Christian music news: Relient K preps for 'Slow Down'

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After a nearly two-month hiatus, pop-punk act Relient K [ tickets ] will return to the road for a three-week US club tour this fall.

The Christian quintet, which finished a spring and summer run earlier this month, will perform a one-off show Sept. 5 in Frenchtown, NJ, before taking off for a three-date Australian excursion. The official US journey begins Oct. 1 in New Haven, CT, followed by stops in 18 cities throughout the eastern portion of the nation. The full itinerary is shown below.

The fall outing supports the group's forthcoming album, "Forget and Not Slow Down," which is due in stores Oct. 6, according to the band's new label, Mono Vs Stereo Records.

"Forget and Not Slow Down" follows last year's "The Birds and the Bee Sides," a double-disc set that landed at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Christian & Gospel Albums chart.

In an interview with LiveDaily last summer, singer/guitarist Matthew Thiessen explained the reason for the 26-track 2008 release.

"We had one album left on our contract with our first record deal we signed in '98. We had 20 B-sides just sitting around the cutting room floor. We chose 13 of those songs and put them on the record. With that mentality, we said, 'Let's throw a couple new songs on there too, so it's not just B-sides.' We ended up coming up with 13 new songs as well."
[Note: The following tour dates have been provided by artist and/or tour sources, who verify its accuracy as of the publication time of this story. Changes may occur before tickets go on sale. Check with official artist websites, ticketing sources and venues for late updates.]
tour dates and tickets
September 2009
5 - Frenchtown, NJ - Revelation Farms

October 2009
1 - New Haven, CT - Toad's Place
2 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of The Living Arts
3 - Farmingdale, NY - The Crazy Donkey
4 - Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
6 - Towson, MD - Recher Theatre
8 - Knoxville, TN - Bijou Theatre
9 - Charlotte, NC - Amos' SouthEnd
10 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
11 - Nashville, TN - Rocketown
13 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues
14 - Minneapolis, MN - The Cabooze
15 - Kansas City, MO - Beaumont Club
16 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
19 - Dallas, TX - Palladium Showroom
20 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live
21 - Midwest City, OK - Rose State College
22 - Tulsa, OK - Cain's Ballroom
23 - Des Moines, IA - People's
24 - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant

tour dates and tickets

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Christian music news: RELIENT K WANTS FANS TO FORGET AND NOT SLOW DOWN

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OCT. 6 RELEASE TO DEBUT ON THEIR OWN MONO VS. STEREO LABEL ALONG WITH JIVE RECORDS

Relient K is asking fans to Forget And Not Slow Down on Oct. 6 as they launch the first release since taking helm on the newly revived record label, Mono Vs. Stereo, in conjunction with Gotee Records and JIVE Records.

“The songs that tend to be the fan favorites in the past are the ones about making mistakes but ultimately moving past them,” says guitarist Matt Hoopes. “And this record has a lot of that feeling. No matter what trials and tribulations you encounter in your life, it doesn’t have to be the end of your story. You can move on and be happy and experience joy.”

On this latest release, the band teamed up with longtime producer Mark Townsend, and enlisted legendary mixer Andy Wallace (Nirvana, Jeff Buckley, Sheryl Crow), as they carried the ‘break-up album’ into the 21st century, tweaking it with clear-eyed songwriting and a four-to-the-floor optimism that is positively refreshing.

To prep for Forget And Not Slow Down, Thiessen retreated to a remote house in Winchester, Tenn. in isolation for several months writing material for the new record. During his sojourn, Thiessen stayed in constant contact with Hoopes and the rest of the band – drummer Ethan Luck, bassist John Warne and guitarist Jon Schneck - sharing song ideas and mapping out a direction for the album. One guiding principle soon emerged: this record should rock.

“We definitely wanted to make a rock record,’” front man Matt Thiessen confirms. “We wanted it to be uptempo and energetic. As far as the sonic aspect, we wanted to make it less modern sounding, with classic rock textures - Counting Crows, Foo Fighters, those kind of ‘90s albums. That was a good time for rock ‘n’ roll.”

Always known as a fan favorite, Relient K gave fans the opportunity to tune in to the making Forget And Not Slow Down by airing “In The Studio” webisodes on their website. To view these episodes, including a special appearance from Vince Gill, visit www.relientK.com.

Relient K will also embark on “A Three Hour Tour” with Copeland and Barcelona this fall. The shows are scheduled to kick off in Conn. on Oct. 1, tour dates listed below.

Relient K has been making the real thing since 1997, when Thiessen and Hoopes formed the band in high school. In the decade since, they’ve released five full-length albums (three are certified Gold), five EPs and a Christmas record. They have toured the globe, and racked up several hit singles, a Grammy nomination, two Dove Awards and performances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O’ Brien and Jimmy Kimmel Live. The Los Angeles Times has praised Relient K for “its smart blend of punk pop and power pop, weaving together influences as diverse as the Beach Boys, Blink-182 and Fountains of Wayne” while Spin noted, “Few bands play punk-influenced modern rock as proficiently.”

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Christian music news: Relient K tour will 'Not Slow Down' with new fall dates

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Pop-punk quintet Relient K will strike out on the road later this year for a headline run backing the group's latest album. The Three Hour Tour kicks off October 1 at Toad's Place in New Haven, CT, and ends October 24 at The Pageant in St. Louis, MO.

The one-month venture includes a total of 19 concerts stretched from the East Coast out into the western and southern regions of the country, though it will fall short of reaching the West Coast. Highlights include gigs on October 2 at Theatre of the Living Arts in Philadelphia, PA; October 13 at the House of Blues in Chicago, IL; and October 22 at Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa, OK.

Tickets for most dates of the Three Hour Tour are already available to the public, and more details are available on Relient K's official Web site. Opening acts are Copeland and Barcelona.

Relient K is awaiting the release of its sixth studio album, "Forget and Not Slow Down," due October 6. The record is the first featuring new drummer Ethan Luck, who replaced longtime drummer Dave Douglas following his December 2007 departure. Relient K's previous release, 2007's "Five Score and Seven Years Ago," debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200.

The Christian-oriented rock group recently completed a string of U.S. tour dates in early spring 2009, supporting its 2008 EP "The Bird and the Bee Sides." Earlier, the band spent most of 2008 on the road, first co-headlining the 2008 Vans Warped Tour then claiming headline slots on two additional tours.

Relient K itinerary:
(Dates are subject to change.)
October 1 New Haven, CT Toad's Place
October 2 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of the Living Arts
October 3 Farmingdale, NY The Crazy Donkey
October 4 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club
October 6 Towson, MD Recher Theatre
October 8 Knoxville, TN Bijou Theatre
October 9 Charlotte, NC Amos' SouthEnd
October 10 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse
October 11 Nashville, TN Rocketown
October 13 Chicago, IL House of Blues
October 14 Minneapolis, MN The Cabooze
October 15 Kansas City, MO Beaumont Club
October 16 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
October 19 Dallas, TX Palladium Ballroom
October 20 Houston, TX Warehouse Live
October 21 Oklahoma City, OK Rose State College
October 22 Tulsa, OK Cain's Ballroom
October 23 Des Moines, IA People's
October 24 St. Louis, MO The Pageant

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