The concert takes place in Bushnell, IL from June 29th – July 4th.

I couldn’t even begin to list all the bands that will be performing at some point on some stage during the event! Visit the website for a complete band list.

He’s got a number of upcoming concert dates within an easy drive of Indianapolis. Let’s see what we can do.

I received an email in my Inbox the other day letting me know I could catch Toby Mac in concert at my local theater. My initial thoughts on something like this weren’t very high. I didn’t really understand why anyone would want to go watch a music concert at their theater. However, after seeing U23D and enjoying the Collective Soul “Home” DVD, the idea might be growing on me.

Did anyone else out there get an email promoting the concert at their local theater? Will you attending? Do you think it could even come close to catching the energy that’s felt at a live Toby Mac concert?

For the first time ever a Christian group has been featured on the cover of Billboard magazine. I’d say that’s pretty huge news for Third Day and their fans. Shoot, it’s good news for people who’ve never heard of Third Day’s music as well because now they just might listen and hear the gospel through the lyrics of Third Day.

The article “Third Day Keeps the Faith“, the magazine talks about the crossover popularity of this group and how they keep pleasing fans and selling out concerts wherever they go.

06/07/2008 Third Day’s Mac Powell, David Carr, Tai Anderson and Mark Lee are enjoying a tasty Southern lunch at Stoveworks in the Factory, a historic Franklin, Tenn., complex that was once a thriving industrial workplace and is now a trendy locale housing restaurants, shops and performance venues. A short while later, seated on the stage of a nearby venue, the foursome introduce tracks from the record and field questions. It’s a show-and-tell that can make even the most seasoned artists squirm, as the band members gauge reaction to the new music and look for affirmation that it’s going to get the troops excited as they prepare to engage forces at radio and retail.

That’s some cool news on this Friday. Congratulations again. Now, let me go check the Christian Music Fan calendar to see when they’ll be in town so I can catch them again in person.

Photo: Billboard Magazine cover from Third Day website

The Prophet Bar is located at 2548 Elm St.

After Blake’s performance you can also hear April Geesbreght perform as well.

As always, if you’re able to attend and get some photos I’d love to see and share them on Christian Music Fan.

7th Overture, A Dream Too Late, A Life Echoed, A Plea For Purging, AlexB & Kevin Oneel, Anberlin, Anchors, Aracely, Aradhna, As I Lay Dying, BadEnders, Becoming The Archetype, Before Their Eyes, Black Rose Mourning, Blaster The Rocketman, Blindman’s Peace, Blissed, Bradley Hathaway, Brother Red Squirrel, Burden Of A Day, Catherine, Charlie Peacock, Children 18:3, Cool Hand Luke, Cry Of The Afflicted, Daniele Clark, Darien, Dave Richards, David Crowder Band, Deas Vail, Deeflash, DeGarmo & Key, Demon Hunter, Dignan, Disciple, Don’t Wake Aislin, Doug Theodore, Drottnar, Elliotts Run, Emarosa, Eowyn, Fall Empire Fall, Family Force 5, FBS, Fight To Die, Flatfoot 56, Flinchpoint, Flyleaf, For Today, Gasoline Heart, Generation Letter, Glen Clark & The Family, Glenn Kaiser & Friends, Glenn Kaiser Band, Good Luck Varsity, Grave Robber, Greg “Stryke” Chin, Gwen Stacy, Haste The Day, Hawk Nelson, Headnoise, Here I Come Falling, Homer Hiccolm & The Rocketboys, I, Sleepwalker, Ilia, Immortal Souls, Impending Doom, Inhale Exhale, Jack London, JAEL, Jan Krist, Jeff Elbel + Ping, Jonathan Lee, Jonezetta, Jonni Greth, Josh Garrels, Kingston Falls, La Dispute, Lakes, Lasso The Salt, Leeland, Leper, Living Sacrifice, Luminate, Manafest, Maron, Matthew Hyatt, Max Justus, Means, Men & Angels, mewithoutYou (inshallah), Michael Gungor Band, Michael Roe, Mike Farris, Motorist Jones, Nailpoint, Nevertheless, New World Son, Nitengale, Oceana, Once Nothing, One Star Story, Our Corpse Destroyed, Over The Rhine, Paper Route, Paris Orobus, Paul Cooper (a.k.a. Ikon), People Noise, Photoside Cafe, Pilot For Kite, Psalters, Reilly, Resurrection Band, Revolution Radio, Rizer, Robbie Seay Band, Rodent Emporium, Rue Royale, Run Kid Run, Ruth, Sam’s The Hero, Sammy Horner, Sanctum, School Boy Humor, Seabird, Second Thief, Send Out Scuds, Senseless Beauty, Shiloh, Showbread, Sixpence None the Richer, Skillet, Sleeping Giant, Small Leaks Sink Ships, State Bird, Stephen And The Lion Tamers, Still Remains, StorySide:B, Stukenberg, Taperlane, The 77s, The Almost, The Awakening, The Blackjacks, The Burial, The Chariot, The Crossing, The Famine, The Filthy 42′s, The Fold, The Glass Ocean, The Glorious Unseen, The Last Hope, The Lee Boys, The Lost Dogs, The Myriad, The Satire, The Scurvies, The Skies Revolt, The Tug Fork River Band, The Urban Sophisticates, The Wayside, The Wedding, The Wednesdays, The Wiitala Brothers, Thieves And Liars, This Fires Embrace, Through A Glass, Tim Hooker, To Laodicea, Topher Jones, Travis Agnew, True Liberty, Veara, Voice Of The Mysterons, War of Ages, Wavorly, We Shot The Moon, West Coast Revival, With Blood Comes Cleansing, xDeathstarx

You know what that list is? Well you probably figured it out by now with the graphic at the top of the post it’s the artist list that will be performing at Cornerstone this year. Obviously acts are potential to change and be modified, but regardless that’s a load of acts to get to hear in one location at one time.

I bolded the acts I’m actually familiar with and as you can see from what’s left a concert event like this is an excellent place to hear some new music. I’m curious out of the list above, how many of the acts do you think you’re familiar with that will be appearing at Cornerstone 2008.

HearItFirst is having a contest to win a VIP Trip to one of the oldest Christian music festivals on the planet, Ichthus 2007.

Win a VIP trip to Ichthus Festival in Wilmore, KY! You’ll receive 2 round trip airline tickets to KY, 2 VIP tickets to Ichthus that provide special seating and hospitality, a hotel room for the duration of the stay, and a rental car! Enter now to join us at Ichthus this year!

• 5/3/2007 Tulsa, OK
• 5/10/2007 Shippensburg, PA
• 5/11/2007 Lynchburg, VA
• 5/12/2007 Woodbridge, VA
• 5/17/2007 Alpharetta, GA
• 5/18/2007 Jacksonville, FL
• 5/19/2007 Ft. Myers, FL
• 6/2/2007 Noblesville, IN
• 6/7/2007 Bells, TX
• 7/10/2007 Lansing, MI
• 7/14-7/21 Alaska Cruise!
• 8/5/2007 Wickliffe, OH
• 8/16/2007 Holland (Flevo)
• 8/18/2007 South Bend, IN
• 8/25/2007 Cortland, OH

2/09/07 Memphis, TN @ FedEx Forum
2/16/07 Gatlinburg, TN @ Gatlinburg Convention Center
2/19/07 Winnipeg, MB @ Burton Cummings Theater
2/21/07 Calgary, AB @ MacEwan Hall
2/22/07 Edmonton, AB @ W. Edmonton Christ Assembly
2/23/07 Kelowna, BC @ Grand Hotel
2/24/07 Surry, BC @ Chandos-Pattison Auditorium
3/01/07 Vancouver, WA @ Skyview Concert Hall
3/02/07 College Place, WA @ Walla Walla Community College
3/03/07 Missoula, MT @ SHEC Community Center
3/04/07 Great Falls, MT @ Mansfield Theatre
3/06/07 Salt Lake City, UT @ University of Utah
3/07/07 Greeley, CO @ Union Colony Civic Center
3/09/07 Duluth, MN @ venue TBA
3/10/07 Fargo, ND @ Playmakers
3/11/07 Sioux Falls, SD @ Washington Pavilion
3/23/07 Des Moines, IA @ Val Air Ballroom
3/24/07 Peoria, IL @ Peoria Civic Center
3/29/07 Kalamazoo, MI @ venue TBA
3/30/07 St. Catherine?s, ON @ Central Gospel Temple
3/31/07 Toronto, ON @ Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship
4/02/07 Ottawa, ON @ Dominion-Chalmers Church
4/03/07 Hamilton, ON @ Redeemer University
4/04/07 Cambridge, ON @ Forward Baptist Church
4/05/07 Washington, DC @ Lisner Auditorium
4/07/07 Atlanta, GA @ Six Flags Over Georgia
4/12/07 Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
4/13/07 Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
4/14/07 Boston, MA @ Avalon Ballroom
4/15/07 NYC, NY @ Irving Plaza

Lot’s of Canadian dates happening. Good stuff. If you’re in Canada and catch this concert, I’d love to hear how it goes for you and what you thought of the concert. Just e-mail me.

I just received an e-mail letting me know that Smitty will be performing his “Christmastime” concert near me in Merrilville, IN on Friday, December 8th. To be specific:

• When: Friday, December 8th @ 8:00pm
• Where: Star Plaza Theatre | 8001 Delaware Place, Merrillville, IN 46410

Here’s a little more of what you can expect from your experience if you’re interested and able to attend:

Michael W. Smith brings his Christmastime concert to you this year. The show will lift your spirits and remind you of the joy, the promise, and THE Gift that this entire “season” is based. Michael will be performing with the backing of a full Symphony and his band. This is a show that will remind you why we celebrate this most joyous of seasons.