gomertopia

To Everything There is a Season

For a couple of years now I've been seeing our Gomer family slowly slide off the radar. Interest has certainly fallen off since our heyday of 2002-2006. Used to be, I'd see 20-100+ Gomer shirts at any Third Day show. I could pick them out all along the front row, in the floor seats, and all the way up to the rafters. But now, there may be one or two at a show. Used to be, when I was introduced as "Mama Gomer" people would know instantly that that meant I was the mama to the Third Day fan family. They would say, "Oh! I'm a Gomer, too!" Now people look quizzically at me and say, "Okaaaayyyy" sort of wondering if they missed something in the conversation. Even TobyMac said to a group of Gomers recently, "Didn't ya'll used to be called the Gomers or something?" The Gomers seem to be fading.  

We started the Gomers in 2001, almost a year after Offerings: A Worship Album was released. Third Day was pretty well established, and just about to become the super-group they are today. We felt we should support them, and tell everyone about them. We felt we should help them along as much as was in our power. Not sure they actually needed any help, but we felt that need to do it. And we still do, but it has become so natural now, that we don't need to get a street team together, or try to get people to do promote Third Day. There are thousands of Third Day fans promoting the band every day, whether they try to or not. 

The other reason for starting the Gomers was that those of us who frequented the boards truly loved one another. I felt (or rather God nudged me) that we needed a name, an identity that would make us a family. So Gomer became our last name. We were bound by our love of God, Third Day, and each other. It started as the just board members and reached out to embrace Third Day fans everywhere.

But Gomers don't gather like they used to, not online and not in general "come one, come all" gatherings at concerts. One reason is that the old Third Day message boards, the home of the Gomers, were not as populous as they once were. Technology changes. People move on. A lot of people find it more fulfilling to spend their time on Twitter and Facebook where they can not only talk to their Gomer friends, but also keep up with family members, neighbors, church friends, kids away at college, and even long lost school friends. 

Once it really got going, I envisioned the Gomers becoming much like Jimmy Buffet's Parrot Heads. They not only meet for concerts; they also do amazing charity work world-wide. I prayed and tried, but always felt a halt in my spirit when I tried to move in that direction. I don't know why, but it's just not what God had in mind for us. I think we are what He wanted, a family who love and support each other and our band . . . His band.

But as I said, for the past couple of years, I've felt like the time for the Gomers was slowly winding down. Not that we all have to completely call it quits. There's still a remnant of us out there. We can still get together online, and still be happy that God gave us this amazing family. But we've been wearing the same shirt to Third Day concerts for going on ten years now. That's a long time, and no small life for a revolution of any kind. Not everything was meant to last forever. I think the Bible put it best in Ecclesiastes 3:1 

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.

WIRED sort of replaced the Gomers. Third Day took the idea of the Gomers and tried to improve upon it and gave us WIRED. It not a community like the Gomers, but now everyone has a chance to hang out with the guys of Third Day. Since that was one of the goals of the Gomers, we love WIRED! But it seems like the time of the fan-run, CCM fan families is coming to an end. I think the paid band-sponsored fan clubs are replacing them. Some bands, like Skillet, have even adapted the fan-started family name into their paid fan clubs. So they live on, but in a different form, and with more benefits.

Tai Anderson and I had a long talk about the future of the Gomers after the Make A Difference Tour show in Austin, Texas, a couple of weeks ago. We talked about how the Gomers were dwindling in numbers and interest (not in Third Day, but in being Gomers). We talked about how it's time for the Gomers to evolve to the next incarnation of Third Day fans, and that would be Third Day Connect. (Maybe we can be "Connectors" now? ;-) )

The next morning, Tai blogged on the new Connect site, "Can Third Day Connect take the place of the Gomers?" He gave a nice nod to the Gomers and our history. In the last paragraph he says, "Our hope is that this new community can be our next step to foster Third Day online community. We've made great efforts to incorporate more content into the new ThirdDay.com, especially focused around live show content.  We hope that the new tools we've put into place here, with easy Facebook integration, the ability to see where other Third Day fans are, etc. will bring you along for the next part of this journey."

Everything grows and changes, and when it's time, steps aside for something better. This week, the "something better" has come along. Third Day's new website is amazing, full of fantastic free content, and has the brand new Third Day Connect online community which has everything a Third Day fan could ever want! This is the place where we can gather as a family, Gomer or not. I think it will bring back the spirit of the Gomers and of the old boards in its most populated time, when we were all so addicted to them and communicating with one another.

So old things pass away, new things take their place. That's the way life goes. We are living beings; we grow and change. Third Day fandom is growing and changing. I, for one, am not going to miss a thing! I'm excited about this next step. We're MOVE-ing on up! (Pun intended.)

Make a Difference Tour, Austin, Texas, October 8, 2010
Me in the middle. Probably the last time I'll wear
my Gomer shirt. 

Photo Contest!

Email the best Third Day photo YOU have ever taken by tomorrow (Saturday, May 7, 2011) at 10:00 AM CT to [email protected] with the subject line "3D Photo Contest". I will create a photo album on the Gomer family Facebook group, posting the photos without the photographers' names. Then I will create a poll on the Facebook group page, and let you all pick the best photo. (Must be a member of the Gomers - Home of Third Day "Psycho" fans Facebook group to vote.)  

Winner receives a Third Day Come Together package: Third Day beanie w/Come Together logo, Third Day Come Together Tour DVD, Come Together CD, rare Come Together and Worship CD featuring Third Day, Michael W. Smith, and Max Lucado, Come Together & Worship book, Third Day Chevy Rocks sticker, and vintage Third Day Come Together tour tee shirt (size large, baseball style jersey with semi truck on it in gray/black).

(Each photographer may only submit up to two photos. MUST BE PHOTOS YOU YOURSELF HAVE TAKEN AT A THIRD DAY SHOW OR MEET & GREET.)

Celebrate 10 Years of the Gomer Family!

Besides Mother's Day, do you know what this Sunday, May 8, 2011 is?

It's the

10th Anniversary of the Gomer Family!

Whoa! Ten years! I can't believe it's been ten years since it all started. A whole decade! That's something special! Let's celebrate!

I know I said the Gomers were pretty much over, but we have to celebrate this milestone! And it seems a lot of you don't want it to be over, and thanks to Dodie Connally accidentally* setting up a Gomer Group on Facebook when she was actually trying to make a List to categorize her Gomer friends, and then immediately getting requests for membership before she could delete the group, the Gomer family is alive and thriving on Facebook. (*Of course, we know there are no accidents when God is involved.) Old friends are getting together, new friendships are being made, all brought together by a mutual love for the band Third Day.

From now until Monday, the Gomer Facebook group will hold an Open House! And that is where we will be celebrating the Tenth Anniversary of the Gomers with contests and prizes! So come on over and join us on Facebook!

We have a Winner in the David Carr NTTDT Tie-Breaker!

Congratulations to Evan Nee! Evan not only got his answers in in only three minutes, but he got that #6 was not just "Thief" but "Thief 2006"! (I would have taken either, but love his attention to detail!)

Our runners-up, Angela and Adam, will also receive prizes, so everyone wins something! Thank you to everyone who played!

Here are the answers:

1. Lift Up Your Face – MOVE
2. Born Again – Revelation
3. Children of God – MOVE
4. My Hope Is You – Conspiracy #5
5. Cry Out To Jesus – Wherever You Are
6. Thief (Thief 2006) – Chronology Volume I
7. What Have You Got to Lose? - MOVE

 Stay tuned for the Mac Powell Name That Third Day Tune birthday contest coming up soon!

David Carr Name That Third Day Tune Tie-Breaker

As you know, the David Carr Name That Third Day Tune birthday contest ended in a three-way tie. Tonight from 7:00 PM to 7:15 PM Central Time, our three contestants, Angela, Adam, and Evan, will participate in the Tie-Breaker. Very simply, they will have 15 minutes to listen to the seven Third Day song clips below and email me their answers with the subject line "David Carr Name That Tune Tie-Breaker". Whoever gets the most correct answers in to me the fastest, wins!

Here are the clips:

 

1 DC NTTDT Tie

2 DC NTTDT Tie

3 DC NTTDT Tie

4 DC NTTDT Tie

5 DC NTTDT Tie

6 DC NTTDT Tie

7 DC NTTDT Tie

Good luck contestants!

 

David Carr Name That Tune - It's a Tie & Answers

Wow. I think I made those clips a little too easy! The last two games we played, people were stymied! They send in lists only half filled out, and the answers they had were half wrong. This time, the most anyone got wrong was three out of the 16! And it was always the same clips that were being guessed incorrectly. So these must be pretty easy.

But only three people got them all correct! Angela, Evan, and Adam will be competing in a tie-breaker right here, as soon as we figure out when everyone can meet. So stay tuned for that!

In the meantime, if you haven't gotten around to trying your ear at naming the 16 song clips above, go ahead and give it a shot. You'll be surprised how many you'll get right. I'll give you a clue. The first eight are from the first five Third Day albums. The second eight are from the last five Third Day albums, but they are not in chronological order. (I didn't use either of the Chronology albums or any of the albums called Live-something-or-other.) So try it! And when you are ready, click "Continue Reading 'David Carr Name That Tune - It's a Tie & Answers'" for the answers.

Play the David Carr "Name That Third Day Tune" Birthday Contest!

We wanted to do the last two birthday contests of the year on the new Third Day Connect forum, but we can't do song clips on there, so here we are.

Today is David Carr's 36th birthday!

To celebrate, we are playing another game of "Name That Third Day Tune!" The winner will receive these great prizes: 

• A limited edition poster of the Revelation CD cover art, signed and numbered by the artist Tim Parker (looks like the poster here) (If you already have that one, you may choose to receive a Glory Revealed 2 poster instead.)
• A Revelation tee shirt
• 2 Tickets to a Third Day tour show (May not include summer festivals)
• A Wired membership for one year

Here's how you play: Listen to the clips, and in an email to [email protected] with the subject line "David Carr Name That Tune", make a list numbered 1-16 and tell us the names of the Third Day songs from which we took the song clips.

Easy concept, but short clips. They are each about one second or so long, and taken from 10 different Third Day albums. It might make you a little crazy, but it is fun! And you might be surprised how quickly you'll get some of them. 

You have a week to consider these clips and send in your entry. 

Your email must be time stamped no later than 11:59 PM Central Time, Monday, November 22, 2010. We will announce the winner next week.

You may send in more than one entry, but we will only look at the very last one you send in. So if you send in your email and realize you might have been wrong about one clip, enter again. We'll throw away the first one and look only at the last entry you send in. 

If we have a tie, we will hold a tie-breaker to determine the winner. Don't get too nervous. Remember, if you are having a hard time getting these song titles, so is everyone else. It's not meant to be too easy. It's meant to be fun, but challenging. Just do your best and answer as many as you can. And most importantly, enjoy yourself! This is a birthday party!

Click on the bar to hear the song clip.

 

 

DC Tune 1

DC Tune 2

DC Tune 3

DC Tune 4

DC Tune 5

DC Tune 6

DC Tune 7

 

DC Tune 8

 

DC Tune 9

DC Tune 10

DC Tune 11

DC Tune 12

DC Tune 13

DC Tune 14

DC Tune 15

DC Tune 16

Have fun! 

How was Your MOVE Day?

The winner of the final Countdown to MOVE Contest is Adam Mazurek. Congratulations Adam! Congratulations to all seven of our winners! You should all be receiving your autographed copy of Third Day's new CD MOVE very soon. 

Did y'all all have a great MOVE day yesterday? I sure did. I got my copy at Walmart. Nothing like grabbing a new CD off the shelf the day it drops! I've heard that it's available at Target, too. And of course, you can download it right this very second on iTunes. I love the instantaneousness of the internet! You even get extra video content when you buy it from iTunes! (Wish I'd have known that before I went to Walmart, but it doesn't matter. I have to have a hard copy of all Third Day CDs. Have to read the liner notes and see the artwork, and keep up my collection!) 

I really enjoyed reading your comments to each of my questions. Seems like a lot of us would love for Third Day to tour with NEEDTOBREATHE. Second favorite seems to be my other favorite band, DecembeRadio. I'd LOVE to see Third Day tour with DRadio again!

As for what you would like them to play during the spring tour, I would so love it if Third Day would play the entire MOVE album, from the first song to the last. I've been to two concerts like that, Switchfoot with their Hello Hurricane album, and mewithoutYou with their Catch for Us the Foxes album. It so rocked to get to hear all the new songs live! I doubt they will do that though, and I will be happy with whatever they play. 

As for that last question, I'm sorry I imposed such torture on you all, asking you to choose just three songs you'd like to hear. I know it's almost impossible to choose. I think I'd choose "Make Your Move", "Surrender", and "Revelation"...and "Thief". (Got to hear that guitar solo!)

So how was your MOVE Day?

Happy MOVE Day!!!

Today is the day Third Day's new CD MOVE comes out! Woo hoo! You are going to LOVE this! It's also the day we MOVE into the new ThirdDay.com with it's new all-inclusive online community Third Day Connect! This is like Christmas for Third Day fans! We've so many presents to open from the band today!

Speaking of presents, or actually prizes, I've got two more autographed copies of MOVE to give away. The winner of yesterday's Countdown to MOVE-1 Day Contest is Leslie! Congratulations Leslie! 

Here is the last contest. This is the Happy MOVE Day Contest! Last round of questions. Third Day is planning a spring MOVE Tour:

1. What bands or artists would you like to see them tour with? ("Alone, where they play for 3 hours," is not an option as an answer. We all want that. That goes without saying. :) )
    
2. What do you want to hear them play? (For example: the entire MOVE album start to finish, or their greatest hits, or lots of old school songs, or just the hits, or all requests, etc.)
    
3. If they were to grant you three song requests, which three songs would you want them to play?

Countdown to MOVE Contests - 1 Day!

Congratulations Ralph Niederlander Jr! You are the winner of our Countdown to MOVE Contests - 2 Days!

Interesting answers to last night's questions. I thought more people would go digital, but it seems like most of you buy hard copies of the CD, then upload it to your devices, and listen to the CD in your car. And the majority of you only buy single songs in digital, not albums. I buy the CD for bands I love, and buy digital albums for bands I just want kind of like and don't care if I get the whole package. I put the album onto my iPod, and if it's one of my favorite bands, my iPhone. I usually burn copies of the CD for my car. That way, if someone breaks in and steals my CDs, I still have the original. It's legal to do that, and I highly recommend it. It can be very expensive to replace your CD collection.

Okay! We're getting closer. MOVE is almost here! This is your second to last chance to win a copy of the new CD, autographed by the guys of Third Day! Just answer these questions:

1. Did you pre-order MOVE? If you did, where did you pre-order it? 
    
2. Did you order a MOVE package on ThirdDay.com? Which one?
    
3. Did you, or do you plan to buy a hard copy of the MOVE CD? Or a digital copy? 
    
4. Will you buy more than one copy?

Countdown to MOVE Contests - 2 Days!

The winner of the Countdown to MOVE Contest - 3 Days is Robyn Christen! Congratulations Robyn!

We've a couple of days left until Third Day's new CD MOVE hits the streets! That means we only have a three more autographed MOVE CDs to give away! Here's today's contest.

1. Which do you usually buy, hard copy CDs or digital tracks? Why?
    
2. If you buy digital, do you usually buy the entire CD or just the songs you know you'll like?
    
3. If you buy CDs, do you play the CDs, or do you download it to your computer or device and primarily listen to it on there?

Countdown to MOVE Contests - 3 Days!

That randomizer has picked number 2 again. The winner of the Countdown to MOVE Contest - 4 Days is Alex Hamsley! Congratulations Alex!

Third Day is masterful at combining different genres on their albums. Any given album may have songs that are more country, some that are southern rock, some that are pop, some that are soulful worship, and some that are straight-up rock. (They even had a reggae flavored song once. Remember "Sing Praises" on the Come Together album?) As a result, Third Day's fans come from every corner of the music world. So for the Countdown to MOVE - 3 Days Contest, tell me this:

1. What kind of music do you listen to most? What kind is your favorite?
2. What artists, besides Third Day, do you like best?
3. Which Third Day album is your favorite?

Countdown to MOVE Contests - 4 Days!

The winner of the Countdown to MOVE Contest - 5 Days is Aaron Cox! Congratulations Aaron!

For the 4 Days Contest, answer these questions:

1. Are you a Gomer?
2. How long have you been a Gomer?
3. Do you wear a Gomer shirt, or at least an orange shirt, to Third Day concerts?

New Third Day Website & Community - Third Day Connect

Third Day has given us a brand spankin' new website and a new online community called Third Day Connect. If you are a WIRED member, you've already gotten your email invitation to come join us there. If you're not a WIRED member, you'll be invited by Tuesday, when Third Day's new CD, MOVE, drops. 

You are going to love the new site! There's so much to do there! One major upgrade is that now everyone can listen to Third Day concerts without being a WIRED member! You can also see set lists from the concerts, and you can click on each song to read all about it. There is just so much to do on the new website, you could get lost in it for hours!

Countdown to MOVE Contests - 5 Days!

I know I was supposed to post the winner and the new contest at 8PM and it's now after 9PM. I'm sorry. I was taking a walk with my husband. Anyway, on with the contests!

The winner of the Countdown to MOVE Contest - 6 Days is Megan Brown! Congratulations Megan!

For the 5 Days contest, I want you to tell me the name of any guest singer(s) on the MOVE CD.

The winner will be chosen randomly from those that have the correct answer, using a number randomizer. Comments must be posted on this page by 8:00 PM CT Thursday night, 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. Deadline for posting your answer is Thursday, October 14, 2010, at 8:00 PM Central Time. At that time, I will post the next contest. I'm sorry, but only those who live in the USA may enter. If you have won a contest on this blog in the past 30 days, you are not eligible to enter this contest.

Countdown to MOVE Contests - 6 Days!

A week from now, Third Day's new CD MOVE will be out! (If you haven't pre-ordered it yet, there's some awesome package deals on ThirdDay.com!) I thought it'd be fun to celebrate with a countdown and some prizes. 

Everyday this week, from today until the day the CD comes out on Tuesday, October 19, I'll be giving away an autographed copy of the MOVE CD. That means you have seven chances to win!

All you have to do to win the first autographed copy of the CD is to post your answer to these two questions below. 

 

Have you listened to any of the songs on the MOVE CD on JesusfreakHideout.com or any other site online including the Online Preview Party hosted by Third Day, YouTube, the WIRED Radio, or any others? (If yes, please tell me which site.) If you have, which song do you like best so far?

 

Your answers will not be a factor in whether or not you win. The winner will be chosen randomly using a number randomizer. 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. Deadline for posting your answer is Wednesday, October 13, 2010, at 8:00 PM Central Time. At that time, I will post the next contest. I'm sorry, but only those who live in the USA may enter.

 

MAD Tour: Third Day's Beaumont Set

I went to the Austin and Beaumont Make A Difference shows with a big group of Gomer friends. Most of us live in Texas, but we had a couple of fly-ins, one from Arkansas and one from Arizona. We met other Gomer friends at the venues. There were about a dozen of us at any given time. It was quite a party!

I had not seen Third Day in concert in a year, so I was really looking forward to breaking the fast with these shows.

Both were so much fun, but the Beaumont show was extra special. First, we got to have an impromptu WIRED party with Third Day, which was very special and unforgettable. What could be better than a getting to spend time with the guys of Third Day while eating chips, salsa, queso, and guacamole from Pappasito's?

Plus, they shook up the set list a little. They took out three songs from the night before ("Lift Up Your Face", "Cry Out to Jesus", and "Call My Name") and added four songs, including a couple of songs we requested, namely "Creed" and "Make Your Move"! I was sad not to hear "Lift Up Your Face" again, but I love that funky bass intro to "Make Your Move"! It's such a rockin' song! It's awesome on the record, but live It's beyond awesome. I was so excited, I thought I might just explode or fly or something! I couldn't dance hard enough or sing loud enough to keep up with the enthusiasm I was feeling. I can't wait to hear it again in the spring! I hope it becomes a staple for years to come!

Watch the Tour Live Tonight!

Tonight Third Day and the Make A Difference Tour are in Austin, Texas. I'll be there with a lot of Gomer friends. If you are not there with us in person, you can be there in spirit, and watch it live from your computer! Watch it stream live by registering here: http://ezshare.me/madtour2010

Multi-Platinum, Grammy & American Music Award Winning Third Day Delivers 11th Studio Project ‘MOVE’ On Oct. 19

Acclaimed Rock Band’s 12-Track Project Described as “Visceral and Gritty.  Raw and Addictive” 

Early listeners agree – MOVE is Third Day at its best.

(Nashville, Tenn.) August 23, 2010 – Anticipation builds for the October 19 release of acclaimed rock band Third Day’s latest project MOVE.  An industry leader in touring, awards and sales, Third Day delivers its soul-stirring 11^th studio album, showcasing members Mac Powell, Mark Lee, Tai Anderson and David Carr at their melodic and lyrical best, peering insightfully at life within the church as well as pointedly seeking to understand the needs and questions of those without faith.  It’s an often difficult balance to achieve, but Third Day succeeds in speaking candidly and hopefully to listeners of every stripe, challenging each not just to a place of faith – but a place of faith in action. 

Previewing Move Online

Third Day has been very gracious about giving us a taste of their upcoming project Move well before the October 19th release date. You can hear parts of it all over the web. Here's a list of the places you can hear previews of the new album.

• Jesus freak Hideout has a track list, and 60 second clips of every song on Move, and a very positive review of the CD as a whole! Check it out here.
• If you are a Wired member, you can hear a couple of the songs on the latest concerts on the Wired Radio. Sign in or join at ThirdDayWired.com
• Video of Third Day introducing their new single "Lift Up Your Face". Very good quality! A must watch!
• Here is the video of the live chat Third Day did with the radio stations to preview the album for them. You can hear some full songs and see the guys introduce the songs. Click here to watch.
• There are a couple videos on 3rdDayRocker's YouTube channel of the band performing two of the new songs live.
• "Lift Up Your Face" 
• "Gone" 

I thought for sure there'd be a video up for "Make Your Move" by now, since they've been playing it at the summer shows. If there is, I can't find it. Anyone have any more? Comment below and I'll add them. We'll piece this thing together and hear most of it before the presales are even announced!

Move CD Cover Art!

I know you've been waiting for it, and here it is! The cover art of Third Day's upcoming CD Move!

 

I love it. Love the colors. Love the old fashioned feeling of it. From what I've heard of the new album, I think it fits the songs fabulously! What do you think?

Move comes out October 19, 2010

Got Tickets?

 Hot dog! Talk about fast service! We ordered our tickets for the Austin Make A Difference Tour show on Friday, in the first moments of the pre-sale, and less than a week later, here they are! I've never gotten tickets this fast before. They are not even on sale to the public yet! Pretty cool, pretty cool.

If you haven't ordered your tickets yet, and you intend to do so through the Wired pre-sale, tomorrow is the last day! Tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, June 18th! 

If you are buying through the pre-sale, the instructions are here. If you are buying through the public sale, you can use the same directions, but start at step 3, and then skip numbers 9 and 12. Hope you get good seats, because it's going to be a great tour!

New Third Day Songs!

Third Day has been working on a new record that will be out in November. They've been posting lots of 12 second videos on Twitter of them working on the record. If you missed them, or if you don't follow Third Day on Twitter, you can see the videos on their TwitVid page.

Those of you who are members of Third Day's fan club Wired can listen to recordings of the latest concerts on the Wired Online Radio inside the Wired website. On the latest shows, you can hear some of the new songs played live for the first times! And thanks to the wonderful Mr. 3rdDayRocker, who I mentioned when I posted his video of "Peace" in my last post, here are the videos of two of Third Day's new songs, "Gone" and "Lift Up Your Face". (The number of views for these two videos sits at 304 for each. It'll be interesting to see how high those numbers shoot in the next 24 hours! These videos are going viral, because this is the first glimpse the public is getting of these songs!)

By the way, that sixth guy up on the stage behind Tai, is Jason Hoard. You may remember him from Glory Revealed. He's playing mandolin, banjo, guitar, and a few other things for Third Day at some of the shows this summer.

Going Old School with "Peace"!

Oh man! Third Day played "Peace" from Conspiracy #5 at Joyful Noise Family Festival in Blaine, Minnesota, last Saturday! Oh, how I wish I'd have been there. I might have fainted from the sheer shock of it, or cried tears of joy, or both! Thanks to 3rdDayRocker for the video! Be sure to check out all of his Third Day videos. He's got video of some of Third Day's new songs from last Saturday, too!

The Short of It

So you want to buy Wired pre-sale tickets, but you don't want to read the lengthy post I did at 2:00 AM this morning with intricate details on how to buy the best seats? Here are the simple steps to take part in the Wired Pre-sale:

1. Log into your Wired account.
2. Go to the "Ticketing" page and get the password.
3. Go to the Third Day Touring page.
4. Click the "Show Info" link next to the show you are attending. This will take you to the ticketing site. It is Ticketmaster for most, but not all of the shows.
5. Sign into your account on the ticketing page. If you've never made an account with this ticket vendor, do so now.
6. If signing in to your account on the ticket vendor kicked you off the Third Day  Make a Difference Tour page, either search for "Make a Difference Tour" or go back to the Third Day Touring page and click your show again.
7. Put in the number of tickets you want to purchase. There is a 4 ticket limit for the pre-sale.
8. Choose the type of tickets you want, ie, general admission (pit) floor, reserved seating, VIP Package, etc.
9. Put the pre-sale password in the blank next to the number of tickets you want. (On sites other than Ticketmaster, you may have to put the password in at the beginning to enter the sale.)
10. Click submit, and follow directions from there.
11. If you do not like the seats they give you, click "Search Again" or whatever it says to try for different seats. Keep trying until you get what you want.
12. If you do not like any of the seats you are given, you can either settle for what they are giving you, wait until the public sale on June 18th, or call the box office to see if they will be releasing more tickets later. The phone numbers are on the Third Day Touring page, next to each show.

Several people have asked me if it's better to try to buy the tickets online yourself, or to call the box office. Sometimes it works to call, if you can get a live person. But usually, those people are looking at a screen just like you are, so it's probably faster to do it yourself. Some box offices let the operators look at what seats are available, so that can be an advantage. Ticketmaster used to do this, but now both of their lines are fully automated. I tried today calling both the automated ticketing line and the local line, and could not buy tickets for the pre-sale, nor get through to an actual human being.

So how was your ticket buying experience today? I bought for Austin, Texas, and I've never had such an easy time buying tickets! I think I was actually in and out of there in about one minute! I had to go back and check to make sure I actually bought the right tickets! Wish they were all like that!

Make a Difference Tour: VIP Package vs Pit Tickets

At almost all of the shows on the Make a Difference Tour, there will be a general admission pit area, and a VIP area. This will help you decide whether to buy the Gold Circle VIP Package (first three rows, reserved seating, $89-$115) or the GA Pit A or Pit B tickets (general admission, standing room only next to the stage, $44.50-$49.50). In the picture below, the long strip in front of the stage with the #1 on it is the first three rows of reserved seats. This is the VIP section. The pits are labeled.