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janet's blog

Houston…we’ve had a problem…

  I have been writing most of my life.  As a child, maybe just the requirements, but as I moved into High School I expanded my creative process.  I wrote for the school news paper.  I wrote for the city news paper.  I secured a job writing commercials for the local radio station.  I wrote songs for my yet-to-be-formed rock band, Fluid Vision.  I wrote.  

Hello Hurricane!

In 2008 in the wake of hurricane Ike, Houston struggled to put the pieces back together again. As the Music Builds tour rolled across America they had lost their venue in Houston to hurricane Ike, so they renamed themselves the Music Re-builds tour... and Swithfoot was there. Through natures providence and Gods grace, Houston did not see another hurricane again...until Switchfoot was there.

U2 360 Tour

[img_assist|nid=2088|title=Photo by Janet Mattox|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=257|height=203]Sitting in my college dorm during my first “life away from home” experience the world was opening up with a lot of new experiences, and music played a big part in my growth.  My first love called with tickets to a movie that was being shown in the biology hall called Rattle and Hum, thus introducing me to my first musical love of U2.

Kutless- What Faith Can Do

[img_assist|nid=1461|title=Kutless- What Faith Can Do|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=100]Corporate worship tends to get a bad rap from people in the music business.  But face it.  Without such input from great contributing bands then the worship of the church runs the risk of being stale, out dated or unmoving to those who are seeking a true relationship or connection to God that is often facilitated by the music. “It doesn’t matter what you’ve heard.  Impossible is not a word.

The Dove Awards in Photos

[img_assist|nid=885|title=Chapman Family|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=480][img_assist|nid=903|title=Toby Mac|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=180|height=135][img_assist|nid=902|title=Seventh Day Slumber|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=180|height=135][img_assist|nid=899|title=Mary Mary|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=180|height=135][img_assist|nid=897|title=KJ 52|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=180|height=135][img_assist|nid=896|title=Jars of CLay|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=180|height=135][img_assist|nid=895|title=Group 1 Crew|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=180|height=

And the Award goes too...

My first night of press room GMA Dove Awards I was a little nervous, to say the least.  First time jitters and just plain not knowing what to do made me glad that I did not eat first!  Unfortunately I was not able to connect to wireless so I was not able to do the video stream that I had planned on, but one lesson learned it to come better prepared with my own wireless!! Sharing is not a Christian virtue in a press room setting. The list of winners is as follows:

 

40TH ANNUAL GMA DOVE AWARDS RECIPIENTS

GMA Day Five

Day Five...staying alive!

The mid-week Wednesday hump is always a tough day to maneuver through.  Its the last of the GMA events outside of the Dove awards, they last full day of contact with peers pre-press room.  The day started off early with an artist symposium discussing Christian artists in a secular market.  The discussion was  interesting and enlightening on many levels.  It was good to get the "heart of the artist" perspective on touring secular markets and maneuvering through secular interviews.  It was a highlight of my week to see all the artists together.

GMA MP3 Give-Away contest

Day four didn't have much in store for this weary GMA traveler.  The majority of the day was spent standing and staring, mixed with a little sitting and staring.  There weren't a plethora of showcases this year, and over all attendance was down by 25% (according to the official reports.)  The evening found me meandering over to Rocketown to catch another performance by The Listening.  I had not heard/seen many of the bands that were performing that evening, mainly because the rap genre is not one of my favorites and it is where a lot of these bands fall in the industry.  However, while ther

On the Third Day...God Created Vegetation

On the third day God created vegetation.  On the third day of GMA there is no time to sit and veg. The day, while uneventful ended with a big-bang at the JesusFreakHideout showcase at 12th and Porter.  I know, Jesusfreakhideout is a "competitor" of inReview but nevertheless the showcase was packed full of great performances by Danyue, Abandoned, The Listening, Remedy Drive and Seabird Music.

GMA Day Two

Day two: First official day of GMA sponsored events.  Having snagged an invite to the Jars of Clay/ CAA luncheon, I was very excited.  I LOVE Jars of Clay!  We got an acoustic listen at Long Fall Back to Earth and a copy of the CD.  The CD hits stores on Tuesday and from my early listen, it is living up to its hype.  They are, to me the deepest lyrical band in Christian music hands down!  This CD, about relationships, promises to be as deeply layered as relationships themselves are.  I promise a review (if one of my fellow inReview staff doesn't get it done before I do!) as soon as I return

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