Goodbye, Goodnight

As we all know, I love music. mae has been a very influential band in my life, and their album, "The Everglow" will likely always be in my top 5 albums of all time. I was privaleged to have the chance to catch them last night on their "Goodbye, Goodnight" tour. This is their farewell tour, so last night was the last time they played in Rochester. I'm a little disappointed I missed the opening band, Windsor Drive, because we came in at the end of their set and they sounded phenominal. The next band was Terrible Things, which is Fred's (Taking Back Sunday, The Color Fred) new band with former members of Hot Rod Circuit and Coheed & Cambria. They were really good. I liked their sound a lot and they were super tight. After their set I went to their table to buy a shirt, and Fred was actually manning it himself. He is a really personable guy, and he seemed to genuinely want to get to know his fans, which is something that I think is awesome. After that was what we had all been waiting for, mae. They played a lot of songs. The majority of the songs were from "The Everglow," which I was super stoked about. They played some older songs that I had forgotten about, because I haven't had the chance to purchase some of their older stuff that I got rid of when I felt convicted I needed to get rid of all of my illegally downloaded music a few years back, but that's an issue for another post. They played a brand new song off of "(e)vening" which just came out. I think the song was called "Sleep Well." It was incredible. I think possibly the best part of the concert was that mae wanted it to be all about the fans, so if someone shouted out a song, they played it. Dave and Zack even played "Sun" by themselves because the band hadn't rehearsed it for tour but someone wanted to hear it. This show completely changed my perspective of mae as a live band. Last time I saw them was a few years back, with relient k, and they didn't talk to the crowd the whole time, but this time was so different. If I have the chance, I'd really like to see them play another date on this tour. It would totally be worth it. Also, they were selling "(e)vening" at the show last night but I couldn't find it on iTunes today, so i hope they do release it online. I would have bought the disc last night, but my netbook doesn't have a c.d. drive.

With the end of mae is the end of an era. My friends and I all grew up on mae, and it's sad to see them go. I am so glad that they had Rob (Keys) and Mark (Bass) back for this tour. It was really cool that they have their original lineup again. I wish them all the best of luck as they continue their journeys as people and as musicians.

Mitch

Listening To:
"(m)orning" by mae
"The Everglow" by mae

The Weekend

This past weekend was rare. When was the last time you had a weekend that you wished never ended, because it was so incredible? This was the case for me this past weekend. My weekends generally start on Thursday because of Mountain Dew Thursday. So, Thursday evening Kyle and I headed to Roberts for MDT. It was cool hanging out with a very different crowd at MDT. I met some new friends. We had a jam session that turned into a worship session. My new friends had me play some songs that I hadn't played in a very long time. It may have been a little rusty. I think I got home from Roberts at like 1:30AM Friday morning. I got up early to help a friend move and then had lunch with my bro Sam Updike. It's always a good time hanging out with him. Friday night we had a frickin' stellar send off party for my friend Lisa who is leaving for International House of Prayer tomorrow. Our friend Matt Garlock is a beast! He made us a seven course meal which was truly incredible. He and Sam started prepping at 2 and the dinner party didn't start till 7. We probably didn't start eating until like 9. The meal we had would have cost upwards of $100 per plate in a fine dining restaurant. The best part of the night was the fact that we all were able to just relax and hang out. Great food, dancing, coffee, and just an awesome time celebrating Lisa and getting to know everyone better. I got home at like 3:30AM Saturday morning. We had a branded meeting Saturday morning and it was just an awesome time bonding and coming up with some great plans for Halloween branded. Saturday night was TFH downtown. I always have a great time hanging out with Nate and the downtown worship team before service on Saturday nights. Worship was great and Denis brought a great message on why and how we were made to pour, closing out our made for more series. After downtown, a bunch of us went to Moe's Southwestern Grill to celebrate Lisa again. We ended up going to my new friend Matt's flat afterward to continue hanging out. We all sang together, laughed together, watched some hilarious parody YouTube videos by a guy named Tim Hawkins if I'm remembering correctly, took some funny "family photos," and really just had an awesome time. I got home again at like 3:30AM and had to be at church to help with the Fuse band sound check at 6:30. I think I drank like 10 cups of black coffee yesterday along with the rock star energy drink Lisa gave me. I observed Fuse first service. I'm so proud of what God is doing in that team. I went to second service because I wanted to hear Denis' message again, because it was that good. Worship was incredible, Denis was great. After that I pretty much hung out till branded sound check. I am so thankful for the worship team last night. They tore it up. It was awesome. Mike Thomas spoke last night and his message was convicting. He has an anointing from God. The night ended at Wimpy's getting plates with my friend Alex, who is now playing drums at branded. Last night I got to bed before 11 which was wonderful.

To sum things up, this past weekend was awesome, and I wish I could relive it, but we keep on truckin'. I thank God for the people he has placed in my life and the family he has given me at TFH.

Mitch
Listening To:
Thrice "Beggars"
Gungor

Manning Up.

Today is only half done and I have learned something that I think will stay with me for the rest of your life. A wise friend of mine said this morning that you should always tell people how you really feel about them. What if this was the last time you ever saw them and you never had the chance to say I love you? I know, it's cliche, it's the plot of numerous movies, novels, poems, albums, etc. but today for whatever reason. It stuck. My immediate response was, well what if it makes things awkward between you and that friend. My wise friend replied with something along the lines of that it doesn't matter. It's better than wondering what if. I am so thankful to have learned this lesson today. This is all I have for now.

Mitch

Listening to:
Ascend the Hill
Four Year Strong

I'm back

So, I've decided I should start to blog again. I want to get something out of the way here. If you read my previous blogs, it has been about a year since I have posted one and I started blogging when I was in high school. I believe I was in a very different place in my life than I am now and I probably said a lot of stupid stuff back then, so If you read my archives, just take it with a grain of salt.

Where I am:
I am the worship director for TFHstudents at The Fathers House in Chili, NY. It'll be 2 years in January since I was asked to for the Fuse worship team, a team of mainly senior highers, with me leading, that leads worship for the junior high services every Sunday. I've developed a team of about 30 high school students who are eager to serve the Lord and pour their love on the junior high kids. Recently I took over branded worship (a team of college age musicians leading worship for senior highers.) I have a heart for students and I want to help raise up this generation of world influencers that we are so blessed to have in our midst. I feel called to full time worship ministry, and I am trying my best to prepare myself for that now. I don't know if that means I should go back to school, or if I should just be more intentional about how I am developing myself as a worshipper and as a leader everyday. I am truly blessed and honored to have the privaledge to meet one on one with my mentor, Luke Thomas each week. The wisdom he has to offer is incredible and the encouragement and challenges he provides me with are pivotal to my journey. I am trying to create similar relationships with some of my students, because they are going to be the ones who are going to change the world. My desire is to love God and to love people.

So yeah, that's just a little introduction to where I am now. Perhaps I will be blogging more frequently now.

Mitch

Listening To:
Ascend The Hill Take The World, But Give Me Jesus
The Glorious Unseen: The Hope That Lies In You
Passion: Awakening 2010
Brooke Fraser Albertine
Thrice Beggars

My Resignation

Hey guys,

I have decided to write this because I have been getting alot of questions about leaving RLS. I suppose I should start at the beginning.

I thought God's calling for my life was for me to tour with a band. I thought that for probably seven or eight years. This past January, I was asked to be the worship leader for Fuse, the junior high ministry at The Father's House, the church that I attend. I accepted but wasn't really devoted to it. Over the summer, I did some touring with RLS and it was alot of fun and it was all I really cared about. After tour, I started going to Saturday Morning Prayer at TFH every week, and I started leading worship at Fuse every Sunday, when they split up jr. and sr. high. In this time I also started reading the Bible more and spending more time with God. Probably some time in July, I began to sense that God was telling me I needed to focus more on being a worship leader and less on being a rock star. At first I hated it, then I decided to just go with it and see what would happen. As time went on, I got more and more devoted to ministry and it started to come to the point where I was really trying to clean up any unrighteous areas of my life. I was spending alot of time in prayer asking God to reveal to me what I needed to let go of. Over the past several weeks, the band became the only clear choice. Lately, anything we have done as a band, has gotten in the way of what I do at TFH. For instance, rehearsals have been Saturday afternoons, which I usually spend getting the youth facility ready for Sunday, or Monday evenings, after I have led one rehearsal and played drums in another rehearsal and by that point I am always completely drained. Then we had recording for the acoustic e.p. The first night of recording was on an rLife night and I really didn't want to go. The next session was directly after Saturday Morning Prayer a couple Saturday's ago, and we had a show the night before so the youth facility was no where close to being set up. At our Dansville show, it was really hard for me when I realized this, but the only song I had passion to play was the Outro. The rest of our set i was just all sorts of sloppy and not passionate at all. My heart just wasn't in it. I had been battling whether or not I was supposed to leave the band, and then on Friday night, I don't know what triggered it, but I finally reached my decision. I guess I went with the band aid approach. The faster you rip it off, the less it will hurt. I had to end it there. The guys were supportive of my decision, my only regret is that I didn't let you, our fans know that Friday was going to be my last show. I know alot of you would have came out to support me but honestly, I wouldn't have wanted you to see me in the emotional state that I was in. I cried for the first time in like 2 and a half years (since my grandfather died.) Among the many factors that have led to my resignation, one is that the band is probably the place where I have compromised most in my faith over the past 2 years, and as a youth leader I cannot lead a confusing life style. As a follower of Christ I cannot lead a confusing life style. That is nothing negative about the band, I am just nit a strong enough person to be around the rock and roll scene. Luckily I have been strong enough to resist alot of the more extreme temptations. The verse that comes to my mind right now is as follows: "If anyone causes one of these little ones--those who believe in me--to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were drowned to the depths of the sea." Matthew 18:6 TNIV. I never want my life to be confusing. I never want to be living hypocrsy, I know the youth look up to me, and I don't ever want to cause them to stumble. I Wish Joel, Sean, Alex, and Adam the best of luck in their future endeavours and I hope that God continues to bless them

In Christ,

Mitchell Thomas VanDenBerghe

Listening To:
The Glorious Unseen Tonight The Stars Speak
relient k Forget and Not Slow Down
Hillsong United All The Above, a_cross//The\\earth, iHeart Revolution With Hearts as One
The Almost No Gift To Bring, Monster Monster

Always growing

These last 2 weeks have been great for me. 2 weeks ago tonight, we had a talk as a band about all the stupid crap we all have done and how we need to change and be role models. Since then I have been in the word every day except one, and have kicked two habbits. This change has helped immensely. Being in the word has brought me closer to God, and in doing so, I feel as though it prepared me for leading worship with my Fuse team at church on Sunday for the first time. Last Monday, Luke talked to all of the leaders at the big leaders meeting and let us know we were out of line. I had already begun the process of trying to change, but his words really spoke to me. I think what hit me the hardest, almost to the point of breaking down, was when he brought three of the youth on stage and told us that was who we were hurting by living the way we were. I am so glad he called us all out. Accountability is so important. On top of trying to get on the right track spiritually, I am trying to live a more healthy life. Adam and I started jogging together yesterday. I felt like I was going to throw up, but I went jogging this morning by myself and I'm already starting to get used to it. These past couple weeks have been great. I refuse to go back there ever again.

Mitch
Listening To:
Hillsong United All of The Above
Across the Earth
I Heart Revolution: With Hearts As One
Bleach Farewell Old Friends
Emery In Shallow Seas We Sail
While Broken Hearts Prevail
I'm Only A Man
Underoath Lost In The Sound of Separation
Define The Great Line
Saosin S/T
Relient K mmhmm

Your attitude is what you make it.

I had an epiphany today. You decide how your day is going to turn out by what attitude you have. This morning I woke up super bummed because of what happened last night (saturday.) I got to church around 7 for sound check and played all my parts correctly but my heart wasn't in the right place. I had a talk with Larry and Andrea about being bummed because they could clearly tell, and then I talked with Joel about it when we went to Wegmans to pick up swedish fish for Jesse's message. As I was talking to Joel, I decided that I wasn't going to let a bad night effect a new day, so I did some sould searching, some praying and listened to a little United, got in a worship mindset and gave it my all. After church I was put in essentially the same situation, and it went well because my attitude was positive and I was confident. My day turned out really well. I went to a couch burning bon fire at RIT tonight and it was awesome. I really love bon fires. I go to alot of them.

Welp, see ya later.

Mitch.

Listening to:
Hillsong United "Across The Earth," "I Heart Revolution: With Hearts As One"
Saosin "S/T"
Blindside "The Great Depression"
A Kiss For Jersey "Victims"
The Ataris "So Long Astoria," "Welcome To The Night"
Bleach "Again, For The First Time," "Farewell Old Friends"
Brand New "Deja Entendu"
The Chariot "Wars and Rumors of Wars"
Chasing Victory "Fiends"
Four Year Strong "Rise Or Die Trying"
Last Tuesday "Resolve," "Become What You Believe," "Dear Jessica"
Museums "Can We Meet In The Middle?"
MXPX "Before, Everything and After"
New Found Glory "Sticks and Stones," "Catalyst," "Not Without A Fight"
P.O.D. "Satellite"
Relient K "S/T," "The Anatomy of The Tongue In Cheek,"
"Two Lefts Don't Make a Right but Three Do," "mmhmm,"
"Five Score and Seven Years Ago,"
"The Bird and The Bee Sides"

Remember Tomorrow
Seven Head Division
Storm The Bay
Story of the Year "Page Avenue, In The Wake of Determination," "The Black Swan"
They Sleep, They Dream "Life in Every Breath"
Thrice "Air," "Earth"
Underoath "Define The Great Line, "Lost in the Sound of Separation"
Yellowcard "Paper Walls"

Tour

So Red Letter Statement is doing a Hot Topic tour this summer, May 14th-July 10th at a bunch of the Hot Topic stores across NYS with one HT in New Jersey and a couple venue shows thrown in for good measure. Our first date is next Thursday, May 14th at the Walden Galleria in Buffalo. We've done a ton to prepare but I still feel completely unprepared. A lot has happened for RLS is the first 5 months of '09. In January we recorded at Bluebrick Recordings in Avon, NY with Jesse Sprinkle. We recorded 8 songs which are finally being mixed and mastered right now at Echo Bass Studios in Buffalo, NY. The original plan was to have Randy Torres from project 86 mix the E.P. and Jason Martin of Starflyer 59 master it. Not being able to get a hold of Randy Torres and finding out Jason Martin wanted $2500 instead of $600 put a damper on the situation. Aaron Sprinkle was supposed to be mixing our single, but he's been super busy. We've only played 3 shows so far in '09 because we've been working on so many other things. We have 3 new t shirt designs and a 4th on the way for the tour. I believe we will still be selling what we have left of the old ones making a total of 5 t shirt designs available currently. Our E.P. will not be ready for next Friday, at Marketplace, which was supposed to be our E.P. release show. We bought a trailer a couple weeks ago thanks to some help from Alex's dad. It is registered and insured, now we just need to get the hitch and wiring installed on the van. Our good friend Josh Allyn is working on hooking us up with a deal on that. We will be providing our own P.A. equipment for the Hot Topic dates, so we purchased mains and monitors on Monday, and we already have a mixer, power amp, mics, cables, speaker stands and mic stands. We've all been working on upgrading our equipment. Sean and Joel got some new pedals, Alex bought an Ampeg SVT Classic head which sounds uber, Joel got a Marshall JCM 900 head, thanks to Alex which also sounds uber, I got a Zildjian 21" Sweet ride for my birthday thanks to my parents, and I'm sure there are other things we are forgetting. We got a boat load of posters for all of our Hot Topic dates for free thanks to Alex's dad, and Alex and I spent the better part of Sunday afternoon sorting through those. We've hung up/handed out most of the posters for Rochester. Adam went to Bamboozle with AP Printing, where we got all of our new shirts printed and was able to make some great connections there, and the rep from victory labels passed out our demos, which consist of our new single, "Set The Standard" and another song, "Three Feet Away From Things That Burn." It's funny, I named both of those tracks. Monetarily we've all been drained pretty much dry. Jesse Sprinkle has graced me with a snare to use for the summer, which is awesome because mine has been acting up. As a band we have been blessed so much this year. There is so much more that I feel that we need, but God is good and has provided every time we have needed thus far. Please keep us in your prayers, because we need it. Pray that God will provide us with the finances to get us through this summer, pray that our van will be able to perform mechanically for us, pray that we are musically ready, and pray most of all that we are spiritually ready. As a band we really want to be a ministry, but like everyone we struggle with different things in our personal lives. Pray that we don't but heads too much. Pray that we'll have a good time. You guys mean the world to us, and your support is greatly appreciated and won't go unnoticed. Look for the single on our myspace very soon, and the E.P. should be out by the end of the month, provided that we have the finances to press it.

Thank You.

Mitch VanDenBerghe
Red Letter Statement

Tour Dates:
5.14 Walden Galleria Hot Topic Buffalo, NY
5.15 Marketplace Mall Hot Topic Rochester, NY
5.22 Waterstreet Music Hall Rochester, NY
w/Remember Tomorrow
5.28 Rotterdam Square Mall Hot Topic Rotterdam, NY
6.2 Palisades Center Mall Hot Topic West Nyack, NY
6.3 Garden State Plaze Hot Topic Paramus, NJ
6.4 Galleria at Crystal Run Hot Topic Middletown, NY
6.5 Hudson Valley Mall Hot Topic Kingston, NY
6.12 Salmon Run Mall Hot Topic Watertown, NY
6.19 Chatauqua Mall Hot Topic Lakewood, NY
6.25 Oakdale Mall Hot Topic Johnson City, NY
6.26 Arnot Mall Hot Topic Horseheads, NY
6.27 Venue Corning, NY
7.7 Galleria of White Plains Hot Topic White Plains, NY
7.8 Queens Center Mall Hot Topic New York, NY
7.10 South Shore Mall Hot Topic Bayshore, NY
7.11 Venue Rochester, NY
8.13 Summer C4MP Keuka, NY
8.14 Summer C4MP Keuka, NY
8.15 Summer C4MP Keuka, NY
8.16 Summer C4MP Keuka, NY

Listening To:
The Fray S/T
The Chariot Wars and Rumors Of Wars
Blindside The Great Depression
Underoath Define The Great Line
Bleach Farewell Old Friends
Saosin S/T
The Devil Wears Prada With Roots Above and Branches Below
Emery While Broken Hearts Prevail
Oh, Sleeper When I Am God
Emery I'm Only A Man
Vice Grip If You Show Me Yours
Chug
Underoath Lost In The Sound Of Separation
Thrice Live at The House of Blues Anaheim
MXPX Secret Weapon
MXPX Let's Rock
MXPX Before Everything and After

First off, Happy Easter.

Now to blogging. There are three things that I am absolutely sure of. Jesus Christ is my Lord and Saviour and He died on the cross for my sins so that I have forgiveness. On to number two. I am supposed to be in Red Letter Statement. I am supposed to tour with Red Letter Statement. School is not for me so I won't be going back.

I am getting so anxious for the middle of May to roll around. Red Letter Statement has about twenty shows lined up. I just need to get out of Rochester, and I need to play music everyday. I'm also stoked about having church with my brothers Adam, Alex, Joel, Sean, Brian, and Kyle everyday that we are together.

I can't wait to tour fulltime together someday.


Mitch

Listening to:
Hillsong United "With Hearts As One"
The Fray "S/T"
Relient K "Five Score and Seven Years Ago"
Jesse Sprinkle "Surrounded By Lights"
The World Inside
Seven Head Division
Emery "Where Broken Hearts Prevail"
Emery "In Shallow Seas We Sail"
Emery "I'm Only A Man"
Underoath "Lost In The Sound of Separation"
Yellowcard "Paper Walls"

Yerp

Well, it's been almost a month now. Where do I start. I haven't shaved since the last day of january and i have a little bit of a beard going now. The plan was to have a handle bar moustache for march moustache madness but I couldn't get it to connect properly. So as of late I've been working quite a bit. I transfered to the Park Avenue Camille's and it was a terrible idea. I want to go back to Eastview so bad. Band wise RLS has been pretty busy because we're planning for the release of our new E.P. We also have a show this sunday, the 22nd which is my birthday. We have practice in a couple hours, I'm pretty stoked. Joel, Alex, Adam and I will be leading worship in big church along with Larry, Andrea, Kendra and Jesse from C4 and some of the adults as well. A couple weeks ago I went to Elizabethtown Pennsylvania with Sean, Amy and Christine. Roberts kids are fun. Kyle Sullivan was supposed to come but he is broken and his mom wouldn't let him. We have some big RLS plans for the summer which include at least one NYC trip, which we have confirmed.


I'm Boring.

Mitch

Listening To:
New Found Glory Not Without A Fight
The Fray S/T
Yellowcard Paper Walls
Hillsong United With Hearts As One
Underoath Lost In The Sound Of Separation
Story of The Year The Black Swan
Relient K Five Score and Seven Years Ago
Sum 41 Underclass Hero