Parachute Band

Parachute Band is a worship band from Auckland, New Zealand, formed out of the New Zealand-based Christian organisation Parachute Music^[1] The band makes pop/rock music and is currently in its second generation.^[2]

1995–2006

The first Parachute Band line-up was formed in 1995 to lead worship at Parachute Festival, and has since grown into a full-time endeavour. Parachute Band records New Zealand-written contemporary worship music, and performs it both in New Zealand and worldwide.

The original line-up, led by Wayne Huirua, Libby Huirua and Chris de Jong, released seven studio albums, toured extensively in the U.S., won numerous New Zealand Music Awards for Best Gospel/Christian Album, won the Gospel Music Association's International Achievement award (in the U.S.) and paved the way for what the band is today.

In 2006 the original members retired from the band^[3] and a generational changeover took place. This was marked by a ceremony at the 2007 Parachute Festival.

2006 – present

The second generation Parachute Band (formerly known as Victor Rose) has released three studio albums; Roadmaps and Revelations (September 2007), Technicolor (September 2008) and Love Without Measure (February 2011). The band toured the USA, Canada, Asia, South Africa, UK, Europe, New Zealand and Australia, including performances at Creation Festival, Kingdom Bound Festival and also being the house band for the annual Parachute Festival.

The band won the 2008 VNZMA Peoples Choice Awards.^[4]

Love Without Measure is the first recording that the band has self-produced.

In 2012, The Band announced Omega would be leaving the group in order to "have more time to enjoy marriage and to invest more into his local church community."^[5] No replacement has been announced to date. Without Omega, Parachute Band collaborated with American Christian rock band Leeland at the 2013 Parachute Festival and The Almost frontman Aaron Gillespie in 2014 for worship sets.

Awards and recognition

1995–2006

• Five gold albums in NZ
• Three NZ Music Awards (Tuis)
• Winners of 2006 GMA International Award^[6]
• All the Earth debuted at No. 12 on US Billboard Gospel Chart
• All the Earth No. 1 US Gospel radio hit single
• Over 120,000 units sold in NZ

2007–2009

• "Technicolor" debuted at No. 12 on the NZ iTunes mainstream album charts, No. 10 on the U.S. Christian/Gospel charts and No. 1 on the NZ iTunes inspirational charts.
• Parachute Band won the coveted mainstreamPeoples Choice Award at the 2008 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards and was a finalist for the Best Gospel Album award.^[4]
• The band was a finalist at the 2009 VNZMA's, for Best Gospel/Christian Album, with its album Technicolor.

2010–present

• The band won the 2011 VNZMA Award for Best Gospel/Christian Album with their album Love Without Measure.
• The band won the 2012 VNZMA Award for Best Gospel/Christian Album with their album Matins: Vespers.

Discography

Albums

• 1997 – You Alone
• 1998 – Always and Forever
• 1999 – Adore
• 2000 – The Collection V1
• 2000 – Love
• 2001 – Amazing
• 2003 – Glorious
• 2005 – All the Earth
• 2007 – Roadmaps and Revelations
• 2008 – Technicolor
• 2011 – Love Without Measure
• 2012 – Matins: Vespers

References

1. ↑ "Artists". Parachute Music. Retrieved 29 January 2012. 
2. ↑ "Departments". Parachute Music. Retrieved 29 January 2012. 
3. ↑ "Parachute Band – Technicolour | CROSS RHYTHMS REVIEW". Crossrhythms.co.uk. Retrieved 29 January 2012. 
4. 1 2 "Parachute Band". VNZMA. Retrieved 24 April 2008. 
5. ↑ "Important Update". Retrieved 2012-12-21.  |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help)
6. ↑ Williams, Christian Today Australia (2006). "Parachute Band Wins International Award, Heads to AGMF"

External links

• Official website