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ApologetiX in Iowa and California - Plus More!
Thu., Jul. 26. 2001 1:17am EDT
J. Jackson, lead singer for ApologetiX (That Christian Parody Band) here.
Well, we're excited be coming to Iowa and California for concerts this weekend. The one in Iowa got 5,000 people last year, and this year, they're planning for 10-15,000. The one in California is in LegoLand, a place I feel a connection to, seeing as I have built many a Lego structure both as a kid and now as a dad playing with my daughter, Janna. Festival season is in full swing, and we are honored to be invited to these events, and we've been getting a great response from the crowds, which is very encouraging.
1. Follow-up on Recent Concerts Plus News from the Recording Studio
2. Concerts This Weekend in Iowa and California
3. Keep the Change Song List (Clues #3 and 4)
1. FOLLOW-UP ON RECENT CONCERTS PLUS NEWS FROM THE RECORDING STUDIO
Before we forget, thanks to all of our new friends from Grace 2001 in Pensacola last Saturday! That was one well-organized festival. We were also grateful to actually get to swim at a hotel swimming pool (Usually we check in too late for that) and we were even able to persuade our newfound DJ friend from Alabama, Steve, to join us.
While we were in the cafeteria eating afterward, my normally shy wife boldly presented ApologetiX CDs to CCM standouts Jaci Velasquez and Out of Eden. We saw them at the airport EARLY the next morning, too. All in all, we took five planes for that round trip, with stops in Cincinnati, Atlanta and Pensacola. We're getting to know all the airports in America! It's cool, but let me tell you ... it's not as glamorous as you might think. Going to bed at 1 a.m. and then getting up at 3:30 a.m. for a flight isn't much fun, no matter where you're going. But it's all well worth it. Last night, we played a mid-week concert at a big church camp in Emlerton PA that didn't get started till after 11 p.m. By the time I got back from dropping off our drummer, Bill, it was almost 4 a.m. Poor Bill had to work today, and the previous night he had gotten exactly one half hour of sleep while sitting in a chair at the recording studio, where he completed his drum tracks for our upcoming CD, "Keep the Change," which is scheduled for September 25 release.
Yes, you heard it right folks. The drum tracks are complete for "Keep the Change," and Keith's bass tracks are almost done, too. Consequently, Karl hasn't been getting much sleep either, and he's been spending his waking ours doing other studio stuff, handling sound logistics for upcoming concerts and preparing our full-page ads for upcoming issues of HM and CCM. I'm so glad we've been able to bring him on full time. Please pray that we can get the other guys on full time soon. Our expanding concert schedule and recording schedule is just killer if you already have a 40-hour-a-week job to go with it. Our guys are pretty maxed out on vacation, too, so we have to turn down concert opportunities, because there is just no extra time. And believe me, these guys are ready to go full time with us. As I prepare for doing the vocals on the new CD, please pray for me and my voice. When recording "Spoofernatural," I was a little under the weather, so my voice wasn't as strong as I'd like. And this CD is at least as challenging vocally as that one was. However, I must say that I think that it will be our strongest effort lyrically. I've been fine-tuning the lyrics before we go into the studio, and it never ceases to amaze me how God will give me last -minute lines to add that make a song stronger. I hastily scribbled down a few while I was driving to the concert last night, as a matter of fact.
With all that said, here's our concert schedule for this week, plus your clues for two more songs (We did clues for the first two songs last week) on
2. CONCERTS THIS WEEKEND IN IOWA AND CALIFORNIA
Sat., July 28 at 8:25 p.m. (for full schedule of event see below) Freedom Fest Grandview Park Sioux City IA Contact: Kevin Gullings 712-239-5260 www.siouxlandfreedomfest.com
Freedom Fest 2001 Schedule 11:00 Opening 11:05 Jill Avery & Friends 11:45 Robert Barnes 12:10 The Brown Family 12:55 Human Video 1:20 Force That Binds 2:00 Stacey O'Hara - solo 2:25 TBA 3:05 TBA 3:30 Passing Thru (Word Records) 4:25 Michael King - sax 4:50 Skydive 5:50 Dawn Kinsman 6:40 Rory (blind instrumentalist- took1st place at Estes Park competition) 7:05 The Worship Band 8:05 Tara Michaels 8:25 ApologetiX 9:55 Closing
Sun., July 29 2 p.m.-3:45 p.m. (for full schedule of event see below) Christian FamilyFest 2001 Legoland One Lego Drive Carlsbad CA www.ChristianFamilyFest.com Info Line 949-854-7239
Christian FamilyFest 2001 Schedule 11:30:12:15 Youth Exodus 12:15-12:30 break 12:30-1:15 Youth Exodus 1:15-2 changeover/ sound check 2:00-2:45 ApologetiX 1 (main stage outdoor) 2:45-3:00 break 3:-3:45 ApologetiX 2 (main stage outdoor) 5:00 Stacy Orrico 7:30 Nicole C. Mullen (won 5 dove awards and sings "Larry Boy" theme)
3. KEEP THE CHANGE SONG LIST (CLUES #3 AND 4) As we've told you before, we're not going to just give you the song list for the new CD yet, because that would spoil the surprise. However, as we did with "Spoofernatural," we'd like to reward the folks who actually read these e-mail newsletters carefully and are willing to do a little detective work. So we'll give you clues as to the songs on the next CD, two songs per newsletter, just like last time. At long last, here are clues #3 and 4:
"Babylona" Ever wonder what would happen if old King Nebuchadnezzar sang lead for an L.A.-based late-seventies pop quartet? Maybe he'd get Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego to fill out the band. Well, the king himself sings lead on this tune about his most famous experience with the boys. The original version of this song launched the careers of two artists: the group that performed it, and Weird Al, who scored his first big parody hit by spoofing this tune. Ironically, Weird Al went on to bigger and better things, and the original artists were only able to score two more top 40 hits, neither of which went into the Top 10.
"Manger" Like the song "Christmasnite," this is one of two Christmas-oriented tunes from "Keep the Change" that we have already been playing out "live." Both tunes are getting awesome response, but while "Christmasnite" is serious, "Manger" has a sense of humor, and it's been awesome to see audiences smiling, laughing, singing along and just plain enjoying it. It's a great companion piece to "Hotel Can't Afford Ya," because it tells the Christmas story from the perspective of the now-forgotten person who hooked Mary and Joseph up with the "stable environment" in which Jesus was born. The song we spoofed is a very recent hit, but like many of today's hits, it also samples music from older hits, including one song that was a hit in the ë60s and then got juiced-up in a remake that became a hit in the ë80s. The underlying guitar part is from a ë70s #1 hit by an artist whom we spoofed on "Jesus Christ Morningstar." As crazy as that sounds, we're not joking. If you figure this one out, there will be an extra Scooby snack in your Christmas stocking!
Well, that's all folks! God bless you!
Apologetically,
J.
-- J. Jackson Lead Singer/Lyricist ApologetiX (That Christian Parody Band) www.apologetix.com j@apologetix.com
John 8:24 "I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am (the one I claim to be) you will indeed die in your sins."
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