gomertopia

Austin Music Hall '09 Photo Album

Back in 2006, I saw Third Day at the Austin Music Hall in Austin, Texas. It was an awesome show! But I'll tell you more about that show later, whenever I get time to finish My Top 20 Third Day Shows, because it's in the top five!

They rebuilt the Austin Music Hall recently, making it a lot larger, and so much nicer. But it's still a very intimate venue, with not a bad seat in the house. Made for a fantastic evening with Third Day and Glory Revealed.

I could say so much about this show, but I'll let the photos do the talking. There are 72 of them, so hope you are in the mood for a nice, long chat! 

And I moved the photo album from the 2006 show up, so you can compare the two. Has Third Day changed much in three and a half years?

Also, my husband Dan, aka Mr. Mama Gomer, was Third Day's video reporter for the evening. Once they get the video online, I'll post a link to it. He had a great time doing that! I can't wait to see the footage he shot!

For now, enjoy the photos of the Austin show at the top of the left column.

Third Day & Glory Revealed: The Devil Went Down to Georgia

Mac and Mark told me a little secret back in August, after the San Antonio show. They said they would be playing Charlie Daniels' song, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" in the upcoming fall leg of the Revelation Tour. (See? I can keep a secret!) Dean aka 3rdDayRocker did a superb job of capturing this on video in Atlanta!

Win a Mark Lee Special Edition PRS Guitar

From ObscureGenius.com

There are several ways to have a chance. And you are not limited to one! Just follow the instructions below Mark Lee's picture.

Paul Reed Smith Guitars and Third Day have had a long history of mutual admiration. Mark Lee faithfully leans on his extensive line of PRS guitars, and the fine folks at PRS really like to hear the rock music that emits from his playing. What a great pair!

Finally, PRS and Third Day have paired up to produce a Special Edition SE One guitar dedicated to Mark Lee. The pick guard is etched with Mark's autograph, and Third Day's "Come Together" logo is embedded in the fret board. This guitar is finished in "Revelation Red" to commemorate the success of Third Day's latest release "Revelation". A black PRS soft gig bag (back-pack style) is also included. Scroll down to see entry methods. Don't forget about the Live Interactive Web Conference with Mark Lee TONIGHT!

Register here and ask your question for Mark Lee!

Enter to win:

TWITTER
Start following @obscuregenius and Tweet the following:

Third Day PRS Guitar in need of home http://budurl.com/mlguitar

FACEBOOK
Become a Fan of the Obscure Genius Facebook page and leave a comment.

WEBSITE
Create an account at Christian Rocker.com at no cost. 

ATTEND THE EVENT
Register now for free! This will get you into the event tonight and register you to win the guitar.

Participate in the Mark Lee Interview on ObscureGenius.com

Mark Lee will be answering your questions on ObscureGenius.com, the same website that interviewed me back in May of this year. If you listened that night, or downloaded and listened to the interview since then, you know that they like to keep it light and fun, while at the same time probing a little deeper than most interviews have time to, so this should be interesting! 

The interview is live and interactive on your computer or phone (You don't even need to be near a computer, as long as you have a phone!) Tuesday, October 13, 2009, at 9:30 PM Eastern Time. But you do need to register. Sign up here to be a part of this event! If they ask Mark questions like they asked me,and I know they will, it will be a very entertaining night!

Don't forget, if you sign up, not only do you get to listen, you also get to participate and ask Mark Lee your questions about Third Day! Sign up now, and start thinking up those questions!

UPDATE: Mark Lee PRS Guitar Giveaway! http://budurl.com/mlguitar

Got Tickets?

The air is getting crisp and cool, the leaves are turning colors, everywhere you look you see orange. Must be time for the fall concert season!

Third Day's fall Revelation Tour is beginning soon! Do you have your tickets? They are (hopefully) coming to a town near you with very special guests Glory Revealed.

That's even more Mac Powell for your buck!

I'll be attending the Grand Prairie, Texas, show on October 22, and the Austin, Texas, show on October

21. (Even though I live in Houston, I'm actually sitting out the Houston, Texas, show on October 23, because we're attending another orange event, Family Weekend at the University of Texas in Austin where our son is a freshman!)

I'm excited about both shows, but especially the Austin show. We saw a Third Day show at this venue (before they rebuilt it and made it twice as awesome) in March 2006 during the Wherever You Are Tour. It was one of THE BEST Third Day shows I've been to! A big part of the reason was because of the venue itself. It's such a cool, rocking place, and town!

While we were waiting in line to get in to that show, the guys of Third Day came out and talked everyone. They took pictures with fans and signed autographs. It was so cool! It's just that kind of place! I hope I'll get to meet some of you there! And in Grand Prairie!

So what Third Day show(s) are you going to this fall?

Third Day Enters Georgia Music Hall of Fame

I was trying to hold off publishing this press release until I could put with it the photo of Debbie and I with Third Day at this event, but I haven't gotten the photo yet, and this can't wait any longer. But I did find the photos by the photographer that was there, Rick Diamond of Getty Images. See some great photos of the evening in Atlanta here. (There are a few pages of them. Be sure to see them all. Once you get to the photos of James Brown, that's another event.)

THIRD DAY ENTERS
GEORGIA MUSIC HALL OF FAME

Veteran Band Wraps Up Successful Summer
with 27^th No. 1 Hit
Kicks Off Fall With Final Leg Of Revelation Tour

(Nashville, Tenn.) Sept. 25, 2009 – Multi-Platinum, GRAMMY-winning rock band Third Day

took its place alongside other Peach State music legends on Saturday, Sept. 19 as the group was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.

The event, sponsored by the Friends of the Georgia Music Festival organization, was telecast on Atlanta-based public television station WGTV-Channel 8, and featured performances by Third Day and fellow 2009 inductees Collective Soul, along with Randall Franks and The Georgia Mafia Bluegrass Band, Reginald Smith and others.

Mark Lee's Blogging Live Too!

Don't forget to check out Mark's blog. He's posting live, too! http://post.ly/5fEd

Third Day on the Red Carpet

The guys posing for the paparazzi on the red carpet at the Georgia Music Hall of Fame induction.

Third Day Inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame!

For two years now we have been working on a project originally conceived by Debbie Waters aka Aunt Gomer. She said to me one day, "We're going to get Third Day into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame!" (I didn't even know there was a Georgia Music Hall of Fame!)

She called the Georgy committee’s office to find out what we had to do, and posted the instructions on the boards, I posted it here on the blog, and you all got involved and helped.

Well, my fellow Gomers, this Saturday, September 19, Third Day is being inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame!

I'm not sure how much we had to do with it, because Third Day has done so much to earn this, not only because they are the best band in Christian music, but also because of their community service. Certainly they would have been inducted without our help!

If you are in the Atlanta area, you can watch it live on channel 8!

Debbie and I will be there, and I will try to take some pictures and maybe blog live from the event. At least I'll be Twittering. You can follow the 3DGomers Twitter feed on Twitter, or on the right column of this page.

And don't tell Debbie I told you that this was her idea. She'd be pretty embarrassed, and she'd probably kill me. So sssshhhhh! ;)

"You Might Be a Third Day Gomer If..." Winner

I choose the winner right after noon, this time using my husband Dan as my Random Number Picker. Our winner is Miss Chelsie Gratzer! I'll be sending Chelsie a DVD Gomer pack of Live Wire from 2004 and a rare copy of Live at the Strand from 1997. Stay tuned for another contest with a very special prize next week!

Cornerstone Church, San Antonio, TX

My husband and I were blessed to be able to attend the Sunday evening service at Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas, for the Third Day concert last Sunday. I've seen Pastor John Hagee's church on TV, but had never attended. I must say, I was very impressed by the love of this church, not only for one another, but for everyone.

We got to the church at 2:15 PM in the afternoon. The doors didn't open until 5:30, but this was a General Admission show, and we wanted to make sure we got good seats. So we got there early to wait in line, thinking we'd be the first there. But no, there were about a dozen people in line already! I thought, "Well, alright! These Cornerstone people are ready for a great show!" As soon as we put our lawn chairs down in the line, more and more people showed up. I could already tell by their enthusiasm, this was going to be a good night.

I have been to over 60 Third Day shows, and I know that just because it is a mostly Christian audience, does not mean that the people waiting in line are going to act like Christ. But the people in this line did. My heart felt warmed by this crowd. (The fact that it was 100+ degrees in that line had nothing to do with it.) They were very friendly and respectful.

Then came the real test. 

New Photo Album - August 9, 2009 Show in San Antonio

My photos from the Third Day concert at Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas, last Sunday are up. You can find them in this photo album. Unfortunately, Typepad does not allow comments on the individual photos. So if you have any comments, please post them here. Thanks!

Mac's Q&A Twitter Session

Last night, while we were having fun with "You might be a @ThirdDay @3DGomers if . . ." on Twitter last night, Mac Powell (on Twitter he's @MacPowell) was having some fun of his own. He opened the floor for fan questions. In case you missed it, here are the questions and his answers. (Keep in mind, you only have 140 characters on Twitter, hence the abbreviations and short answers. All of these are tweets by Mac. The beginning part "RT" means "Retweet" which means he's copied hte question the person asked, along with their Twitter username at the beginning. Mac's answer is at the end of the question. I made his answers in Bold and Italics.)

• any one have any questions?
  
  
• RT @kjbug40: when u come 2 knoxville (me & my dad will b there!) in October can we hear some Rocky Top? none of that Roll Tide stuff :) Nope
  
  
• RT @daddyzprinzess: @macpowell What in your life has surprised you the most? I can fall more in love with my wife and kids 

You Might Be a Third Day Gomer If . . .

From time to time, since Gomer time began, threads pop up on the boards wherein everyone posts their ideas for "You might be a Third Day Gomer if you . . . do such and such." But with new technology comes new ways to play the game. Tonight, we took it to the next level and played on Twitter. Here are some of the ones the Gomers on Twitter came up with. (Thanks to everyone who played on Twitter tonight!)

Let these inspire you and post some of your own. If we get more than ten different responses, I'll give out a prize (randomly of course). Contest ends Friday, August 14th, at noon Central Time.

• marmoo68 You might be a @Thirdday @3dgomers if you walk up to perfect strangers dressed in orange and talk like you have known each other always
  
  
• gray_amyliz You might be a @thirdday @3dgomers if you know that "Gomer" does not refer to the Andy Griffith Show. :)

Glory Revealed II Poster Winners!

Congratulations to Cindy (goatkeeper) Gomer, Brianne Vogan, and Chris Geweh! You've each won one of the beautiful Glory Revealed II posters, and the little something extra that I'll suprise you with inside your package. Hope you enjoy it! Thank you for playing!

A Third Day contest is soon to follow. Stay tuned!

And Now for Something Completely Different

Twitter's down this morning and Facebook's acting like a spoiled child. I need someplace to share my good news. Why not the blog? (Even though this has nothing to do with Third Day, it's still of a Christian nature, and some of you might be into this kind of thing, so why not?)

As some of you might know, I have two sons, aged 22 and 18. My 18 year old is going off to the University of Texas in two weeks! We are so proud! And I've finally gotten him to wear orange! But for years, my older son and I have loved to watch X Games. I especially love FMX (crazy guys doing wild tricks with dirt bikes like this). It's thrilling! (As long as it's not my kid up there on that bike.)

One team of riders that's always been a favorite of mine, although for the life of me I can't really tell you why, is the Metal Mulisha. Knowing this, while we were watching X Games this weekend, my son, who thinks it's so funny that I like the Mulisha and especially their "General" Brian Deegan, looked up info on Brian and the MM. He discovered some wonderful things! Things that brought tears to my eyes and sweet loving joy to my heart. And I have to share it with you. (The part I'm talking about starts halfway through this video.)

Brian Deegan has given his life to the Lord! And he is leading many of his Metal Mulisha mates to Him as well! This is wonderful, not only for these guys, but because they are role models for many young men and women today!

Revelation on the Charts for One Year!

This week is the anniversary of the release of Third Day's CD Revelation (July 29, 2008). In all that time, it has never left the charts! In it's entire existence, the lowest spot it has ever attained on Billboard's Christian Albums chart is #18. It currently sits at #11 on that chart. Take a look for yourself. Click the black and pink box right below the picture of the Revelation album cover where it says, "Launch the Visualizer" to see a neat-o graph of where Revelation has charted each week of the last year.

If you click on the "Weeks on Chart" tab at the top, you can see the albums currently on the chart with the most longevity. Natalie Grant is the reigning queen. Her album Relentless has been on the charts for a whopping 72 weeks. Tenth Avenue North is in the #2 spot with their album Over and Underneath being on for 62 weeks. Third Day's Revelation is at #3 with 52 weeks. That's a long time to have people still buying and playing your album in such volume!

Revelation is also on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart. It made a huge jump this week from #195 to #165!

"Born Again", the current single from Revelation is also at #11 on Billboard's Christian Songs chart. That's it's highest position in the nine weeks it's been on the chart, and up one spot from #12 last week.

Congratulations, Third Day, on a job well done! Personally, I think it's one of the best bodies of work you've produced yet!

From Billboard.com: Billboard Charts are calculated using custom formulas collecting sales, streaming and radio play. The complete Hot 100 and Billboard 200 charts are available each week, as well as the top half of our current chart catalog and top 10 of historical charts. A subscription to Billboard.biz is required for full chart data.

Win a Glory Revealed Poster!

It's been a couple of weeks now since the release of Glory Revealed II. How are you all enjoying your copies of the CD? I know I am loving it. It's my Sunday morning getting ready for church music, although I listen to it at other times, too. The music in GRII feels like I am sitting on the porch of a cabin in the Smoky Mountains, and friends are sitting around playing and singing. Not that I have any first hand experience in such things (unfortunately), but that is where my mind goes when I listen.

How to be a Cool Fan (Tips from Third Day’s Mark Lee)

We've talked before about how to be a good Third Day fan, everything from posting on the boards about going to the show and then posting your photos afterward, to making friends before the show, praying for the band, and everything in between. (You can read various articles about that under the Gomer Background category.) Keith Jennings brings us the next step in learning how to be a good fan, from our own Mark Lee! Read Keith's article entitled "How to be a Cool Fan (Tips from Third Day's Mark Lee)" for tips on how to be cool when it you get to meet some of your favorite artists.

Awesome Photos: Third Day at Creation East

Every time I look at my friend Susie's concert photos, I feel that I either need to hang up my camera or take some lessons. (I'm thinking the latter would be more productive.) She takes amazing photos! Come look at her photos of Third Day at Creation East last month. Click here to see them! (Click the little Slideshow icon to see the photos at their best.) Be sure to leave her some sweet comments. Here's a sample of the photos there (click it to see it larger). Hypnotic, yes?

Glory Revealed II - First Contest Winners

And our winners are:

Leslie Barton and Sharon Ward! Your prizes will be in the mail as soon as I get your addresses! Thank you all for your comments, and for attending the Glory Revealed II listening party!

Stay tuned for the next Glory Revealed II contest this week!

Glory Revealed 2 Pre-Release Give Away!

As you probably know, Glory Revealed II comes out next Tuesday, July 14! Check out the GloryRevealed.com website for the complete song and artist list, a video about the CD, and other great information.

Glory Revealed tour dates will be announced soon! Some of those tour dates are with Third Day! Stay tuned to the tour pages of GloryRevealed.com and ThirdDay.com for details coming very soon!

To celebrate the release of the new CD, I've got lots of GR goodies to give away!

First up, two pre-release copies of the new CD, Glory Revealed II!

This will be a quick contest, so I can get these in the mail right away. To enter, go to the JesusfreakHideout.com Glory Revealed II Listening Party and listen to the songs. Then, in a comment on this post, tell me which is your favorite song on the CD. Sunday night, I'll pick two winners at random to each win a pre-release copy of the CD.

And stay tuned! I have more goodies to give away to celebrate the release of Glory Revealed II!

Deadline for entry is 8:00 PM Central Time, Sunday, July 12, 2009. One winner will be picked at random, using a random number picker. Only your first comment will count as a contest entry. The winner will be chosen on Sunday, July 12, 2009, after 8:00 PM. Comments must be posted on this page, under this particular blog post. No others will be counted as entries. You must include your email address in filling out the comment form in order for me to notify you of your win. If no email address is given, and I don't happen to know that person's email address, another winner will be chosen. Your information will not be shared with anyone else. If you have won a prize from Gomers.net in the past 6 months, you are not eligible to win, to give others a chance. But please post your comment anyway. We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Get Your Official Gomer Shirt While They Last!!!

We've waited a long time, and they are finally back! The official orange Gomer shirts are in the ThirdDay.com store! And not just shirts, but hoodies and other stuff, too!

Not only that, but THEY ARE ON SALE! You can get your official orange Gomer shirt for just $10! (Regular price is $25, you save more than half the price!) The brown Gomer hoodie, which I personally love to wear all winter long because it's so comfy and cool, is on sale for $25, that's $20 off the regular price!

Check out all the Gomer stuff in the ThirdDay.com store and show you support Third Day as a member of their fan family.

But don't think about it long. At these prices, they will go fast!

(And the bottom of the page says they won't be re-ordered. When they are gone, they are gone.)

Glory Revealed II Set to Release July 14

As a follow-up to their multiple Dove Award-winning 2007 release Glory Revealed: The Word of God in Worship, project visionaries Mac Powell (Third Day) and David Nasser (author/speaker) announce the release of a second CD in the award-winning series, titled Glory Revealed II: The Word of God in Worship. Set for a July 14 release, the Powell-produced project again blends roots-driven worship music with Biblical truth designed to musically stamp the word of God on the heart of listeners. Glory Revealed II features vocals from 21 different artists including Mark Hall, Amy Grant, Sara Evans, Shane & Shane, Natalie Grant and Brandon Heath, among others.

“When David and I talked about doing a second record, I really had a vision of us making music together,” Powell said. “I wanted it to really be a retreat time where we could sleep late if we wanted to and spend some time in God’s word together. I was hoping that it would naturally work, that people would go off on their own and start writing songs. It totally happened, and it was amazing.”

Photography Contest - Win Art Prints/Third Day Retro Pack

Every year, Third Day message boards moderator Jason Mitchener holds a photography contest in the Creative Arts forum of the boards. This year's contest is starting soon and is open to anyone with a camera!

Each round of the contest will feature photos of a specific subject:

Flowers
Landscapes
Animals
Creepy Crawlies
People
Inspirational
Concert

Board members will vote for the photo they like best. The winner of each round of the contest will receive one of Jason's art prints and be entered in a drawing for the grand prize at the conclusion of the contest.

The grand prize is an artwork print of your choice and a Third Day "Retro Pack" full of rare Third Day goodies:

Live Wire DVD Gomer Edition pack
Third Day Wire enhanced CD sampler
Radio promotional single of Third Day's hit Sing A Song
Come Together & Worship EP featuring Third Day and Michael W. Smith
Wherever You Are bonus EP
3 retro 8x10's
Live Wire Tour poster

Photos for the first round of the contest, Flowers, must be sent to Jason between Monday, June 15th and Tuesday, June 16th. Specific instructions and contest rules will be posted by Monday, June 8th in the Creative Arts forum.

To participate, you must be a certified member of the message boards. (Have registered and have had your first five posts approved by the administrative staff.) If you aren't yet a member of the boards, you have time to join and become certified before the contest starts. It's free!

Enter the contest and let us see your best photos!