Upon This Rock

Photo from Freestocks.org on unsplash I thought it was about time I wrote another post for this illustrious blog. It's been a while since my last post, and I don't want anyone to think I have neglected this space. As you know if you've read it previously, this blog is dedicated to Contemporary Christian Music or CCM, in all it's vast, complex and ever growing set of genres that celebrate Christian faith. If there is a new genre of music, you can guarantee that somewhere out there, there is a Christian analogue. And before you start to argue that all CCM does is echo the music of the mainstream, secular world, let me remind you that the roots of rock music and so many other genres of popular music today can be traced back to the old-time gospel music of the Christian church, especially the inspirational music emerging from among the first black communities in the United States. Yep, blues (especially jump blues), rhythm and blues, jazz and some would argue, even...

Image from the Lily-Jo Website Spending time talking with Lily-Jo at Creation Fest was a real treat. She is a soul/R+B singer from Manchester in England, and infuses her music with messages of hope and salvation. An EP released by indie label LIGHT called Unstoppable epitomises her stance on the mental health, self-esteem and identity challenges faced by today's youth. She knows what she is talking about, because Lily-Jo is also a fully qualified counsellor. Her  Lily-Jo Project website was set up to provide mental health resources for people battling with eating disorders, self harming, low self-esteem and childhood trauma. It is a useful, high quality and regularly updated set of resources that is being used well. The project has opened doors for Lily-Jo to speak on BBC TV and radio and through other mainstream media. It has been nominated and shortlisted for several awards, and in 2017 won a Premier digital award for ‘best use of digital media in youth work’. Sh...

I'm just back from  Creation Fest UK , where I've enjoyed five days of listening to music from dozens of Christian artists.... and what's more, the entire festival was free! Held at the Royal Cornwall Showground in Wadebridge, the festival site looks out on stunning views across the Cornish countryside. It's a great venue, because no matter the weather (and we had a mixed bag) the concrete roads and permanent buildings are unaffected by the elements.  The Big Shed, which has a capacity of around 3700 was the venue for the MainStage and joined onto the exhibition/vendor section with a large cafe and arts area. Many of the bands and artists performing at Creation Fest 2018 were new, but some who graced the MainStage have already made their mark on the mainstream music scene. A quick glance at the festival website shows the list of mainly British and US musicians, including Philippa Hanna , Wildwood Kin and Flight Brigade (all of whom I interviewed and who will fe...