Tuesday, February 26, 2008

We've been having some amazing services recently. A few nights ago we were in a women's facility we were privileged to share two concerts with two different groups. Getting all of us in their was a bit of a hassle as one of my teammates had lost his ID to get into the facility and after searching the entire van and trailer we had given up and were trying to plan a concert without his instrument (I'll be nice and not say names...). Then about 1 minute before we were supposed to enter the facility someone told him to check his wallet again and presto there it was. God's cool that way. Once we did load everything in and set it all up we prepared for the first concert. It was smaller and therefore more intimate, but amazing nonetheless. The second was really loud, no holds back, "lets praise God with all we have". So there was dancing, one woman was off beat and off pitch but that didn't stop her from giving Him her all. It's just so freeing to be in a place that by any other ideas is the most controlled and depressing place on earth, but I guess last night just goes to show that what we have physically doesn't matter as long as we say Hallelujah no matter what.

Without Wax,
Rebekah

There are few things better...

than scrolling through your ipod passing the A's, B's, C's...stopping half way through the D's to click on your favorite band finding just the right album because you have 38 different ones of them, and picking the perfect song to match the moment.

This is where I found myself as we turned onto the 405 in Seattle, Washington.

If you know what song I am referring to, then leave a comment and I'll mail you a postcard from the road.

We are about to start heading east again, back to Minnesota. 7 weeks down through our long 10 week tour. It's been absolutely incredible so far and I am almost sad to be in the "home stretch".

But Seattle. I loved Seattle. It was so cool and like everyone describes it. Sleepy and quiet, yet big enough to be explored. So much character.


Us at the Waterfront (minus the wonderful Brooke)


I also liked the Er. I got food poisoning which resulted in a day of throwing up which resulted in dehydration which resulted in me being to weak and hurting to even exist which resulted in the team bringing me to the Er to get some Iv. Thank you guys so much for taking care of me.

-Joe



p.s. This is my hero

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Business as Usual?

So I found this on David Crowder's xanga the other day, and I really wanted to share seeing as how he was so effortlessly able to put into words something that God has so gracefully put in my heart for this year:


question number 2: “is there ever a time when you feel that performing is just business as usual?”

"the answer to this one is less simple. the short and truthful answer is “no.” where it gets a tad complicated is when i attempt to enunciate the fact that we never feel like we are performing. where the word, “performing,” feels an improper description, i’d suggest a more accurate term might be, “facilitating.” we are using music to create an atmosphere, or environment, that brings an awareness of the reality we live in: the very presence of god. this, in my mind, can by no means ever become “business as usual.” it just seems an impossibility. as well, we just plain love music and the making of it together. add to this rooms of people singing along with us and it’s just pretty fantastic, to be perfectly forthcoming."


Off to Northern country tomorrow!
Thanks for reading,
-JoeGomez*Band

Joy and Pain
Sun and Rain
You stay the same
You Never Let Go

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Things You Should Never Say From Stage

We are starting our 6th week of tour. And this is our 4th tour. 2 tours in the amazing midwest. 1 month in Hong Kong.
And now 10 weeks touring the west coast.

So we are onstage a lot of the time.

This past week we were at UC Davis. It was quite the eventful night for me onstage.

So it inspired me to compose a list of things you should never EVER do onstage.

Listen my children and you will hear-
NEVER:

1. Say crap onstage. It's hard to judge your audiences, and Christian highschools are probably not the best place to do so.
2. Put a cup of water near your mic stand. It's amazing how easy styrofoam cups will tip over and spill their contents over chords and stuff.
3. Grip your capo too hard when you go to place it on the neck of your guitar. Maybe it's just me and I don't know my own strength, but they break quite easy and then you're stuck transposing a song that you never knew the key to.
4. Tell your audience to clap for "whatever I say". It comes of as a little arrogant and "needy". Trust me on this one.


hmmm I think I'll leave it at that. I am sure I'll have more stuff to add later though. Keep checking back folks!


Fresno CA here we come!

One of the best things I've seen all week? Driving past a field of something or other and seeing all the sprinklers going. When the sun hit the water a certain way rainbows appeared everywhere. A field of rainbows. It made me wonder. What was God promising me that day?

Paz todos!
Vanita

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

It's always an extreme pleasure...

to bring you a new Cti 1422 episode.



-jd