Eric's Eddyfications

Sunday Morning at DT Napes

bramsvan — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 12:45:04 -0600

This morning I had a sentimental exprience at church, at my home campus in downtown Naperville. First of all, most all of my small group that we birthed last year was in attendance, which is always awesome.
Jon Ferguson delivered the message, which was excellent. A well told story about how money can be thought of for us as a tool, a test, and a trademark. Great stuff delivered well.
But then there were the artists. Doug White was leading the band, with fellow 'old timer' Pat Fosnacht on bass. But the thing that stood out to me were some of the other key contributing artists.
Lindsay Malcolm-Williams sang the special, Carrie Underwood's song "Change." it was awesome. Jeremiah Higgins played electric guitar and led us in a reflective communion moment with a slowed down rendition of "Grace Like Rain," and Ryan Sudol was serving at the sound board.
All three are adults, some married, some with kids, but all three "grew up" in this church. Ryan as an elementary school kid appeared in some of our earliest attempts at original videos. Lindsay babysat for our Sadie when she was a baby, I remember having to drive her home because she wasn't old enough to drive herself. And Jeremiah has been playing every instrument his dad Dylan would let him since as long as I can remember. Drums were first for him though, I remember trying to guide him in how you don't have to fill every sixteenth note with a drum fill. Good stuff.
Last week at "the Green Room" Rod Parsley talked about the need for multigenerational worship, and I was happy to see it playing out this morning at Community. Because, you see, the generations were playing alongside each other: it wasn't ushering out the old folks, nor was it excluding the younger ones because they hadn't "paid their dues." They were all up onstage together, worshiping, serving, using their gifts.
But most importantly, to the attenders around and all the artists, it just seemed normal. Like something we would do naturally. And I love being a part of a community like that.
They didn't know why I took their pictures this morning, but they smiled nonetheless...

American Idol is back

bramsvan — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:58:38 -0600

Okay, I hesitated to do this, but well, here goes. I'm venturing into the world of American Idol for the 9th time, in the form of whimsical quips based on my reactions to the performances. First impressions are everything, and we start with the girls... as in the past, I comment before the judges say anything...

Paige Miles: "It's Alright Now" - Not bad, but seems like she's phoning in her energy.

Ashley Rodriguez: "Happy" - What a bad song. And not performed well. I'm probably biased by how trite I think it is to glamorize being "happy."

Janell Wheeler: "What About Love" - This song is too big for her voice, and she was shaking.

Lilly Scott: "Fixing a Hole" - She's not just quirky, when she belts it's grounded. First one I've really enjoyed.

Katelyn Epperly: "Oh! Darling" - A little Sandy-in-leather-at-the-end-of-Grease, but hey, I always like that part of the movie... Missed the last note, but didn't really come alive until the last verse.

Haeley Vaughn: "I Want to Hold Your Hand" - Girl can belt. Really really good.

Lacey Brown: "Landslide" - Did not like this - if Lilly was honestly quirky, then Lacey was faking it.

Michelle Delamor: "Fallin'" - She was good but seemed more like a copycat to me, not unique as an artist.

Didi Benami: "The Way I Am" - I like her a lot, interesting, believable and striking. Missed the last note.

Siobhan Magnus: "Wicked Game" - Can't say she sounds like the original artist. Can't say her name either.

Crystal Bowerson: "Hand in My Pocket" - Love it, love her. Stop playing the harmonica.

Katie Stevens: "Feeling Good" - The problem with this pick is that the song is all about that horn run. And this round gives us a crap synth instead. Bad pick for her, but I like her still.

Judges: please stop hitting your hands on the table. Kara, I'm looking at you.

So there you go. Who's your favorite? I can't remember their names yet, but I like harmonica girl, big curly hair girl, and white straight bangs girl.

My trip to Little Rock

bramsvan — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 12:54:06 -0600

I spent Saturday and Sunday this weekend in Little Rock, Arkansas. My offical assignment was to check in with Mark DeYmaz at Mosaic Church. I am the producer of the "main session" content for the Exponential Conference in Orlando in April, and Mark's worship team is providing the music for the event. This was our first meeting to go over the sessions.

We had a great meeting! I am really excited about the collaboration. Mosaic is a multiple-ethnic church and their worship style really reflects that. In their facility, which is an abandoned strip mall they lease, they hang flags from the countries that their congregation represent. There are currently over 300 nations represented.

Sunday morning I also checked out Fellowship Bible, a multisite megachurch in West Little Rock. Their space was literally beyond belief. While Mosaic was housed In a strip mall, Fellowship looked like it was a mall. I had an omelette there with my coffee. The music was tight and clean, and ther service was smooth. I'm attaching a bunch of pictures from both, see if you can tell the difference. Both working, in different ways, to bring the gospel to the same town. Cool stuff.

No Cryin' in the Green Room

bramsvan — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 08:08:13 -0600

Today I am co-hosting "The Green Room" a gathering of artists for an all day conference-ish kinda thing at Willow Creek Community Church. Nancy Beach has graciously agreed to give me a microphone and allow me the opportunity to yammer about stuff, segue from one thing to another, and basically hang out all day. If you already know about it, then you're already going to be there, because you know that it's playing near you at a church you've heard of or maybe you attend.

If you haven't though, for some reason, you should go here, type in your zip code, and then crash the proceedings at the closest broadcast location to you. Tell 'em Eric sent you. It won't get you in free or anything, but it would be fun to see how they would handle it.

If you are attending, you can get downloadable materials right here. Here's to a great day!

bramsvan — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:52:28 -0600

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bramsvan — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 23:26:35 -0600

How the Mighty have fallen...
Just suffered through a painful episode of Desperate Housewives, a show that in its first season showed promise as a soap opera-esque indictment of suburban living. I was forced to watch it because Kristi won't give it up yet. Fortunately, we both gave up Heroes this year, after keeping most of last season on our Tivo without watching it week after week. It was another show that lived one really good season and then couldn't make it happen for year two...
What is the problem with these shows? Too much success too soon? Too much to live up to? What causes shows like this to lose the spark?
And in my job, which requires a new "show" every week, how can I really think that at some point, we've lost the spark? How does one regain it?

Can you think of a show on television that "lost the spark" but then got it back?

A Decade of Upheaval for the Music Business

bramsvan — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 09:48:00 -0600

Love this article about the last decade in the music business - maps out and defines reality very nicely. It's been interesting to see not just how iTunes has changed the game, but also how box stores like Target and Walmart have come to play and react accordingly. If you wanted a primer on the last ten years of music, check it out now.

Celebrating Lou Gramm and Foreigner...?

bramsvan — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 09:00:00 -0600

I saw Foreigner when I was in high school, it was just as they were about to "jump the shark", on the Agent Provocateur tour. You know, "I Want To Know What Love Is", with the choir and all that. Loved it. Loved them.

And I wanted it to be true: that this band that sang rocking awesome songs about Juke Box Heroes and Head Games had become Christians (I mean, I want to know what love is? I want you to show me? With a gospel choir?). Then, later on, Lou Gramm appears on a Petra praise and worship CD, singing about how "We Need Jesus", screeching with John Elephante and John Schlitt. (don't ask me why I know this)...

And so now it's almost the end of this decade, and after a brain tumor, and the surgery to remove it that took most of his high range away, he has a new CD - Christian music, spiritual lyrics, and it's with his two brothers backing him up in this new "Lou Gramm Band." He's even appeared on the 700 club with his christian testimony.

I've listened to the CD, and I recommend it. Not because it's earth shattering new music or anything, but because, I mean come on. Every hard rocking Christian secretly wishes that the music he or she likes would somehow be redeemed. And here is a guy who rocked the late 70s and 80s, and he's singing about Jesus. What's not to like! (and it's a lot better than most of the retread new CDs from 80s arena rock bands... Journey, Night Ranger, I'm talking to you!)

So if you were a fan back in the day, give him a shot. Go to his myspace page, or buy the CD through iTunes or Amazon.

bramsvan — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 10:57:21 -0600

Saw Avatar last night. It was a feast for the eyes. 3D is the only way to go with this one. I was tired by the end because, well, it's almost 3 hours long, and, because my eyes were working so hard to take it all in. But in the end, the technology invented for the film payed off. Now, what we really need to do is to get James Cameron to give this technology to Pixar, so that all five senses can be stimulated at the same time. The storyline was simple, with lots of holes and lacked the imagination of the imagery. But, it wasn't unwatchable because of the storyline, just a little "Dances with Avatar." I wonder what's going to happen at the Oscars...

Merry Christmas

bramsvan — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 17:32:19 -0600

Although it's been said, many times, many ways... Merry Christmas to you!
Probably one of my favorite Christmas(s)... 2009 was a keeper! Hope it was well with you... Looking forward to 2010!

Eric Bramlett