By JODEE TAYLOR
TRAVERSE CITY -- A four-city search and contest that hit New Hope Community Church in Williamsburg during a major snowstorm in February resulted in three bands getting an invite to the Big Ticket Festival in Gaylord next week.
Hail Yer Highness, Kwestion and Jason Taylor were all selected that snowy night to perform on the Indie Stage at the festival, scheduled for June 18-20 at the Otsego County Fairgrounds.
Big Ticket, a Christian-based, family-focused festival, expects more than 30,000 people to attend this year's event, now expanded to three days. There are six stages at the fairgrounds, with acts including Third Day, Switchfood, Newsboys and David Crowder.
"We had a blast" at the New Hope performance, said Jessie Bobenmoyer of Hail Yer Highness, a Grayling band that also played at last year's Big Ticket Festival. "We were kind of nervous because it wasn't our typical crowd, but we were very well-received. We even got a sponsor right on the spot," she said.
Bobenmoyer, who writes most of the group's songs with her sister Niki, admits the band doesn't look like a typical Christian music band and doesn't even really play typical Christian music. They typically play for 15- to 20-year-olds, she said, and the New Hope crowd was "a church crowd."
"We have kind of a harder edge," she said. "But we're just spreading the message of hope and love."
She said Hail Yer Highness played for 200 to 250 people at last year's festival and they're hoping for more this year.
"We'll be out Thursday and Friday, putting up signs and posters, spreading the word," she said. "It's the highlight of our year."
Chris Sligh, an "American Idol" Top 12 contestant on Season 6 (2007), will be performing on the AC/Worship Stage Saturday, June 20. He says it's all about the music.
"When we do a show, our goal is to entertain," Sligh said from his home near Nashville. "A lot of Christian artists, their goal is to lead worship.
"We treat it like a rock show."
He said his faith was "completely accepted" while he was competing on "American Idol."
"It's such a family show," he said. "Several people on my season were believers."
Sligh is also held in high regard as a songwriter and has a few new songs that "are going to get cut for major artists." He's also an avid music listener, which he says helps with both performing and writing.
"It all comes down to pop songs," he said. "If you understand pop songs, you can write anything. It's not all that different."
Lately, he's been listening to Brad Paisley, Chris Cornell, U2 and Coldplay.
"I absolutely adore Coldplay," he said.
And Sligh's no stranger to the area, having performed at the National Cherry Festival last summer.
Kids 10 and under have their own stage at the festival, with Bibleman, the iShine Tour, Worship for Kids and more.
There will also be inflatables, a petting zoo and games.
Speakers include Joseph Stowell, David Nasser and Jeffrey Dean.
Larry Jennings, pastor of student ministry at New Hope Community Church, was manning the concessions during the February contest, but wasn't surprised at the outcome. In fact, the church hosted Hail Yer Highness for a repeat performance at the end of May.
"They have a harder edge to them," he said. "The crowd went nuts for them."
He won't be at this year's Big Ticket Festival, but said he's pleased with the way it's grown over the years.
"It started small," he said, and being in Gaylord might have been a hard thing to overcome. "People don't get up here that much. Gaylord's not on the way to anywhere."
There's an art to attending a music festival, he said. "You go to what you want, you study a schedule. The challenge is, you're going to miss someone. Teenagers tend to be pretty opinionated about music, so to get a band everyone likes is impossible. With a festival, you get crowds for each band."
People at this year's festival will have a chance to vote on an indie band that will perform on next year's main stage, said Danielle Vuke, office administrator. She said two other bands have gone on to score record deals.
Big Ticket specifics
-- The Big Ticket Festival will be held June 18-20 at the Otsego County Fairgrounds.
-- There are more than 50 musical acts scheduled.
-- At least six speakers will be featured.
-- There will be action sports teams performing, including BMX and skateboarding
-- Tickets are available for one, two or three days.
-- Tickets range in prices from $13 (6 to 11 years old, Thursday pass, bought before June 14) to $99 (adults, three-day pass, bought June 14 or after)
-- You can choose the "pay as you go" program to spread the ticket cost out.
-- Onsite camping is offered on a first-come, first-serve basis for RVs and campers. Tent camping is available a short walk from the fairgrounds.
-- Bring a chair or blanket, but do not bring a cooler, pets, food or wheeled toys.
