings he sometimes calls via Twitter.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Katy Perry: 'I'm Still a Christian'
In the latest Rolling Stone, Katy Perry tells her story of growing up in a Christian home, of her brief dalliance with Christian music, her longing to be a pop star, her relationship with fiance Russell Brand, and her present-day beliefs.
RS writes that "one would think her religious past is behind her, but [Perry] still considers herself a Christian." She tells the magazine, “God is very much still a part of my life. But the way the details are told in the Bible—that’s very fuzzy for me. And I want to throw up when I saw that. But that’s the truth... I still believe that Jesus is the son of God. But I also believe in extraterrestrials, and that there are people sent from God to be messengers, and all sorts of crazy stuff."
Fascinating but also confused observations from a young woman who is still trying to figure things out, despite living in a Christian home where both parents considered themselves pastors and where speaking in tongues was commonplace. "My mom and dad practice ‘tongues and interpretation’ together—my dad speaks in tongues, and my mom interprets it,” Perry said. “That’s their gift.” The three children, including Katy, spoke in tongues as well. “Speaking in tongues is as normal to me as ‘Pass the salt. A lot of religions use meditation or chanting as a subliminal prayer language, and speaking in tongues isn’t that different—it’s a secret, direct language to God. If I felt intuitively that I had to pray for some situation, but I didn’t rationally understand it, I just let my spirit pray for it.”
Perry said that after her Christian label shut down and that it was clear that "my gospel career was going nowhere," she started writing love songs and pursuing a pop career -- not rejecting her faith in the process, but not exactly fully letting it define her, either.
Great article summary and more about her past here.
RS writes that "one would think her religious past is behind her, but [Perry] still considers herself a Christian." She tells the magazine, “God is very much still a part of my life. But the way the details are told in the Bible—that’s very fuzzy for me. And I want to throw up when I saw that. But that’s the truth... I still believe that Jesus is the son of God. But I also believe in extraterrestrials, and that there are people sent from God to be messengers, and all sorts of crazy stuff."
Fascinating but also confused observations from a young woman who is still trying to figure things out, despite living in a Christian home where both parents considered themselves pastors and where speaking in tongues was commonplace. "My mom and dad practice ‘tongues and interpretation’ together—my dad speaks in tongues, and my mom interprets it,” Perry said. “That’s their gift.” The three children, including Katy, spoke in tongues as well. “Speaking in tongues is as normal to me as ‘Pass the salt. A lot of religions use meditation or chanting as a subliminal prayer language, and speaking in tongues isn’t that different—it’s a secret, direct language to God. If I felt intuitively that I had to pray for some situation, but I didn’t rationally understand it, I just let my spirit pray for it.”
Perry said that after her Christian label shut down and that it was clear that "my gospel career was going nowhere," she started writing love songs and pursuing a pop career -- not rejecting her faith in the process, but not exactly fully letting it define her, either.
Great article summary and more about her past here.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Switchfoot performs at 2010 National Boy Scout Jamboree
President Barack Obama may not have made it to the Centennial celebration of the 2010 National Scout Jamboree, but rockers Switchfoot were there. The band performed in front of 100,000 cheering Scouts at Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia on July 31.
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