Casting Crowns, Newsboys Hit the Road

Casting Crowns is extending its Come to the Well tour into spring with an additional 44 dates, while the Newsboys embark on a 60-plus-stop tour this month. Two multi-artist tours—Winter Jam and the Rock & Worship Roadshow—also launch their nonticketed shows this month.

Multi-Platinum selling Casting Crowns follows up its successful fall tour—which included a string of sold-out performances, playing before more than 155,000 people—with singer/songwriter Matthew West, pop-rockers Royal Tailorand Christian music newcomer Lindsay McCaul, who was also in the fall tour lineup.

The spring leg of the Come to the Well tour kicks off Feb. 9, in Florence, S.C., and will hit arenas in major markets including Grand Rapids, Mich.; Orlando, Fla.; Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia; Pittsburgh; Oklahoma City, Okla.; Minneapolis; and Houston.

The tour takes its name from the Casting Crowns’ newest studio project that features the hit single “Courageous,” which was showcased in the recent Sherwood Pictures film by the same name.

The Newsboys’ biggest tour yet runs Jan. 12-May 5, culminating at the Creation West festival, and features The City Harmonic, winners of GMA Canada’s New Artist of the Year award; pop foursome Anthem Lights; rock group Abandon. Evangelist Bob Lenz will also share a message of hope during the shows with his Life Promotions organization building a network of supporting churches to facilitate post-tour evangelistic efforts, with additional support from the I Am Second movement.

Winter Jam, listed by Pollstar as a No. 1 tour, brings its musically diverse lineup to stages from kickoff city Charleston, W.Va., to final stop Grand Rapids, Mich. Hosted by NewSong, the event also features Skillet, Sanctus Real, Kari Jobe, Building 429, Group 1 Crew, Dara Maclean, For King and Country, We As Human, speaker Nick Hall and illusionist Brock Gill.

Also on the bill is former Newsboys leader Peter Furler, whose band includes another ex-Newsboy, bass player Phil Joel.

The Rock & Worship Roadshow kicks off Jan. 26 in Biloxi, Miss., and visits 25 other cities across the U.S., including Chicago; Minneapolis; Colorado Springs, Colo.; Dallas; San Diego; and Las Vegas. Its 4th annual tour features MercyMe, with frontman Bart Millard also speaking; Tenth Avenue North; LeCrae; Hawk Nelson; Disciple; Sidewalk Prophets; and Rend Collective Experiment.

The Roadshow will once again team up with radio stations in select markets to encourage listeners to participate in the Battle of the Bands contest. Local artists can submit their music and YouTube videos to their local station to be considered for the competition. From the top three finalists selected by the station, Roadshow artists pick the winning act to perform a two-song set in their city prior to the beginning of the show.

Winter Jam and The Rock & Worship Roadshow are nonticketed events, charging $10 per person at the door.