Christian music news: TobyMac Kicks Off Monthlong 'Winter Wonder-Slam'

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Christian hip hop artist tobyMac kicked off his annual “Winter Wonder-Slam” tour with rock band Relient K this week, hitting the first of 17 cities throughout the Bible belt with “not your typical concert.”

“This is the fourth year we have done this tour and it continues to get bigger and bigger,” stated Philip Peters of True Artist Management, which manages for Christian artists including tobyMac, Mandisa, and Matthew West.

“This year the lineup is going to be a party from start to finish—with Relient K, Family Force 5 and new Gotee artist B. Reith,” he added.

For many, Winter Wonder-Slam has become a traditional holiday family reunion. And this year’s reunion is anticipated to again bring the real meaning of Christmas to concert-goers and needy children alike.

As in past years, Winter Wonder-Slam will benefit the U.S. Marine Corps' annual Toys For Tots campaign, which provides a tangible sign of hope to economically disadvantaged children at Christmas.

Concert-goers will again this year be encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped gift to the event.

“I’m a big activist. I love it when people do things for others,” commented Peters.

“This year it’s my personal mission to make it huge! So start thinking of ideas for toys to donate,” he encouraged.

Each year, Winter Slam sets records for the amount of gifts collected for Toys For Tots and produces multiple sell-outs. More than a week before the first Winter Slam stop, the tour had already pre-sold 5,200 tickets in one day for the Houston show, which won’t be until Dec. 12.

"During the holidays, everyone needs a break from studying for exams and Christmas shopping,” explained tobyMac, whose real name is Kevin Michael Mckeehan. “I wanted to put together a diverse tour that rocks in many musical directions but always points to Christ.”

While Winter Wonder-Slam does have a Christmas theme, each band that performs will play their own hits and whatever they are inspired to dish out.

Relient K, for example, will play several Christmas songs as well as a variety of hits and fan favorites from its 10-year history. The band recently celebrated its 10th anniversary with the release of The Bird and the Bee Sides. It also re-issued its 2007 Christmas collection, Let It Snow Baby...Let It Reindeer.

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Christian music news: TobyMac Wins Grammy

Latest christian music: TOBYMAC HONORED WITH FIRST SOLO GRAMMY WIN FOR “ALIVE & TRANSPORTED”
“PORTABLE SOUNDS” ALSO RECEIVES RIAA GOLD CERTIFICATION
Source: The M Collective

Los Angeles, CA… Feb. 9, 2008… Last night at the 51st Annual GRAMMY® Awards, The Best Rock Or Rap Gospel Album honor went to the Gospel Music Association’s 2007 Artist of the Year, Forefront Recording artist, TobyMac, just following the RIAA GOLD Certification of his 2007 studio project, PORTABLE SOUNDS. This marks his fifth consecutive GRAMMY® nomination and his first win as a solo act for his newest project, ALIVE & TRANSPORTED, his CD+DVD combo that released last summer. TobyMac won four GRAMMY® Awards as a member of dcTalk. The 51st Annual GRAMMY® Awards were broadcast live on CBS from the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

“It’s an honor to win my first Grammy as a solo artist,” TobyMac commented from the WinterJam tour. “I still can’t believe it, truly humbling. My band and I worked hard on this project and it really is the culmination of diverse people collaborating.”

The recording industry’s most prestigious award, the GRAMMY® , is presented annually by the Recording Academy, NARAS (National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences). A GRAMMY® is awarded by the Recording Academy’s voting membership to honor excellence in the recording arts and sciences. It is a peer honor, awarded by and to artists and technical professionals for artistic or technical achievement, not sales or chart positions.

“Alive and Transported” is TobyMac’s first live concert DVD/CD, which released last May. With over 8 million career scans, “Portable Sounds,” recently certified GOLD by the RIAA, is TobyMac’s latest studio and highest solo debut ever on the Billboard Top 200 chart (No. 10), which hit No. 1 on SoundScan’s Contemporary Christian Overall chart in its first week as well. All three of TobyMac’s solo projects have received numerous GMA Dove Award nominations as well as GRAMMY nominations. In addition, “Momentum” (2001) and “Welcome to Diverse City” (2004), both were awarded RIAA Gold Certification. Along with sold out tour dates, back-to-back radio hits, being named the GMA Dove Award’s 2008 Artist of the Year, and R&R’s Christian CHR Artist of the Year in 2007, TobyMac was also nominated for a 2007 American Music Award as Favorite Inspirational Artist. His song “Ignition” was also recently chosen to play during the 2009 Superbowl as The Arizona Cardinals entered the stadium in Tampa, FL

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Christian music news: Winter Jam tour delivers Grammy winner tobyMac to Grand Rapids' Van Andel Arena on Thursday

Latest christian music: GRAND RAPIDS -- Singer-songwriter tobyMac says he's enjoying his reduced responsibility on the Winter Jam tour of Christian music artists.
"People assume when you're closing (the show), you're in control," the Grammy-winning artist said in a phone interview before a show in Columbia, S.C. "But on this tour, I've got nothing to do with it except being asked to be on it."
The veteran artist (Toby McKeehan) heads a multi-artist bill hosted by the vocal band NewSong, originators of the "Jam" concept 14 years ago.
A key feature of the approach is no advance ticket sales. Organizers ask for a $10 donation at the door, but even that isn't necessary for the general-admission seats. A pass-the-bucket offering during the event also helps pay the bills.
"The Winter Jam people have been very accommodating, and it's more laid back for a headline artist because you're not sweating (attendance) numbers," TobyMac, 44, said.
The tour, playing in some of the nation's larger arenas, is averaging more than 9,000 per night, and even drew 20,000 at a recent show in Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C.

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Christian music news: tobyMac, Slam again a big hit

Latest christian music: One thought keeps running through my head after returning from tobyMac's Winter Wonder Slam three-hour concert Saturday night at the Von Braun Center Arena: Why can't all concerts be this positive and fun?
That's not reality, right? But hey, at least it happens every now and then.
Mac brought his Diverse City band into the VBC along with newcomer B. Reith, Family Force 5 and Relient K for a wonderful evening of upbeat, fun, Christian contemporary music in front of 5,000 or so fans.

Reith played a short set and was okay, but then came the wild and crazy Family Force 5. "Listening to Family Force 5 is like lighting a cluster of firecrackers in your mouth," according to guitarist Derek Mount (known to fans as Chap Stique).
Yep, there's definitely fireworks of some sort going on. Family Force 5 was widen open and performing at 100 mph once it hit the stage. The group even brought its Family Force 5000, a massive drum machine they invented, on stage. As Family Force performed, one of the members kept pushing the buttons that looked like a giant phone keyboard. That itself was strange.
The group performed many songs, including "D-I-E 4 Y-O-U," "Radiator" and put an interesting twist on "Love Addict." During the second chorus, the band changed the words to
"Grandma, she got run over, she got run over by a reindeer, y'all," a Christmas single they put out a couple of years ago. It was a fun and energetic performance.
Relient K took the stage after Family Force 5 and also put on a good show, albeit very much toned down from what the Force brought. The group actually brought some Christmas spirit to the concert by placing some snowmen, Santa Claus and a blowup Christmas tree on stage. They played hits like "High of 75, " "Chapstick, Chapped Lips and Things Like Chemistry" and "Mood Rings."
Relient K didn't just bring out some Christmas props, they played "O Holy Night," followed by a Relient K original, "I Celebrate The Day." The group had been using an animation of a snow-covered field and log cabin in the background, but then used it to play a fun, humorous song about a group of bunnies that closely resembled Relient K called "Sleigh Ride."
Continuing in the humor vein, the group did a triubte to Family Force 5 by spoofing the Subway Commercial "5, $5 footlog" and replacing the words with "5, Family Force, Family Force 5's done."
Of course, the group couldn't end the show without its mega-hit that sounds a little like Good Charlotte, "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been."

Then came Mac, and as well as the other bands performed, Toby took it up another two notches.
His high-energy, hip hop/rap/R&B show opened with "Burn For You" and followed with "Catchafire (Whoopsi-Daisy)," "The Slam," "Gone" and "Boomin'". Not only is Mac's music hip, positive and catchy, but he and his dancers add a whole another element to the stage. They're dancing on the stage in well choreographed moves and act like they're having the times of their lives.
The show was fun, but there was also some inspirational moments, one when Mac shared a story about seeing a Bible verse on a Realtor's card a youngster. The verse was Mark 8:36 "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" He said that verse inspired him two years ago to write "Lose My Soul," which also led into a short, moving rendition of "Oh Come Let Us Adore Him."
That was pretty much the last time Mac slowed things down. He and the band kicked into the rockin' "Diverse City" and followed with an old school medley that included "Rollercoaster (of Love)," "That's The Way I Like It" and "We Are Family."
The encore was also fun. He started with "Made To Love," and followed with the huge hit with dc Talk, "Jesus Freak." Relient K and Family Force 5 joined him onstage for the Christmas classic "Winter Wonderland," which also kick-started a giant confetti machine that blew snow all over the arena floor. The singers also doused the crowd with water from countless bottles of water and were acting like kids, sliding on the wet stage.
It looked like the show was over, but Mac tried to console disappointed Alabama football fans (after the 31-20 loss to Florida) by playing a few lyrics from "Sweet Home Alabama." He probably didn't have to, most fans were already feeling better after the fun show.

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Christian music news: tobyMac To Perform For The Pope At New York Youth Rally

Latest christian music: Nashville, TN.....4/1/08.....Marking his third performance at an event with a Pope, tobyMac has been confirmed as a performer at a Youth Rally on April 19th at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, NY which will be presided over by Pope Benedict XVI. DC Talk performed at such rallies in Denver (1993) and St. Louis (1999), both of which were presided over by the late Pope John Paul II. The 2008 rally’s purpose is to encourage youth to seek vocations within the church.
On his inaugural visit to the United States Pope Benedict XVI is attending open-air masses in both Washington D.C. and New York City, and delivering an address to the United Nations and visit to the World Trade Center site.

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About being asked to perform before the Pope at the Rally, tobyMac commented, “It's an honor to participate in this Papal visit. Not too many artists are given this opportunity. We have great respect for the work he does.”tobyMac recently completed his “Boomin’ Beyond Measure Tour” with Jeremy Camp and is preparing for the release of his first Live CD and DVD as a solo artist, Alive and Transported, which hits the streets May 26th. In addition he is slated to headline numerous summer festivals including Spirit West Coast, Icthus, Atlantafest, Alive, Creation East and West, Sonshine, and more. Stay updated with all things TobyMac at http://www.tobymac.com.With over 8 million career scans, the GRAMMY-nominated Portable Sounds is tobyMac's latest and highest solo debut ever on the Billboard Top 200 chart (No. 10), and after hitting No. 1 on SoundScan’s Contemporary Christian Overall chart in its first week as well, the project has scanned over 300,000 units and is still solidly in the top 20 after 48 weeks of release. Along with this sales success, tobyMac was named R&R’s Christian CHR Artist of the Year, while over 100 Christian radio stations played his smash hit singles "I'm For You" and "Made to Love," and his video for his rock hit “Boomin’”was named the Gospel Music Channel’s Video of the Year and CCM Magazine reader’s Best Music VIdeo for 2007. tobyMac released his solo debut (Momentum 2001) followed by the critically acclaimed Welcome to Diverse City (2004), both of which received GRAMMY nominations, and most recently were awarded RIAA Gold Certification. As a solo artist, in addition to rave reviews and a favorite in magazine and internet Reader's Choice polls each year, including 2007’s CCM Magazine Best Male Artist of the Year, tobyMac has also won seven Dove Awards, received nine GMA Music/Dove Award nominations, and was recently nominated for an American Music Award as Favorite Inspirational Artist.

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