This past Tuesday night 040709, I took my three oldest kids to the Newsboys concert in Gatineau, QC. Here is my review of the show.

Originally I was not going to purchase tickets to the show, because I wasn’t sure I was going to like the new sound of the band without frontman Peter Furler.

The Newsboys in the near past had Bass player Phil Joel leave the band. This had the band minus two members I felt made the sound of the Newsboys in the past, primarily because of the vocals.

So I wasn’t sure if I wanted to plop down the $ for four tickets. My three kids really wanted to go to the concert, so Monday I purchased the tickets.

The were three other bands, Bread of Stone, VOTA, and Decemberadio. I was only familar with Decemberadio.

Bread of Stone opened the show, they had a pretty good sound, and I will problably check out their music in the future. I think they only played four or five songs, just to get you in the live show mode.

VOTA, they were very good. I have already downloaded their album and have been listening to it the past couple of days. The kids really liked this band, and want it on their MP3 players. The band gave everyone at the show a free digital album to download, that was a great marketing move to get more exposure.

Decemberadio was good, but I was a little disappointed that they had what seemed to be a short set. With two full albums I was left feeling they needed to play some more. My favorite song by the band also was not played, The Least of These. Their sound was great with what they did play, Southern Rock. The kids also got a a poster autographed by the whole band.

Newsboys was a great show. With new frontman Michael Tait, formally of DC Talk and the band Tait, they rocked. Tait was able to rock the Newsboys catalog, the highlight being Breakfast, such an awesome crowd song.

I also liked the B stage setup. It was neat how they mixed short versions of the songs and got more intimate with the crowd.

They also performed some old DC Talk songs, and that made the show for me. The encore was Jesus Freak, and that was amazing live, absolutely love that song.

Overall an amazing show, and to top it off the kids had a blast.

I typed this on my Blackberry, so links and spelling are secondary.

Here are the songs I have played the most over the past 7 days.

Here is the weekend recap @ Faith Apostolic.

• AM Service:

• Spoke on Prayer, titled “Knowing God through Prayer.” Here are some some points from my message

• Used an on the street interview clip from Visual Reality, “Prayer”
• Before my message, I used the song by Steven Curtis Chapman, “Let Us Pray.”
• A minister was telling Pastor Jer that he meant with TD Jakes for 30 minutes to ask him a bunch of questions. His church is in the same neighborhood has TD Jakes’ church The Potter House. He came away from the meeting with an absolute answer that TD Jakes and The Potter House has at its core, prayer.  No questions asked.
• Talked about some of the reasons people do not pray, referred to some of the answers from the on the street interview.  We focused on four other reasons:

• People do not know how to pray – people feel they need the “right words” in the “right order” to have the successful formula. What we really need is to be real, and be honest. Relax and pray from the heart.
• Distractions – Things pop into our minds because we are so busy, phone rings, doorbell rings, Blackberry goes off, email alert. Noise. We need to reduce the noise, jot done the thoughts when they enter our minds, so our mind knows we are going to take care of it later, turn off all the devices. 
• Think that their requests don’t matter – We think that things in our life are so small they are not worth praying about. That things will just work themselves out, so there is no need to pray about.  Especially when we hear someone’s “big” request.
• Not sure it would make a difference – Jesus did say to pray. It makes a difference in a world  that is against God’s will. No one knows for certain why certain prayers are not answered that are prayed. When we pray it helps us to learn what Jesus wants to do on earth, and how we should be involved in it.

• Steven Curtis Chapman – Let Us Pray
• Michael W Smith – I Can Hear Your Voice
• Matt Redman – Shine
• Michael W Smith – The Wonderful Cross
• 33 Miles – Stand Amazed

Here is a few lists of my recent music….not sure how accurate Last.FM is on their counts.

1. Recent tracks played today -

2. Top Tracks this week - some of these surprised me, I didn’t think I listed to them much.

3. Weekly Top Artists - ha, check this one out, I sampled Aly & AJ for my daughters MP3 player. And had her listen to a couple of songs a few times.

Here are a few lists from last.fm that has scrobbled from my Yahoo Music Engine recently.

Interesting that Bo Bice appeared in my list, I was wanting to check out what his album sounded like after seeing an interview he gave on American Idol.

If you are in a feed reader, you may need to visit the site to see the widget displaying the lyrics.

Washed By The Water Lyrics

Today on the trip we listened to the following two new CDs…if you are looking for some solid sound, then check these out.

Also, we had in the new Mat Kearney song from the Greys Anatomy CD, “Breathe In, Breathe Out”.

(for those using a Feed Reader, you might have to open this post in a browser to see the lyrics)

Breathe In, Breathe Out Lyrics

Found out that Rob Bell’s tour, “The God’s Aren’t Angry” will be in Times Square on Sunday!!! We leave NYC on Saturday, missed it again….I guess I will have to wait for the DVD, just like the one I am waiting for from the last tour.

Here is a playlist of recent tracks

Tags: last.fm, music, playlist, yahoo_music_engine

Here is my Yahoo! Music Jukebox playlist from today….tried out some tracks from the “The Amnesty International Campaign To Save Darfur” CD.

Click to expand….still waiting for Yahoo! to come up with a better blogging playlist feature.

Technorati Tags: Music, playlist, Yahoo Music Engine

Title: Lifehouse - Storm lyrics

how long have I

been in this storm

so overwhelmed by the ocean’s shapeless form

water’s getting harder to tread

with these waves crashing over my head

if I could just see you

everything will be alright

if I’d see you

the storminess will turn to light

and I will walk on water

and you will catch me if I fall

and I will get lost into your eyes

and everything will be alright

and everything will be alright

I know you didn’t

bring me out here to drown

so why am I 10 feet under and upside down

barely surviving has become my purpose

cause I’m so used to living underneath the surface

if I could just see you

everything will be alright

if I see you

the storminess will turn to light

and I will walk on water

and you will catch me if I fall

and I will get lost into your eyes

and everything will be alright

and I will walk on water

you will catch me if I fall

and I will get lost into your eyes

and everything will be alright

I know everything is alright

everything’s alright

Technorati Tags: lifehouse, Music

Here is a new playlist from the new Lifehouse - Who We Are (click to enlarge)

Broken is my favorite song after a few times through the new album….words from the chorus….not that I am falling apart….

"I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
With a broken heart that's still beating
In the pain there is healing
In your name I find meaning
So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on
I'm barely holdin' on to you"

Technorati Tags: Music, lifehouse

Technorati Tags: Music, Switchfoot, Oh_Gravity!

Here is my recent Yahoo Playlist, click to expand

Technorati Tags: Music, playlist, Yahoo Music Engine

Here is my recent playlist from the past couple of weeks in Yahoo Music Jukebox. Click on the image to view.  Michael Buble is nice music to have on during the work day at the desk especially when writing documentation or meeting minutes.

Technorati Tags: kings_of_leon, MUSE, Music, playlist, POD, Death_Cab_For_Cutie, The_Afters, Yahoo Music Engine

Heard on the news that CD sales were way down this past year, also read a while ago that sharing of digital playlists are the future of music. Here is the latest playlist that I am listening too. Click on the graphic.

Technorati Tags: Music, Yahoo Music Engine

Technorati Tags: Music, Yahoo Music Engine

Here is my week’s Yahoo Music Engine playlist

The Saints Are Coming - U2

on Yahoo! Music JukeboxFrom the album 18
Singles

Last.fm page / Search for lyricsSongBlogger V1.31

Technorati Tags: Music, playlist, Yahoo Music Engine

I came across this article, “What Lessons Can Progressives Lean from Evangelicals?” via the blog of Zach Lind, drummer for Jimmy Eat World.  The article talks a lot about Rob Bell and Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids….check it out.

Technorati Tags: bloggers, Faith, Music

Here is my Friday Yahoo Music Playlist….I am trying a plugin for blogging called YME Songblogger…you have to blog one song at a time, I still am looking for that playlist blog feature.

Not sure why some of the songs do not show the album art.

The Saints Are Coming - U2

on Yahoo! Music JukeboxFrom the album 18
Singles

Last.fm page / Search for lyricsSongBlogger V1.31

Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) - Various Artists

on Yahoo! Music JukeboxFrom the album Amazing
Grace: Music Inspired By the Motion Picture

Last.fm page / Search for lyricsSongBlogger V1.31

Technorati Tags: Music

Here is a post that would have fit into my last post from the “Looking Foolish” Chase the Lion series class. If you were in the class, we talked about this as well. Check out the article on American Idol - Chris Sligh. Photo from chrissligh.com

Technorati Tags: Catalyst Class, Chase the Lion, Faith, media, Music

Here is my playlist for this Friday…..all Leeland today….been listening to the CD in the car quite a bit this week….here are the tracks that I play more then once…..

Track 4 - Tears of the Saints

Track 5 - Beautiful Lord

Track 7 - Lift Your Eyes

Track 11 - Carried to the Table

Technorati Tags: Music

Leeland was in Ottawa last weekend for a concert….however it was my wife’s 30th birthday and I planned a party for her.  We also had my daughter’s party in the afternoon.  So I was not able to attend the concert…..I am just starting to listen to their CD, been meaning to for sometime, but it has not been available in Yahoo Music,

 

First listen through, and it sounds like a good one.

Technorati Tags: Music

Here is a link to my Friday - Yahoo Music Playlist. Click on the picture for a better view.  This is one feature that is really lacking in the Yahoo Music Engine, blogging of playlists.  I have seen iTunes playlists posted in blogs, which look very good.  If anyone knows how to do this in better way, let me know.  (reg@radiantjourney.ca)

Technorati Tags: Music

I am speaking in a couple of weeks for the LIFE series at Calvary Church.  I get to speak on the Letter E again this year.  “Evangelism through Community Home Groups”

I am thinking about opening with this song (not singing, rather playing from the Downhere album.) The Real Jesus, showing pictures on the screen of various spots in our community….here are the lyrics….I am speaking on becoming more missional through small groups….

Jesus on the radio, Jesus on a late-night show
Jesus in a dream, looking all serene
Jesus on a steeple, Jesus in the Gallup poll
Jesus has His very own brand of rock and roll

Watched him on the silver screen
Bought the action figurine
But Jesus is the only name that makes you flinch

Oh, can anybody show me the real Jesus?
Oh, let Your love unveil the mystery of the real Jesus

Jesus started something new
Jesus coined a phrase or two
Jesus split the line at the turning point of time
Jesus sparked a controversy
Jesus, known for His mercy, gave a man his sight
Jesus isn’t white

Jesus loves the children, holds the lambs
Jesus prays a lot
Jesus has distinguishing marks on His hands

If anybody walks behind the Good Shepherd
If anybody holds the hands that heal lepers
And if you recognize the eyes that see forever, please…

Jesus, Jesus
Oh, can anybody show me Jesus
Oh, let Your love unveil the glory, the real Jesus

Oh, can anybody show me the real Jesus?
Oh, let Your love unveil the glory of the real Jesus, the real Jesus

From the following site this quote below was listed as being from Marc Martel of downhere….not sure if it is a actual quote, but if it is, I think this songs lends well to my topic.

“The name of Jesus evokes such a diversity of reactions in so many different people. That fact alone is almost enough to cause me to believe in Him. I think almost anyone you meet will have some kind of reaction to the name “Jesus,” negative or positive, whether they intend to or not. I originally set out to write a song that simply depicted a lot of different views of Jesus, whether they were consistent with who Scripture says He is or not. But what I ended up with after about six rewrites was a song that has
a lot more focus than that. The quasi-song titled “Jesus” became “The Real Jesus,” and naturally went from a song with little to no focus to a very poignant one that I think most believers will realize is a call out to them—to us, the church.” - Marc Martel (downhere)

Technorati Tags: Music, Small Groups

Read over at Jeremy Thiessen’s blog Normal Rockstar that the Canadian Band Downhere has been nominated for a Juno Music award for their latest album, “Wide-Eyed and Mystified”.  The Juno’s are the Canadian version of the
Grammy Awards.

This album is one of the best album’s I have listened to, ever.  It has a unique staying power in my playlist, usually a CD stays for a while but I will get something new, but this one it is still in there for months and months and I find not just for the occasional listen, but extended plays.  I find myself always putting this CD back into the car player, stereo, or Yahoo Music Engine.

My top three songs on this CD are

#1 - Track 10: The Real Jesus

#2 - Track 3: Better Way

#3 - Track 1:The More

Jeremy’s blog is added to the blogroll to the left, and you can check the CD out from Amazon.com over in the right sidebar.

The photo below (off the Downhere website) you can see Jeremy in action

Now if Downhere could come up to the nation’s capital - Ottawa, back in their native land, and have a concert!!!! Jeremy, how about it eh!

Technorati Tags: Music