Winter Jam 2013 rocks Tampa with massive Christian music festival
NewSong has become much more than a Christian band as the primary organizers of Winter Jam, the largest music tour of the first quarter of 2013. The “traveling church,” as NewSong member Billy Goodwin described the event, landed in Tampa on Saturday to thousands of fans.
Russ Lee of NewSong performing at Winter Jam 2013 photo Brandon Jones
“There are three to four thousand fans outside,” one announcement revealed to a soldout crowd at the Tampa Bay Times Forum in between sets by 10 different Christian artists, speaker Nick Hall or one of the countless presentations offering ministry needs or promotions for other events.
Headliner TobyMac finished off an evening full of diverse Christian artists.
“We want to let them know about God,” Goodwin told TBO.com in an interview last week. “We want to change their life in the most positive way possible. We would like to let them know something that can change everything for them courtesy of our music. We’re not trying to break new ground. We’re just trying to do what God called us out to do and play some songs.”
Halfway through the show former American Idol Jason Castro performed “Hallelujah” in the center of fans during an offering which was a prelude for metal rockers “Red” and a stage full of pyrotechnics. The audience received a dose of hiphop, R&B, techno and dance to feed every musical taste each fan may have.
Capital Kings kicked off the evening with high energy techno dance mixes that literally had the crowd jumping.
Fellow Winter Jam artist Jamie Grace summarized the appeal of the Kings during her interview with the Dispatch: “Capital Kings, love these guys, just what the music industry needs. (They are) Pop, rock, hip hop, dance – Perfect for my age, young, cool, even in the way they dress.”
Nick Hall challenged Christians as well as non-Christians to cast aside their distractions from God on a road to reset and recharge their lives. Matthew West amused fans with his pseudo-ad-lib “Pee my Pants” song before conveying the power message of “Stories” behind two of his songs.
From NewSong’s “Arise” to TobyMac joining Jamie Grace onstage for her hit song “Hold Me” to Dave Frey of Sidewalk Prophets quoting scripture as a lead-in to “Live Like That,” Winter Jam 2013 offers something for everyone.
Check out the schedule on the Jam Tour website for upcoming shows – here
Jamie Grace was joined on stage by TobyMac to close out her set with her hit song “Hold Me” Winter Jam 2013 photo Brandon Jones
Red guitarist at Winter Jam 2013 photo Brandon Jones
Tauren Wells, lead singer of Royal Tailer, at Winter Jam 2013 photo Brandon Jones
Capital Kings kicking off Winter Jam 2013 in Tampa photo Brandon Jones
Cal Joslin, Sidewalk Prophets, performing at Winter Jam 2013 photo Brandon Jones
Matthew West performing at Winter Jam 2013 photo Brandon Jones
TobyMac provided the climax to an exciting evening at Winter Jam photo Brandon Jones
