Ludo is considered one of the more fortunate St. Louis rock bands.
It landed a deal with Island/Def Jam, which released its CD "You're Awful, I Love You" nationally this year, and its song "Love Me Dead" was a
Top 10 hit on Billboard's modern rock singles chart in August.
Still, Ludo makes no bones about how the economy has affected the band, which just wrapped a tour with headliner Relient K before beginning its
own West Coast tour this month.
"It's rough," keyboardist Tim Convy says. "It's really bad.
"We've been lucky more than anything because we're still on a major record label and the record is selling. But if the economy was different, we
would be selling more. It would be going much better."
Ludo especially feels the pinch on tour. The band is touring the country in a van instead of a tour bus.
"You'd be amazed at all the bands getting back on the van, a lot of bands you would 100 percent think would be in a bus," Convy says. "And
they're not bringing the same crews with them they used to."
This wasn't the case just this past summer, when Ludo toured with the major Vans Warped Tour on a bus.
"That tour went really well, though that was before a lot of the crazy stuff hit," Convy says.
Even though the summer had sky-high gasoline prices, concert producer Live Nation gave the bands gas cards.
"(The cards) made a big difference, as well as the fact everyone sold a lot of merchandise," Convy says.
But the Relient K tour, which came to the Pageant last month, didn't "do the numbers Relient K expected. Kids aren't buying tickets as much as they
used to, which makes touring a very scary thing. We played rooms that should have been more full. And they had to move a show from a room
they had previously sold out into a smaller room."
Friends in bands are playing 1,000-seat venues in which 100 fans show up, Convy says, and Ludo is hearing about a lot of cancellations and a
lot of acts staying home.
Ludo will continue to scale back.
"We hadn't gotten used to too many luxuries anyway," he says.
And they'll contemplate what's next.
"Everyone is looking at next year, and we don't know what we will do," Convy says. "We need to be out there working the record, but bands who
can afford to stay home are staying home.
"But it's hard to predict what's going to happen."
Chrisian Music News Source
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
RELIENT K HEADS OUT WITH TOBYMAC ON "WINTER WONDER-SLAM" TOUR LAUNCHING NOVEMBER 13th
Relient K will hit the road with tobyMac on November 13th for the "Winter Wonder-Slam" tour. As befitting the season, the band will play several Christmas songs as well as a variety of hits and fan favorites from its 10-year history. U.S. Marines will be on hand to collect toys for The Marines Toys for Tots Foundation, so fans are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped gift to the concert.
Let It Snow Baby...Let It Reindeer, Relient K's 2007 Christmas collection, is being re-issued for the holidays with a card enabling fans to download three newly recorded songs. And, Funnypages Productions (www.funnypages.com) - helmed by Tom Bancroft and Rob Corley - just put the finishing touches on an animated video to accompany Relient K's version of "Sleigh Ride." In the clip, our intrepid hero hijacks Santa's sleigh to impress a girl only to see her kidnapped by a disgruntled Santa and his buddy, the Abominable Snowman. Will he get his girl back? You will find out soon...
The band recently celebrated its 10th anniversary with the release of The Bird and the Bee Sides. The collection, which included 13 b-sides/rarities plus 13 brand new songs, debuted at No. 25 on The Billboard 200 in July. Relient K was a co-headliner on the 2008 Vans Warped tour.
Dates for the "Winter Wonder-Slam" tour are as follows:
11/13 Greenville, SC Bi-Lo Center
11/14 Jacksonville, FL Veterans Memorial Arena
11/15 West Palm Beach, FL Cruzan Amphitheatre
11/16 Ft. Meyers, FL Germain Arena
11/20 Lincoln, NE Pershing Auditorium
11/21 Denver, CO Denver Coliseum
11/22 Kansas City, MO Municipal Auditorium
11/23 Oklahoma City, OK Ford Center
11/29 Atlanta, GA Fox Theatre
11/30 Knoxville, TN Knoxville Coliseum
12/5 Nashville, TN Sommet Center
12/6 Huntsville, AL VBC
12/7 Mobile, AL Mobile Civic Center
12/11 Bosier City, LA Century Tel
12/12 Houston, TX Toyota Center
12/13 Tulsa, OK Mabee Center
12/14 Dallas, TX Nokia Theater
Christian Music News Source
Let It Snow Baby...Let It Reindeer, Relient K's 2007 Christmas collection, is being re-issued for the holidays with a card enabling fans to download three newly recorded songs. And, Funnypages Productions (www.funnypages.com) - helmed by Tom Bancroft and Rob Corley - just put the finishing touches on an animated video to accompany Relient K's version of "Sleigh Ride." In the clip, our intrepid hero hijacks Santa's sleigh to impress a girl only to see her kidnapped by a disgruntled Santa and his buddy, the Abominable Snowman. Will he get his girl back? You will find out soon...
The band recently celebrated its 10th anniversary with the release of The Bird and the Bee Sides. The collection, which included 13 b-sides/rarities plus 13 brand new songs, debuted at No. 25 on The Billboard 200 in July. Relient K was a co-headliner on the 2008 Vans Warped tour.
Dates for the "Winter Wonder-Slam" tour are as follows:
11/13 Greenville, SC Bi-Lo Center
11/14 Jacksonville, FL Veterans Memorial Arena
11/15 West Palm Beach, FL Cruzan Amphitheatre
11/16 Ft. Meyers, FL Germain Arena
11/20 Lincoln, NE Pershing Auditorium
11/21 Denver, CO Denver Coliseum
11/22 Kansas City, MO Municipal Auditorium
11/23 Oklahoma City, OK Ford Center
11/29 Atlanta, GA Fox Theatre
11/30 Knoxville, TN Knoxville Coliseum
12/5 Nashville, TN Sommet Center
12/6 Huntsville, AL VBC
12/7 Mobile, AL Mobile Civic Center
12/11 Bosier City, LA Century Tel
12/12 Houston, TX Toyota Center
12/13 Tulsa, OK Mabee Center
12/14 Dallas, TX Nokia Theater
Christian Music News Source
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Relient K carries on with faith
They're veterans of the Warped tour and have three gold records to their names, but the guys in Relient K never will forget where they got their start a decade ago, playing at churches around their hometown of Canton, Ohio.
"We couldn't have played in clubs," says the band's lead singer and songwriter, Matt Thiessen, 26. "Nobody would have booked us. And we respect the fact that the church was supportive of us and didn't say, 'Oh, you guys are playing those electric guitars. Get out of here, you heathens!'"
Relient K is touring in support of its new compilation album, "The Bird and the Bee Sides," a trek that brings the band to the House of Blues in North Myrtle Beach for a gig on Saturday.
The band burst straight out of Canton as a pop-punk quartet with a goofy sense of humor. "We were kind of one of those Blink-182 wannabe bands," Thiessen recalls, "when not everybody and their brother was in a band like that."
Since then they've expanded their musical palette - the addition of a fifth member has freed Thiessen to switch from guitar to piano onstage - and slowed down the tempos, to the point where Thiessen thinks the "pop-punk" label no longer applies.
"Over the years, influences such as the Beach Boys, Ben Folds, Rufus Wainwright and other stuff like Death Cab for Cutie have all been factored in," says Thiessen, who has posted a spot-on cover of the Beach Boys' "Warmth of the Sun" at www.myspace.com/matthewthiessenandtheearthquakes. "Now we're mostly just a rock band that does a lot of pop songs."
The band's lyrics have evolved as well. Relient K's early work mixed spiritual concerns with breezy pop-culture references to "Back to the Future" and "Charles in Charge."
But as the band's career progressed, Thiessen says, he made a conscious effort to avoid being pigeonholed. "We like to keep the fun in the music, we like to try to keep it witty, and I can't get away from writing in puns," he says. "But at the same time, we definitely didn't want to become a schticky band."
Humor, however, remains an important part of the appeal.
"My whole thing has always been that I don't like to write songs about girl-guy relationships, but my other thing is that I always write songs from my present perspective on things," says Thiessen, whose girlfriend is a morning DJ in Indianapolis. "I've got a great thing going on with my girl, so I couldn't get around writing those songs."
But for those who worry that Relient K has left matters of faith behind, "Deathbed," the closing song from the band's 2007 disc "Five Score and Seven Years Ago" should allay any doubts. The 11-minute epic, graced with strings and horns, follows a dying cancer patient's reflections on his life. The song ends with a guest appearance by Jon Foreman of Switchfoot, singing as Jesus. "I am the way," he sings. "Through me you'll live again/For I am love."
Thiessen says the band's message remains the same whether it's performing at a rock club or a Christian festival, and he says music fans are becoming more open to diverse opinions."People are like, 'You know what? Green Day's going to sing anti-Bush stuff, and even if I'm a Republican, I can still listen to it.' And they're like, 'If Relient K wants to sing about their faith, even though I'm agnostic, I can still listen to it.'"
Christian Music News Source
"We couldn't have played in clubs," says the band's lead singer and songwriter, Matt Thiessen, 26. "Nobody would have booked us. And we respect the fact that the church was supportive of us and didn't say, 'Oh, you guys are playing those electric guitars. Get out of here, you heathens!'"
Relient K is touring in support of its new compilation album, "The Bird and the Bee Sides," a trek that brings the band to the House of Blues in North Myrtle Beach for a gig on Saturday.
The band burst straight out of Canton as a pop-punk quartet with a goofy sense of humor. "We were kind of one of those Blink-182 wannabe bands," Thiessen recalls, "when not everybody and their brother was in a band like that."
Since then they've expanded their musical palette - the addition of a fifth member has freed Thiessen to switch from guitar to piano onstage - and slowed down the tempos, to the point where Thiessen thinks the "pop-punk" label no longer applies.
"Over the years, influences such as the Beach Boys, Ben Folds, Rufus Wainwright and other stuff like Death Cab for Cutie have all been factored in," says Thiessen, who has posted a spot-on cover of the Beach Boys' "Warmth of the Sun" at www.myspace.com/matthewthiessenandtheearthquakes. "Now we're mostly just a rock band that does a lot of pop songs."
The band's lyrics have evolved as well. Relient K's early work mixed spiritual concerns with breezy pop-culture references to "Back to the Future" and "Charles in Charge."
But as the band's career progressed, Thiessen says, he made a conscious effort to avoid being pigeonholed. "We like to keep the fun in the music, we like to try to keep it witty, and I can't get away from writing in puns," he says. "But at the same time, we definitely didn't want to become a schticky band."
Humor, however, remains an important part of the appeal.
"My whole thing has always been that I don't like to write songs about girl-guy relationships, but my other thing is that I always write songs from my present perspective on things," says Thiessen, whose girlfriend is a morning DJ in Indianapolis. "I've got a great thing going on with my girl, so I couldn't get around writing those songs."
But for those who worry that Relient K has left matters of faith behind, "Deathbed," the closing song from the band's 2007 disc "Five Score and Seven Years Ago" should allay any doubts. The 11-minute epic, graced with strings and horns, follows a dying cancer patient's reflections on his life. The song ends with a guest appearance by Jon Foreman of Switchfoot, singing as Jesus. "I am the way," he sings. "Through me you'll live again/For I am love."
Thiessen says the band's message remains the same whether it's performing at a rock club or a Christian festival, and he says music fans are becoming more open to diverse opinions."People are like, 'You know what? Green Day's going to sing anti-Bush stuff, and even if I'm a Republican, I can still listen to it.' And they're like, 'If Relient K wants to sing about their faith, even though I'm agnostic, I can still listen to it.'"
Christian Music News Source
Relient K, Ludo, This Providence and House of Heroes at The NorVa
Alt-rock bands Relient K, Ludo, This Providence and House of Heroes will take the stage at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 23 at the NorVa.
Relient K is associated with the Contemporary Christian Music culture, most notably the Christian rock and Christian punk scene. Despite being a Christian band the group has performed alongside secular artists, and has had critical success with mainstream pop punk and alternative rock.
The band's sound incorporates piano rock and acoustic elements. Since its formation, Relient K has released a discography consisting of five studio albums, seven EPs, two Christmas albums, and one collection of rarities. Relient K has received numerous awards including a Grammy Award nomination in 2003 for Best Rock Gospel Album and two Dove Awards.
Christian Music News Source
Relient K is associated with the Contemporary Christian Music culture, most notably the Christian rock and Christian punk scene. Despite being a Christian band the group has performed alongside secular artists, and has had critical success with mainstream pop punk and alternative rock.
The band's sound incorporates piano rock and acoustic elements. Since its formation, Relient K has released a discography consisting of five studio albums, seven EPs, two Christmas albums, and one collection of rarities. Relient K has received numerous awards including a Grammy Award nomination in 2003 for Best Rock Gospel Album and two Dove Awards.
Christian Music News Source
GOTEE RECORDS RINGS IN THE HOLIDAY SEASON WITH NEW CHRISTMAS TUNES FROM RELIENT K AND HOUSE OF HEROES NOVEMBER 18TH
(Nashville, Tenn.) October 27th, 2008 – Relient K and House of Heroes bring their musical festive tidings to this year’s Christmas season on November 18th via digital music stores with three brand new holiday songs and an animated music video from Relient K, as well as label mates House of Heroes offering up their rendition of the classic “Silent Night.”
The three songs from Relient K will include “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” “O Holy Night,” and “Silver Bells,” with an animated music video for the song “Sleigh Ride” coming as well. The Christmas anthems will be added to the platinum-selling band’s 2007 album, Let It Snow, Baby…Let It Reindeer, and upon purchasing online the customer will given a unique code and directions to download the additional three tunes. Fans can also anticipate extra gifts from Relient K upon purchase, including exclusive photos, downloadable wrapping paper, and a few other bonuses.
House of Heroes brings their powerhouse pop sound to “Silent Night” which is also available at all online music outlets on November 18th. The band, whose most recent album The End Is Not The End was delivered via digital stores, has seen an incredible response with the release making it to the #6 spot on the iTunes rock chart and #42 on the overall chart, with a #1 radio hit single and over 1 million plays on their MySpace page.
Relient K, who has toured with the likes of Switchfoot and Good Charlotte, has a GRAMMY nod, and three RIAA-certified Gold albums to their credit. The pop-punk band has performed on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” with their video for “Must Have Done Something Right” receiving airplay on mtvU, MTV Hits, FUSE's "Steven's Untitled Rock Show," Nickelodeon's The N, IMF and Music Choice. Relient K is comprised of lead singer/guitarist/pianist Matt Thiessen, lead guitarist Matt Hoopes, drummer Ethan Luck, bassist John Warne and guitarist Jon Schneck.
House of Heroes’ discography includes a 2005 self-titled debut and the re-release Say No More in 2006. Prior to signing a record deal with Mono Vs Stereo/Gotee, the band released an indie project What You Want Is Now (2002) to much critical acclaim and a large grassroots following. On the tour front, House of Heroes has opened up for the likes of Filter, Silverchair, Relient K, and MxPx, as well as full-blown tours with acts including Spoken, The Evan Anthem, Last Tuesday, Dropping Daylight, Love Arcade, and Kids In The Way. The band is Columbus-Ohio natives Tim Skipper (guitar/lead vocals), A.J Babcock (bass/vocals), Colin Rigsby (drums/vocals), and Jared Rigsby (guitar/vocals).
For more information on Relient K or House of Heroes, check out www.gotee.com or the official artist websites at www.myspace.com/relientk or www.myspace.com/houseofheroes.
Christian Music News Source
The three songs from Relient K will include “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” “O Holy Night,” and “Silver Bells,” with an animated music video for the song “Sleigh Ride” coming as well. The Christmas anthems will be added to the platinum-selling band’s 2007 album, Let It Snow, Baby…Let It Reindeer, and upon purchasing online the customer will given a unique code and directions to download the additional three tunes. Fans can also anticipate extra gifts from Relient K upon purchase, including exclusive photos, downloadable wrapping paper, and a few other bonuses.
House of Heroes brings their powerhouse pop sound to “Silent Night” which is also available at all online music outlets on November 18th. The band, whose most recent album The End Is Not The End was delivered via digital stores, has seen an incredible response with the release making it to the #6 spot on the iTunes rock chart and #42 on the overall chart, with a #1 radio hit single and over 1 million plays on their MySpace page.
Relient K, who has toured with the likes of Switchfoot and Good Charlotte, has a GRAMMY nod, and three RIAA-certified Gold albums to their credit. The pop-punk band has performed on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” with their video for “Must Have Done Something Right” receiving airplay on mtvU, MTV Hits, FUSE's "Steven's Untitled Rock Show," Nickelodeon's The N, IMF and Music Choice. Relient K is comprised of lead singer/guitarist/pianist Matt Thiessen, lead guitarist Matt Hoopes, drummer Ethan Luck, bassist John Warne and guitarist Jon Schneck.
House of Heroes’ discography includes a 2005 self-titled debut and the re-release Say No More in 2006. Prior to signing a record deal with Mono Vs Stereo/Gotee, the band released an indie project What You Want Is Now (2002) to much critical acclaim and a large grassroots following. On the tour front, House of Heroes has opened up for the likes of Filter, Silverchair, Relient K, and MxPx, as well as full-blown tours with acts including Spoken, The Evan Anthem, Last Tuesday, Dropping Daylight, Love Arcade, and Kids In The Way. The band is Columbus-Ohio natives Tim Skipper (guitar/lead vocals), A.J Babcock (bass/vocals), Colin Rigsby (drums/vocals), and Jared Rigsby (guitar/vocals).
For more information on Relient K or House of Heroes, check out www.gotee.com or the official artist websites at www.myspace.com/relientk or www.myspace.com/houseofheroes.
Christian Music News Source
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