Sidewalk Prophets
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Sidewalk Prophets is a Folk/Rock/Christian band from Anderson, Indiana.
They have released one album their self-titled 2003 release. Their music is available for download on[1] Itunes The Sidewalk Prophets are an unlikely group of poets, musicians, and fun-lovers who have been brought together by the blood of Jesus Christ to share the hope, faith, tragedy, and love that is the reality of Christianity. In the fall of 2001 Ben McDonald followed a calling into ministry that led him to a small private university in central Indiana. God had planted a passion, and desire for Ben to use the gift of song-writing through the medium of music to reach out to both Christians and non-Christians and share the realities of life. He traveled out of faith, not knowing who would be in his band and with no other ambitions but to help others seek God using the ministry of music. Shortly after attending the university, Ben received word of a talented singer that lived two doors down the hall. With a lot of hope and just as much skepticism, McDonald headed down the hallway to meet the rumored vocalist. This was just the beginning of a long and great friendship, Ben McDonald and Dave Frey who would soon form the backbone of the group the Sidewalk Prophets. Frey brought a whole new dimension to the songs McDonald had written and also brought his own collections of original songs. The two writers' styles meshed and they began to write and record songs in their dorm rooms. Jokingly, they named themselves 4 Floors II Heaven because they were located on the fourth floor of their residence hall. The songs that they were recording became quite popular on the local computer network at the university. In fact, their first song, October Skies, was so well received that when performed for the first time that it won a highly esteemed prize, a pizza party for the entire fourth floor. Sidewalk Prophets' songs started being shared and downloaded, first on their own dorm floor, and then, like a slow spreading fire, all throughout the campus. The timing for these events would seem all-too-perfect, as the university was in the beginning stages of forming its very own record label. The band won a developmental deal working with the new label, and both parties were able to learn a lot from each other. The record label decided the band would need a name change, noticing that 4 Floors II Heaven sounded and looked very odd. After 2-3 nights of late night brainstorming Frey, and McDonald decided on the name Sidewalk Prophets. The name actually derives its meanings from a few places. Sidewalk is meant to indicate the ordinary appeal that the band has to common people. The band had no desire to fit the cookie-cutter world of the music business. A sidewalk is an ordinary part of everyday life. Unthreatening and often unnoticed, it takes us down some of life's most amazing paths. The reason for deciding upon prophet came simply from dictionary. A prophet is someone who speaks truth about life. Frey and McDonald decided that their music would reflect the reality of life, the reality that the world is a great but often complicated, and tragic placeand that being a devoted Christian means that your life will change in a beautiful and radical way, but that life is often more difficult after you choose to live like Christ. Another reality the band attempts to convey is that the world has lot to offer, but nothing it can offer can be as fulfilling as a life modeled after Christ. Dave explains, So often in life, Christians, young and old, believe that since they are Christians life will be fair and terrible things will fail to occur. This is definitely not the case, as one soon finds out. God never promised us a perfect world here on earth. In fact, He promised that some of us would be chastised, even martyred simply for being attached to the name of Christ. Despite the sometimes gloomy prospect of life, God gives us blessings so abundant that we will never fathom their worth. He didn't promise us a perfect world, He promised us a perfect home and a perfect eternity in Heaven. Dave and Ben have been sharing their hearts with audiences for over four years. They travel with a full band but also have traveled many places as a tandem. In 2005, the band set out with former INPOP recording artists Sky Harbor and Independent recording artists Our Hearts Hero on a 25 city national tour. It was during this period of being on the road for two months straight without returning home that God would truly refine the vision of the band. Over that period, the Sidewalk Prophets learned that they needed to focus more on music ministry, not music business. After this experience, the band teamed up with World Vision to help promote the end of AIDS in Africa . They began to take on the task of helping World Vision obtain sponsorships for children who were directly affected by the AIDS epidemic. The band still works diligently on the behalf of World Vision, and stands whole-heartedly behind the organization and its work. The Sidewalk Prophets specialize in work with youth. They have a heart for young people and have played at many different camps and conventions. It is their desire to change student's lives by investing time in them apart from being on the stage. Ben from the Sidewalk Prophets puts it this way, This is why we are out here, working hard and not giving upbecause we believe in people, especially young people. We want to give them something real to think about in our music and in our relationships. In today's society, there are so many things pulling at our hearts and minds, but we are striving to tell anyone who will listen that, in the midst of all these things screaming and fighting for our attention, God is always waiting patiently for us to tune in to Him. The travels of the Sidewalk Prophets have ventured from coast to coastnorth, south, east, and west: from Michigan, to Florida, and from Connecticut, to California. They have also had the opportunity to travel to Germany and use their gifts overseas. In the fall of 2005 the band was invited to be the house band for a series of events called the Planet Wisdom Tour. Previous bands for the Planet Wisdom Tour included recording artists; Mercy Me and The Swift. This opportunity gave the Sidewalk Prophets a chance to worship with thousands of youth as well as connect with master communicator Mark Matlock, who strongly endorses the band. The bands sound is often described as folk, pop, rock. Their eclectic tastes in music gives the band a brilliant palette of which to use to create their own music. The music is driven by creative instrumentation, and catchy melodies that gives the listener plenty to sing about in the shower. The first thing that most listeners realize about the Sidewalk Prophets music is that they have an unbelievable ability to write deep, thought-provoking lyrics that will not only leave the listener humming the tunes as they walk away. But it may also help them understand some truths about faith and life, if they listen closely. The Sidewalk Prophets are currently beginning to write for their sophomore album hopefully due out in late 2006 or early 2007. The band has been writing their own original worship and they have a strong desire to record a worship album as well. The Sidewalk Prophets are a young energetic band that has a desire to serve wherever they are called upon. If your are needing a concert, worship, or both and want to work with a group who cares about Christ, and making disciples of all men please contact the band today. They are currently booking for the fall and winter of 2006-07.
