So Summer time is is around the bend, and for music lovers that means one thing: Music Festivals! In the world of Christian music, summer festivals are a big deal, there are many artists who only play these once a year mega-events. For audience members, festivals are a great way to experience music that may have never come into focus until they saw it live. In our lives, mewithoutYou, La Dispute, Josh Garrels, Anathallo, Enter The Worship Circle, RedCloud, and Cool Hand Luke would never have hit our radar if we hadn’t wandered into a tent at Cornerstone Festival over the years. Even though we at One21 think Cornerstone is great, it is only one of the many around the country. Maybe you want to hit one, or tour them of all (we have met people who do), so we have put this little schedule together of all the Christian music festivals in 2009. You are welcome:

If you missed the last few posts,
View the Christian Music Festival guide for June 2009
View the Christian Music Festival guide for July 2009

Kingdom Bound (August 2-5)
Park Resort, NY
King Bound Fest is the extension of a ministry that was started about 20 years ago in New York. Two men wanted to use Christian music to reach the community and the event has grown into a three day festival with the heavy hitters in the contemporary Christian music scene rocking the stage to about 50,000 people. The event is outside, camping, Rv, and hotel accommodations are all spelled out on the website. There are three stages, the main stage for the big acts, a Park stage for what looks like the heavier music, and a worship stage for…well..worship.
Website:www.kingdombound.org
Line-up Highlights:
Francesca Battistelli
Salvador
Newsboys
Downhere
Israel Houghton
Fireflight
Pillar
Ilia
Red
Skillet (it begins)

Rock The Desert 2009 (August 7-8)
Odessa, TX
So Rock The Desert has been around for ten years, and they are a two day event featuring an impressive line-up of heavy hitters, spanning from worship to rock to Hip-hop. They are also running a talent search for a chance to play one of their main stages, so if you are a band reading this, hit up the website, and maybe you can …rock the desert..
Website: www.rockthedesert.com
Line-up Highlights:
Chris Tomlin
Lecrae
Disciple
Anberlin
Stellar Kart
tobyMac
Breaking The Silence
Switchfoot
Kutless

New Song 09 (August 14th-16th)
Leitchfeild, KY
New Song is a two day event that is more geared towards church groups and youth groups. There is a still a lot of music, mainly rock and worship, but also a ton or speakers and Bible studies. This would be a great end-of-the-summer trip for any youth group. There is camping available, two stages, and a lot to do.
Website: www.kyumc.org
Line-up Highlights:
Skillet (yep)
Newsboys
Thousand Foot Krutch
Kutless
Run Kid Run
Group 1 Crew
Addison Road
Remedy Drive
Abandon
Chasen

Purple Door (August 14th-15th)
Lewisberry, PA
Purple Door is one of the more celebrated fests among the underground crowd. It boosts a pretty diverse line-up, going back and forth between the indie rock, to hip-hop, and a lot in between. There are speakers, but not the ones you would expect at this sort of festival, along with art shows and much more. I wanna go..
Website: www.purpledoor.com
Line-up Highlights:
mewithoutYou
Bradley Hathaway
Seabird
Lecrae
Anberlin
War Of Ages
The Showdown
House Of Heroes
Deas Veil
Becoming The Archetype

Thats it guys. You should be pretty much ready for summer. Come back next week to see our coverage of Red Letter Rock Fest. See ya out there…

Oh, so I forgot to warn you when we started this Essential Song series that there would be a lot of mewithoutYou on in. They just write really amazing, beautiful and unique songs, and we have to include them. Just to get this out of the way, you will also see a lot of Wovenhand, Josh Garrels, and a few others. This gorgeous song features equal parts self examination and spiritual revelation that it could double as a praise song to sing in your church. This video was taken from Cornerstone Fest a few years back when they played the main stage. They invited a few of their buddies on stage, including Timbre. Enjoy this as you read the lyrics…

In a sweater poorly knit, and an unsuspecting smile
Little Moses drifts downstream in the Nile
A fumbling reply, an awkward, rigid laugh
I’m carried helpless by my floating basket raft
Your flavor in my mind swings back and forth
between sweeter than any wine, and bitter as mustard greens
Light and dark as honeydew and pumpernickel bread
The trap I set for you seems to have caught my leg instead

As you plow some other field and try and forget my name,
see what harvest yields, and, supposing I’d do the same
I planted rows of peas, but by the first week of July
they should have come up to my knees but they were maybe ankle high
Take the fingers from your flute to weave your colored yarns,
and boil down your fruit to preserves in mason jars
But now books are overdue and the goats are underfed
The trap I set for you seems to have caught my leg instead

You’re a door without a key, a field without a fence
You made a holy fool of me, and I’ve thanked you ever since
If she comes circling back, we’ll end where we’d begun
Like two pennies on the train track the train crushed into one
Or if I’m a crown without a king, if I’m a broken, open seed
If I come without a thing, I come with all I need
No boat out in the blue, no place to rest your head
The trap I set for you seems to have caught my leg instead

I do not exist
Only You exist
I do not exist

You can purchase this song on Amazon MP3 and

What was Aaron trying to say with all the metaphors of farming and crops?
Is this mewithoutYou‘s version of worship music?

This our second attempt at being a real MP3 blog. You see, we love for you guys to hear and receive all this great music we are always talking about on the site.  We come across a lot of free promo MP3s all over the net from a bunch of different artists.  So what we are doing for YOU, the dear reader, is collecting them then presenting them to you in one place. So download away, and you are welcome…

*I want to assure all of our readers that the tracks below have been posted for free on a variety of places as a means of promotion for the artists. If you download something off of our site, and enjoy it, please go and buy the rest of the music. If you are an artist and you don’t think we should have your song on these MP3 posts, please hit us up on the “Contact Us” tab up there, and we will be more than happy to delete the file. No questions asked.*

HERE ARE YOUR DOWNLOADS (all the tracks below will take you to a Mediafire page, simple click on the track on that page and your download will begin):

Anberlin- A Day Late
Ayiesha Woods- Love Like This
B.Reith- Go On
Eleventyseven- Love In Your Arms
Eleventyseven- Trying
Flynn Adam- Feel It Now
House Of Heroes- In The Valley Of The Dying Sun
House Of Heroes- Friday Night
House Of Heroes- Serial Sleepers
I Am Terrified- Falling On Everlasting
John Reuben- Word Of Mouth
Relient K- The Scene And Herd
Son Lux- Silence (a remix of a Takka Takka song)
Stephanie Smith- Not Afraid
The Fold- Faster Still
The Fray- Never Say Never
The Southern Sea- These Things Always End Badley

Several weeks ago One21 Music posed fifteen questions to a number of music artists in the Christian music scene, ranging from the light-hearted to the deeply spiritual. We received many responses, some very helpful, and some…. not so much. Some of the answers were short and sweet, some were extensive and eloquent. Many expressed frustrations with the current landscape of the music industry, while others were hopeful for a future of uncertainty. We heard from guys who had been performing for years, and bands that are just now starting to get their names heard. From indie rock to hip-hop, from hardcore to worship, the Christian music scene spoke back to us. Realize that these answers are by the people making the music that you are listening to, and these are un-edited and real. The opinions expressed don’t always reflect ours, but we aren’t perfect, right?

Need to catch up?

Read Pt.1: What Do You Love About Music?
Read Pt.2: What Are Some Of Your Favorite Albums/CDs?
Read Pt.3: What Is The Best Thing About Making Music?
Read Pt.4: What Is Your Opinion Of The Music Industry?
Read Pt.5: What Impact Has The Digital Age Of Music Had On The Industry?
Read Pt.6: Who Is Jesus Christ To You?
Read Pt.7: What Is Christian Music?
Read Pt.8: What Is Your Opinion On The Christian Music Industry?
Read Pt.9: Do You Think The Christian Music Scene Is Still Important?
Read Pt.10: Do You Think People Are More Receptive Or Resistant to Artists Of Faith Today?
Read Pt.11: Do You Consider Yourself A Christian Musician? In What Way Does It Affect Your Music?

It is no mystery that it is hard to be a professional musician. Despite the very few success stories, most of the bands you love right now will not be around in ten years due to a number of reasons. The funny thing is that so much has changed since the birth of rock’n'roll: recording costs are lower, equipment is easier to come by, and the digital music age has allowed marketing your band to become as easy as logging on to the internet.  So why is it still so hard to “make it” in the music world? Really, why is it?

What is the hardest part about being a musician today?

Heath(bass player for Holdfast Records metal band In Irons)

Being a musician, overall, is hard. Its hard learning to play an instrument, finding people to play with, writing music, getting a band off the ground, finding transportation and just holding it together. It boils down to how bad you want it to happen. But if you’re able to get it all worked out, it can be some of the most fun you’ve ever had.

David (lead singer/guitarist for Tooth & Nail pop/rock band Run Kid Run)

Staying motivated can be our hardest thing which sounds horrible because we have been blessed so much. but just like anything do it for long enough and you can get lazy and apathetic.

David (singer for independent nu-metal band Echocast)

I think the hardest part of being a musician today is simply just trying to make ends meet… The market has been so saturated due to the fact that virtually anyone can buy a computer and protools and record music and put it up on the internet… There are more bands than ever now and with the economy in its current state, concert venues and promoters can’t afford to put on as many shows as they used to… Everything costs so much more now than it did 10 years ago, yet promoters are still paying midlevel bands the same as they did in the 90s…

Dave (half of Holdfast Records electro-house duo Poorly Built Parachute)

Making money, and then working a part time job or going to school while trying to take your music serious.

Frankie (vocalist for Infantry Records hardcore band Our Proclamation)

Telling your parents you’d rather go on tour than go to college. Haha

Brooke Waggoner(solo indie/pop artist on SlowMoon Music)

The emotional involvement with the business side of things. It’s difficult to learn how to market your heart, and soul, and passions, and art. But it’s a MUST to figure it out.

Chris Taylor (BEC solo artist/song writer)

Deciding when to try and make it your living. Maybe harder is deciding when to stop making it your living.

Curtis (mandolist/singer for Centricity Records country band High Valley)

For me the hardest part is remembering to give the glory ALL to God because he is the only reason we are able to do what we do. It seems pretty easy to forget about God and focus on income or success in the eyes of the world. I continually have to check my motives and make sure that the reason I do what I do is to reach as many people as possible with the most important message out there.

Seth (singer for independent hard rock band Endeverance)

The hardest thing for musicians today is getting people to actual shows. I mean right now with the economy and everything it is getting harder for people to want to come to shows and everything…And another thing that is hard is getting genuine fans and not just a bunch of fake myspace friends…that don’t really care about your music…they just added you because they click yes to everyone…I think the true fan has of become a lost art form…

Dewey Lybecker( independent solo singer/songwriter)

I think the hardest part about being a musician today is trying to stick your head above the clouds. There’s so many good artists out there, how do you make yourself stick out beyond everyone else ?

Jon (lead singer/guitarist for independent pop/rock band Hyland)

Having all your bases covered. It’s not just enough to have a good song anymore. It’s not good enough to be a tight band anymore. It’s not good enough to have a great look and a good online presence. With the amount of competition out there, you need the whole package. Making your you don’t have any weak links is definitely the hardest part about being a musician. You don’t get to focus on the music half the time!

Xcess(solo Darkside records hip-hop/industrial artist)
For me it’s just being me since I’m pretty different. There’s alot of politics where labels and venues will want to play it safe and stick with their genres of preference even though I know for a fact I work well in any capacity. If I was in a band I’m sure I’d get booked left and right but dedicated people are hard to find so I do this solo and its quite the hindrance.

Amy Courts (independent pop/folk artist)

Because independent music is on the rise, every person who ever thought to play a chord on guitar is writing songs and trying to tour and sell music. But the pond hasn’t gotten any bigger; There are just more fish in it. So it’s a much more dog-eat-dog world than it ever was before, which means we who love what we do and believe we’re meant to do it have to work that much harder to stay in the game. But it’s worth it!

Not much has changed I guess. Only two more weeks left in this series, check bakc next week when we talk about artist’s responseablilty to it’s listner. Should be good!

We As Human are in the studio right now, and they (like most bands nowadays) have been keeping up with their progress with video blogs. Here is the latest:

Never to be outdone, Gwen Stacy also has a new studio video, get out the popcorn:

Deathcore band Earth From Above have parted ways with a few of their key members. Read Earth From Above announcement.

Goth/Industrial mainstays Coriolis have signed with Youngside Records. Read Coriolis announcement (via IVM).

A brief update from Hawk Nelson made its way onto Indie Vision Music yesterday. If you are a fan, read it. Read Hawk Nelson update.

PM Today have signed with Rise Records. Read/watch PM Today announcement.

Jesusfreakhideout.com has a new interview with Project 86. Andrew always has some interesting stuff to say…Read Project 86 interview.

Exit The Ordinary will have a bunch of their songs on various MTV, VH1, and many other network’s shows. Congrats guys.

Hip-hop group Scribbling Idiots have a new video for their song “Almost Famous”. Watch it now:

Apparently Derek Webb is going underground for a while due to some controversy over his latest album. He issued a letter to his fan email list this last weekend, saying:

friends-
i haven’t sent many personal emails to this email list but we’re in a situation that has gotten a little out of control and it’s time to fill you in. as some of you may know, i’ve been working for months on my new record, ’stockholm syndrome’, which i’ve recently finished and turned in to the record label. they’ve been very supportive over the years, but this time we didn’t get the response we expected. it seems i’ve finally found the line beyond which my label can support me, and apparently i’ve crossed it.

i consider this my most important record and am adamant about all of you hearing it. we had originally hoped to have ’stockholm syndrome’ out this month (next week even), but at this point we’re not sure when the record will come out and in what form. the majority of the controversy is surrounding one song, which i consider to be among the most important songs on the record. so we’ve decided it’s an appropriate time to break the rules.

but because of various legal/publishing issues we’re having to be rather careful with how we do what we’re going to do next. that’s really all i can say for now and i’ve probably said too much.

we have a plan and we’re moving ahead, but we’re not sure what kind of trouble we might be getting into. we’ll let you know as soon as we know our next move-
derek

So I am a little behind the curve on this one. A while back Brooke Waggoner talked about this guy with HM Magazine, and so I checked out his stuff and just loved it. It is a strange mix of folk and electronica, kind of like if Bradley Hathaway got remixed by Son Lux (if you know who either of those people are, you get a cookie).  This is some truly unique and beautiful music. If you download this EP, there will be a letter included from the artist, but I thought I would post it for you to know where this music is coming from.

The story goes that in the old days, during the winter solstice, all the oceans in the world would lay calm and the bad weather would subside. It was then that the kingfisher bird would fly out into the open sea to build its nest and lay its eggs, believing they would hatch in time before the waves began to rise again. This time came to be known as the halcyon days.

The Halcyon EP was recorded in my bedroom during the month of November, 2007. Winter always seems to be a more creative time for me, and the sudden cold and slower pace that was settling in over Nashville provided a welcome excuse to stay inside and work. A few friends came by as well, each with their own special sounds from cellos to horns to live drums, adding new colors to the mix.

This EP, for me, is a way to reflect on yet another year quietly slipping by, enjoying the present stillness of a Tennessee winter, and looking forward to what is coming up over those yon there hills. I hope you are to able find something in it too. thanks for listening…

- daniel james (sunday december 9th, 2007)

- myspace.com/canonblue

click on the link below, save the .ZIP file to your computer, EXTRACT ALL FILES, and experience this truly gifted artist.

Download Canon Blue-The Halcyon EP

Your Russia (Without Hands)-Wovenhand
medicine tongue and a heavy hand
together made a fist
they put me down and I do not rise
and now as an old child
I’ll hand it down
I’ll hand it down
then I blow around
see me blow around
just like dirty paper
medicine tongue and a heavy hand
together made a list
row on row
of cold and hardened hearts that wish
my weeds and flowers
would together both grow wild
from a distance
from a distance
they come up close to smile
medicine tongue and a heavy hand
together made a fist
they put me down and I do not rise
and now as an old child
far be it from me to take care
take care the words you say
in heart on new’s day

by word of mouth
all young men do stagger
and all come to shambles by heart
saw your eyes wide and flashing
setting the woods on fire
breathing heavy dirt
beneath the skin of a liar
did I cross your heart
behind my back just then
I must push on hard
in prayer and take it by force
though you’ve said it
you say it better
with more conviction than I

medicine tongue and a heavy hand
together made a list
row on row
of cold and hardened hearts that wish
my weeds and flowers
would together both grow wild
from a distance from a distance
they come up close to smile

In this driving rant about church ritual and traditions suppress spiritual growth and keeps us as children in our faith, David Eugene Edwards and Wovenhand stomp and moan and wail.  Edwards recounts his struggles to find himself as a believer after spending a life in a tightly controlled church environment.  “My Russia” is a cornerstone of Wovenhand shows and Edwards uses the song as a platform to encourage your spiritual journey.

Is your church’s rituals standing in the way of your spiritual development?

Do you feel like dirty paper blown around?

Do you see what Edwards says to do about it?

Buy this song at iTunes and add it to your new essential Christian music playlist

Like I said Friday, this will be a kind of a strange week. We are killing ourselves right now trying to get our database finished. With over 600-700 artist pages to create, and a three person team doing it, we are feeeling a little..stressed. On top of that, Chuck is out of town this week. Sooo, we will be posting a little differently, but it will be all worth it when you see what we have been working on..Pray for us please, and here are your headlines:

Have you spent all your money on the new releases yet? Find all the new Christian releases on our site.

Yep, the CCM Reader’s Choice Award winners were finally announced. No surprises though, Cornerstone didn’t even make best festival…..View CCM Readers Choice Awards winners.

Video of my buddies Oh, Sleeper working on their new album, Son Of The Morning, can be viewed right here:
Oh, Sleeper -- SOTM Studio Blog (Part 1)

Oh, Sleeper -- SOTM Studio Blog (Part 2)

The crazies over at White Collar Sideshow (and I do believe they are a little off), gave a little update of sorts for the fans out there. Read White Collar Sideshow update.

The Almost are also in the studio, and they also made a video. Watch it:

A pretty harsh interview with For Today has surfaced over at Noisecreep.com, in which they essentially say that satanic bands are all fake. Read For Today interview.

A less harsh interview with Emery was posted on Indie Vision Music around the same time. Read Emery interview.

Prog metal band HANDS have announced the title for their upcoming album will be Creator. It will be out in July on Facedown Records.

Sleep For Sleepers has a new video for the song “Thieves & Bones”, watch it below:

Flyleaf are FINALLY coming out with a new record some time in August called Memento Mori.

I Believe In You by Bob Dylan

This declaration of Christian faith from the Jewish poet and conscious of the Baby Boomer’s social revolution in the 60′s.  It is really a simple expression in God’s love and faithfulness in times of trouble and times of joy.  Dylan’s conversion, expressed in his 1979 album Slow Train Coming, caused him much trouble in his counterculture circles.  This was the generation that rejected the traditional church and in their immaturity rejected the faith.  Dylan’s conversion was a betrayal.  Dylan balks at being labeled a Christian music artist but he performs this song on his current tour. Read the story of the Apostle Paul in Acts and tell me if this feels familiar.

I Believe In You
Bob Dylan

They ask me how I feel
And if my love is real
And how I know I’ll make it through.
And they, they look at me and frown,
They’d like to drive me from this town,
They don’t want me around
‘Cause I believe in you.

They show me to the door,
They say don’t come back no more
‘Cause I don’t be like they’d like me to,
And I walk out on my own
A thousand miles from home
But I don’t feel alone
‘Cause I believe in you.

I believe in you even through the tears and the laughter,
I believe in you even though we be apart.
I believe in you even on the morning after.
Oh, when the dawn is nearing
Oh, when the night is disappearing
Oh, this feeling is still here in my heart.

Don’t let me drift too far,
Keep me where you are
Where I will always be renewed.
And that which you’ve given me today
Is worth more than I could pay
And no matter what they say
I believe in you.

I believe in you when winter turn to summer,
I believe in you when white turn to black,
I believe in you even though I be outnumbered.
Oh, though the earth may shake me
Oh, though my friends forsake me
Oh, even that couldn’t make me go back.

Don’t let me change my heart,
Keep me set apart
From all the plans they do pursue.
And I, I don’t mind the pain
Don’t mind the driving rain
I know I will sustain
‘Cause I believe in you.

Is Dylan singing about himself, or the Apostle Paul, or both? Can you make the declaration of this song?

A few gems hitting stores this week, but after last week’s massive CD drop, the pickings are going to be kind of slim over the next few weeks. Not to say there wont be anything good, just not as much as the last few weeks. Here are your new releases, now go support the scene.

Adios EP (digital only)
Flynn Adam
Gotee
Hip-hop
Buy NOW:
AmazonMP3

Out Of The Darkness
In The Midst of Lions
Strike First Records
Metal/Hardcore
Buy NOW:
Amazon
AmazonMP3

Birth Eaters
Oceana
Rise Records
Metal
Buy NOW:
Amazon
AmazonMP3

Identity Crisis
Tedashii
Reach Records
Hip-hop
Buy NOW:
AmazonMP3