1211

1211, named after Revelation chapter 12, verse 11: And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death...New King James Version.

"They", as in Christians, overcame him", the enemy, "by the Blood of the Lamb", Jesus, "and by the word of their testimony", in this case our songs and stories of life change, "and they did not love their lives to the death", and we are willing to die to our worldly lives, and live for Christ!

1211 is a collection of artists, songwriters, and performers that God brought together at Gateway Church ( Austin, Texas), who share a love for music and a past of brokenness. What began as a weeknight life group, a platform for tackling hard questions of spiritual doubt, frustration, and healing, quickly evolved into a dynamic community of 15 singularly creative friends with a deep passion for praising God through Gospel Music.

During an evening service at Gateway in the summer of 2009, 1211 tried something radically new by inviting the whole congregation on stage with the band. Founding member Ramy Antoun recalls, “There is something heavenly that takes place when musicians and singers are celebrating God through music and film, and I wanted people to get an opportunity to feel this from our perspective.” Chairs were placed on stage surrounding 1211, and lights dimmed for a candlelit experience. The disconnect between band and audience that is so common in concert settings was gone. Along with Gospel Music, Watch as short films are intigrated into the live expierence, telling stories of life change, Life Challenges, and Overcoming hard life issues. “Unplugged," as this expierence is now called, has since grown into a monthly gathering of almost 1,000 people that effectively preserves the intimacy it enjoyed upon its inception.

Under Ramy's careful production eye, 1211’s debut album, A Perfect Mess, was recorded in South Austin over an espresso-fueled three-week period in late 2010. The whirlwind sessions yielded seven stunning original tracks plus three intriguing covers, all of which touch on themes of brokenness, surrender and, ultimately, redemption. Capturing the same spirit of the band’s inspired, one-of- a-kind live performances, A Perfect Mess reveals a heart for God through Gospel music and a creative streak that shows no signs of slowing.