ARTIST BIOS: WORSHIP

Parachute Band

Integrity Music

CBN.com – The Parachute Band spends most of their year living out of suitcases, trekking to churches and events around the globe. Musically, their sound is fresh and experimental – pulsing drums, angular guitars and the odd synth-breakdown – but spiritually they consistently seek to usher in the presence of God wherever they go.

Frontman Omega Levine and drummer/producer Sam de Jong formed New Zealand’s ‘next gen’ Parachute Band in 2007, picking up from where the original Parachute Band (1996-2006) had left off. Three years on, the five-piece has toured relentlessly throughout America, Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe.

To date, this ‘next gen’ Parachute Band have recorded three albums: Roadmaps & Revelations, Technicolor, and the brand new Love Without Measure due to release in the U.S. February 2011. They’ve pushed musical boundaries with this latest release, self-producing for the first time and developing their style to tell a compelling story of God’s love and his desire for justice.

Signed with Integrity Music, Parachute Band take songs from New Zealand writers and present them to the world. And the response to these unique Kiwi songs has been strong: Casting Crowns re-recorded the band’s song “Mercy” for their album Until the Whole World Hears, and former Delirious? frontman Martin Smith contributed guest vocals on the Love Without Measure track ”It’s You.”

Smith also recruited Parachute Band to join him for a range of Joyce Meyer conferences in 2010, explaining, “These guys carry the anointing of God on their lives and music.”

Parachute Band speak straight to their generation, weaving together their own blend of indie-rock that incorporates the diverse stylings of The Killers, One Republic and Passion Pit. This became apparent when they won the People’s Choice Award at the mainstream 2008 NZ Music Awards.

Passionate about responding to the heartbeat of God, the band also work closely with international aid agency World Vision. They have partnered with the organization’s Area Development Project in “Tubehoneza” (a community of 45,000 in Kigali, Rwanda), helping to raise hundreds of child sponsorships for the area, and promoting the project wherever they can.

Whether they are playing in stadiums or at youth group gatherings, Parachute Band continually aspire to make worship their lifestyle as they walk out Isaiah 58.

HISTORY

Parachute Band are an integral part of Parachute Music, a global Christian music organization based in New Zealand. Parachute Music runs training events for musicians, Artist Management services, a recording studio, and the high-profile Parachute Festival which annually attracts over 25,000 people.

The original Parachute Band formed to lead worship at Parachute Festival in 1996, and from there they began releasing worship albums that found an international audience. The first line-up released seven studio albums, won the Gospel Music Association’s International Award in 2006, received three NZ Music Awards for Best Christian/Gospel Album, and toured extensively throughout North America before handing over the reins in 2007.