Every year the Gospel Music Association has an award for "Best Music Packaging". At least half the years, the winner is an album which had absolutely no cool stuff about their packaging. Apparently everybody in the GMA just votes for their own album, and the people who don't have an album just pick one out of a hat. For some reason, that WOW album gets one more vote than the others and wins. Yipee.
Recently we reported on Switchfoot leaving Columbia Records, a major music label. Because many of us as Christians are proud of how Switchfoot did, we were discussing why this happened to Switchfoot. I noted that the problem was just that Switchfoot did not garner enough radio hits or a high enough level of sales to keep the mainstream label happy.
So...apparently Amy Grant is now with Sparrow Records. This would be much bigger news if we were living in 1987, but I still find it interesting. She's apparently the "most successful contemporary Christian music artist of all time."
She's sold thirty million "units" to date, which sounds impressive. I'm not sure exactly what qualifies as a "unit," but it definitely makes her sound like the most successful contemporary Christian music artist of all time.
There are a couple new albums coming out this week, and although I don't have pre-release copies, I was able to find a bit to listen to online and they sound pretty exciting. First, there's Eisley's second full-length, Combinations. You can listen to all the tracks on Eisley's MySpace page, and after the initial listen, it sounds good. Second, Mae's third album is coming out on Tuesday as well, and it's titled Singularity.
[img_assist|nid=443|title=Traffic Control Volunteer|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=115|height=171]Safety.
When I walked backstage in the morning, I noticed a backhoe bringing in stone to place in muddy walk areas. That same backhoe must have traveled throughout the grounds overnight because I noted clean stone in various locations during my walk from the campsite.
[img_assist|nid=437|title=Family Force 5|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=144|height=212]Rain.
Regular festival attendees like myself know that it is rare to experience Creation East without some rain. But right now, my fellow villagers are working out how to dry off belongings that are wet and keep the rest dry. Sleeping arrangements have been changed due to leaky wet tents. Scattered showers dampened the evening.
[img_assist|nid=430|title=Village at Creation|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=126|height=184]Sweat and dirt.
Setting up the campsite at Creation is a good way to submerge oneself into what will become normal by the end of the week. Experiencing the sweat of a humid summer afternoon is not always the norm here at Agape Farm in Pennsylvania. But it is common. Today was a prime example. Add the dust and dirt flying off the myriad of roads and paths, and you will know you have made it to Creation East.
[img_assist|nid=428|title=Crowd at Creation fest|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=122|height=170]
Some people ask me if I am going to Creation this year. My normal reply - "Is the sky blue?" Yes it is true that other festivals such as Cornerstone may fit my musical tastes better.