Archives For Music

A Dream Come True

June 20, 2010 — Leave a comment

Dreams! For me, dreams are difficult to explain. Sometimes, i feel like the whole point of dreaming is to envision things that are unattainable. And then there are those few special moments in life when you witness, before your very eyes, dreams becoming a reality.

A few of my “dream-come-true” moments:

  • Getting a BMX when I was 5yrs old
  • Playing drums and touring the east-coast with Paul Rogers + Band.
  • Honoring my mother @ her funeral
  • Hosting concerts for Reuben Morgan (Oct 2005 – Montreal),
  • Starfield (Sept 2007 – Montreal), and Paul Baloche (May 2009 – Brantford)

  • Getting married to the girl of my dreams (follow her)
  • Being in full-time ministry and allowing God to use my family to love people.

This past Friday, another one of those “dream-come-true” moments occurred.
…Enter the LOT PARTY:

September 26, 2009 was our first attempt at an annual (Parking) Lot Party. It was obvious that we were going to learn a lot from this pilot project. What we were envisioning was a FREE outdoor party for all High School students from Brantford and the surrounding areas. We wanted to have inflatable games, a dunk tank, pizza, pop, and an amazing concert.

I know what you’re thinking: That’s all fine and dandy, but would there be a catch to this “FREE” event held in a church parking lot? Would there be this typical bait and switch kind of thing where everybody comes for an advertised party and then in a magical twist, we make them feel like sinners and then invite them to get “saved”? The answer was and still is: NO!

Well, September 26, 2009 proved to be a rainy and cold day. We moved the party inside. We canceled the dunk tank. There were 2 high school deaths the night before. the youth from my own church said the concert was too loud, and so they hung out in the main foyer. the total attendance didn’t exceed 100.

I wasn’t left with much of a dream after the “launch” of our Lot Party except that the bands we hired rocked and that the Lot Part could only go UP (in other words, it couldn’t get worse).

Fast forward to 2010:

  • January: We have a meeting and decide to give the Lot Party another try and move the date up to June 18, 2010
  • February: Valentine’s Bake Sale “Show Some Sweet Love”
  • March: St Patrick’s Day Bake Sale
  • April: Easter Bake Sale // Modesty Fashion Show
  • May: Family Movie Night // Car Wash

That’s a load of fundraisers … all in the span of a few months (February-May).

This past Friday, I realized that God can resurrect some of those dreams that we were ready to bury and abandon. With a few short sentences and pics, I’ll try to sum it all up:

the weather was a perfect 27˚C with barely any clouds in the sky.

the inflatable games were a huge success.

The volunteers were amazing and served BBQ Hot Dogs, pop, popcorn, and cotton candy.

The stage was set for a rocking concert with Manafest (twitter).

After all this was finished, i got up on the stage and stated the purpose for our Lot Party: “We love Brantford and we love you (our community)”.

What dreams have you been putting off? Maybe it’s the right time for you to revisit some of them.

(***if you have any comments about this post or suggestions for our Lot Party, please send them my way)

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The Smack-Down!

May 24, 2010 — Leave a comment

10 Days ago i wrote about Nick Vujicic coming to my church.


Pris and I with Nick

I’ve taken several days to write this follow-up post because that’s how deep the impact was. I played keys that night and here is a glimpse of the room with Nick sitting in the front row:

After sharing some funny experiences with us, Nick got down to the heart of things. Here are some notes that I took:

  • In reference to fear, Nick asks, “What’s the point of having arms and legs if you are paralyzed on the inside?” He explained how fear can paralyze us from the inside-out and cause us to not go and do what God is requiring of us.
  • “When you pray, don’t use God as an accessory” (God, give me this, and that, and bless me, etc…). “Instead, praise Him for who He is!”
  • After praying for arms and legs Nick heard God say to him, “You wanted arms and legs more than you wanted Me!”
  • “If God can use me, with no arms and legs, to be His hands and feet, God can use you!”

After hearing Nick share all these points, I was left with a big lump in my throat. He is just a year younger than me yet, I was left asking myself, “What have I done with my life so far?” Is it possible that I needed this young man to come and challenge the very core of who I am? Yes! I needed to be reminded that God needs men and women who will not be concerned with what the world thinks/says, but who will be His hands and feet to the corners of the earth!

So what about you?
What are you struggling with? Philippians 4:6-7
Are you paralyzed by fear? 1 John 4:18

God’s got a plan for your life! Jeremiah 29:11-13

Let’s trust Him. Proverbs 3:5-6
Let’s praise Him. Psalm 34:1-3
Let’s GO for Him. Isaiah 6:8

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What I’m Listening To

May 14, 2010 — Leave a comment

A few months ago I wrote an entry called New Tunes for Spring.

One of the releases that I was anticipating was Deluge‘s sophomore album, Unshakable. Well, They just finished their Unshakable Tour (see here) and the album’s been out for about a month so let me share some quick thoughts from my personal experience.

1. It’s original stuff! – It’s been a while since I’ve heard a record that had it’s own unique sound and direction.
2. It’s well crafted and it’s evident that much thought was put into this record.
3. Rich lyrics with actual themes – which are rare these days
4. The music is technical (riffs, beats, melodic hooks) yet functional in worship
5. Some great songs for the church (#5, #7, #11) + for soaking/devos/reflection (#6, #12, #13)

All in all, in the month that I’ve owned this album, it’s been the one that I’ve had on the most during my commutes to and from work. It’s fun, it’s serious, it’s deep, it’s intimate, and it comes from an honest place – the heart!

If you’ve been looking for music that will invite you to connect to the heart of God, this is the one I’d recommend. As the song suggests, God is giving us the invitation: “Come in my Courts”!

Deluge’s Unshakable is available on iTunes
delugeband.com

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Music Mashup – 2010 NNED Youth Convention

May 8, 2010 — 1 Comment

Here’s a mashup of some of the music that we played at NNED this year. They are very rough recordings from the FOH (front of house) through 4 different sessions.

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*Posted for educational/inspirational purposes.

Here’s more FOH recording of some altar time (Wrap Me in Your Arms + Mighty To Save)

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*Posted for educational/inspirational purposes.

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2010 NNED Youth Convention

May 8, 2010 — Leave a comment
It’s been 8 years since we first were invited to play at the Northern New England District Youth Convention. We were young. We were representing our school (Zion Bible College). We were new to playing in front of crowds larger than 300. And yet there we were, playing in front of 700+ screaming students, waiting for us to lead them in a booming atmosphere!

Fast forward 8 years to April 2010, and there we were, back in Portsmouth, NH for “one more year”.

It’s amazing to look back and see how far we’ve come: as worship leaders, as musicians, as friends, as humble servants in service for the King! The best part, every year, is seeing 700+ eager students worship God with all that they are and all that they have!

Let’s continue to worship Him with teen-spirit!!!!
(I’ll post some audio clips soon)
2007 NNED Youth Convention (Portsmouth, NH)
2010 NNED Youth Convention (Portsmouth, NH)

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MJ: “This Is It”

March 14, 2010 — 1 Comment

“This is it”: The prophetic words spoken by Michael Jackson at his last press conference in London.

I’ve been watching the movie (same title) and have been amazed to see MJ in a new light. I remember listening to Black or White in elementary school while riding on the school bus with my big ol’ chunky but digital walkman. I remember songs such as Heal the World or that famous Free Willy track Will You Be There. and then there are the classics like Thriller, Billie Jean and Smooth Criminal.

Now, as I watch This is it, I am finally seeing the man behind the music. As a musician myself, i observe his incredible attention to every single note that the piano is playing, and every step the dancers must make. I love seeing the “king of pop” in action.

I’m halfway through the movie but here’s a thought to chew on: who is reaching celebrities (and by “reaching” i mean reaching with the Gospel message)? I know MJ says, “God bless you”, but does that mean someone took the time to tell him? So many artists have roots in Gospel music but now are playing gigs with questionable artists. If influence is a two-way street who is winning the battle in “reaching out”?

This is it…for now

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New Tunes for Spring

February 23, 2010 — 1 Comment

I’ve been waiting a long time to hear some new and fresh music. John Mayer’s Battle Studies has been a very good listen but what I’ve been really waiting for is the new releases from Starfield and Deluge.

Starfield hits us up with their 4th album, The Saving One, and to be honest, they seem get to better with age! I heard them play a couple of tunes off their new album and it is intense! Also, their drummer, Dave Lalonde is a local boy from Ontario.

As for Deluge, their raw recording from Bethany World Prayer Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where Jonathan Stockstill and The Deluge Band lead 7000 worshippers at their annual “Upside Down” Youth Convention was just amazing. This, their follow up album is sounding sweet. check out a video here of their rehearsal of the song “deeper”.

Starfield’s The Saving One is available now on iTunes
Deluge’s Unshakable will be available when released on 4.13.10

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