Zach Hardison Band

The Top 5 Finalists in the KingsFest Talent Competition are Destination Worship, Sincerely Jude, Zach Hardison Band, For a Season and Brian Davis Band. Congratulations to these artists who received the most votes by the general public, friends and fans! The contestants will now be judged by a panel of music industry professionals who will select the winner.

Competition was stiff and the voting fierce in this portion of the KingsFest Talent Competition. There were nearly 30 artists/bands who entered the competition and more than 13,000 votes were cast over a weeklong voting period.

The winning artist will be announced during the week of May 27th. The winner will have the opportunity to perform as the opening artist on Thursday, June 27 during KingsFest.

Get your tickets today for this great summertime music festival with some of the best names in Christian music today! - Kings Festival

The Top 5 Finalists in the KingsFest Talent Competition are Destination Worship, Sincerely Jude, Zach Hardison Band, For a Season and Brian Davis Band. Congratulations to these artists who received the most votes by the general public, friends and fans! The contestants will now be judged by a panel of music industry professionals who will select the winner.

Competition was stiff and the voting fierce in this portion of the KingsFest Talent Competition. There were nearly 30 artists/bands who entered the competition and more than 13,000 votes were cast over a weeklong voting period.

The winning artist will be announced during the week of May 27th. The winner will have the opportunity to perform as the opening artist on Thursday, June 27 during KingsFest.

Get your tickets today for this great summertime music festival with some of the best names in Christian music today! - Kings Festival

Contemporary Christian artist Zach Hardison has released his debut album, "Hope I'm Yours."

The 11-song album features songs that Hardison says, are from the heart and full of meaning.

"I write experienced-based music fused with scriptual concepts. This is life deteriorating, but there's something more. He's real. He's active. I would be a complete wreck without him. Even with him, I'm somewhat of a wreck."

With help from Virginia Beach band The Difference, Hardison will celebrate his April release with a CD party at Granby Theater in Norfolk on Sunday from 6 to 9 p.m. $5 at the door.

For more information, call 961-7208.

"Like" Zach Hardison here.

- Patty Jenkins, The Pilot - hamptonroads.com

Contemporary Christian artist Zach Hardison has released his debut album, "Hope I'm Yours."

The 11-song album features songs that Hardison says, are from the heart and full of meaning.

"I write experienced-based music fused with scriptual concepts. This is life deteriorating, but there's something more. He's real. He's active. I would be a complete wreck without him. Even with him, I'm somewhat of a wreck."

With help from Virginia Beach band The Difference, Hardison will celebrate his April release with a CD party at Granby Theater in Norfolk on Sunday from 6 to 9 p.m. $5 at the door.

For more information, call 961-7208.

"Like" Zach Hardison here.

- Patty Jenkins, The Pilot - hamptonroads.com

Zach Hardison
MUSIC
Monday, May 6, 2013, 1:00 AM

Come celebrate the release of Zach Hardison's debut album, Hope I'm Yours, at the coolest venue in town. Guest artists, Robb Esperat and Renaissance Movement. Giveaways from Zach Hardison, Spark Collective, and HaynePhotographers. $5 per person OR get you and 14 of your friends into the party with the purchase of a VIP balcony for $200. Get you and 24 of your friends in with the purchase of a large VIP balcony for $300. Both VIP packages include a Zach Hardison prize pack. Non-alcoholic beverage will be available for sale. A full kitchen will also be in service. Let's party!

Improve this event listing

Venue

GRANBY THEATER
441 GRANBY ST
Norfolk, VA VA - WVEC Channel 13

Zach Hardison
MUSIC
Monday, May 6, 2013, 1:00 AM

Come celebrate the release of Zach Hardison's debut album, Hope I'm Yours, at the coolest venue in town. Guest artists, Robb Esperat and Renaissance Movement. Giveaways from Zach Hardison, Spark Collective, and HaynePhotographers. $5 per person OR get you and 14 of your friends into the party with the purchase of a VIP balcony for $200. Get you and 24 of your friends in with the purchase of a large VIP balcony for $300. Both VIP packages include a Zach Hardison prize pack. Non-alcoholic beverage will be available for sale. A full kitchen will also be in service. Let's party!

Improve this event listing

Venue

GRANBY THEATER
441 GRANBY ST
Norfolk, VA VA - WVEC Channel 13

Old Dominion Alumni and Virginia Beach native, Zach Hardison, is making a name for himself in the local and national Christian rock scene. After years of dedicated work his first national album, “Hope I’m Yours,” released on Tuesday.

Hardison describes his personal sound as Christian Rock/Pop with R&B influences. He first picked up the violin at the young age of four from the encouragement of his mother. “It was clear at a very young age that music was an inherent part of me,” he said.

He started playing guitar in high school and has been writing songs ever sense. Hardison graduated from ODU in Dec. 2002 and studied Creative Writing and Russian. After graduation, he dedicated himself to excelling in his music career.
“By most standards, this should have happened ten years ago,” he said about his initiation into Tate Music Group last year. After years of hard work, promoting and writing songs, and a “hard kick in the pants,” he received two music label offers at the same time and decided to sign with Tate Music in March of 2012.
On top of numerous upcoming local shows, “we are being fielded for a national tour in Nashville in May and will be sharing our music in Brussels, Belgium and South Africa in July,” he said.
The “we” Hardison is referring to is his new band as of January 2013. The band includes ODU student Thomas Guglielmo on drums, Ryan Mekkes on electric guitar and Josh Jones on bass.
Musical influences come everywhere from Hardison’s life, but he considers his childhood as a preacher’s son and education at a Christian school to be one of the biggest inspirations. “The concepts were rattling around in my brain for years before anything began to take root,” he said. There were specific experiences that he considers to have shaped his knowledge into faith.
“The Bible has much to say about my dilemma and offers solutions. My songwriting has been integral in the examination of my life and my journey out of hopelessness,” he said. Another unlikely inspiration to his music includes a four-month stay in Ukraine, which has helped him build a loyal Ukrainian fan-base.
?Although Hardison and his band are excited about the release of their new album, they are most looking forward to their upcoming live performances. “The album is great, but we sound even better live,” he said.
So far, their most memorable moment was playing at Busch Gardens in August 2012. It was the biggest stage they had ever been on. “My band has a blast playing on rehearsal nights, but once you add some enthusiastic fans to the mix, that’s when the party happens,” he said. From interacting with the audience to learning how a specific song has a deep meaning for someone in the crowd, Hardison most enjoys the live performance aspect of music.
The album, “Hope I’m Yours,” is available online and in stores around the area. Hardison’s favorite song from the new album is “Wash Over Me.” Even though it is the simplest song on the CD, it is about his wife, “and the subject doesn’t get much better than that,” he said.

?
By: Alli Terres - Mace and Crown

By Sam McDonald
9:29 a.m. EDT, July 16, 2012

Earlier this year, Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, held a national search for an up-and-coming band to open for Third Day, a Grammy winning Christian rock band.

Ultimately, the Matt Bartlett Band, based in Goldsboro, N.C., got the nod after Internet voting picked them among three finalists.

As the video below shows, Bartlett even got the chance to step on stage and sing with the headliners at the theme park on June 24.

Turns out, it wasn't a one-shot deal.

Next month, the contest's three finalists will get to play together at Busch Gardens in an event being called "Glory at the Gardens: Encore!"

The Aug. 12 concert will feature contest winners The Matt Bartlett Band along with the Cincinnati Christian rock group Mosteller, and Zach Hardison, who is from Virginia Beach.

"I am a son of a pastor," Hardison says on his Facebook profile. "So, I grew up with the eye of the church always on me, or at least so it felt. I always felt the pressure to be good. You know, don't screw it up for your dad or your family. I am learning, however, to live an exposed life the way God desires. Not to hide. There's no one to impress. Be real. My music speaks to these revelations."

Hardison describes himself as newly signed artist with Tate Music Group. An album is to be released later in 2012.

"Glory at the Gardens: Encore!" will take place at the park's Royal Palace Theatre. Showtime is 7 p.m. All concerts are free with park admission.

Find out more about the show here.

Copyright © 2013, Newport News, Va., Daily Press - Daily Press

By Sam McDonald
9:29 a.m. EDT, July 16, 2012

Earlier this year, Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, held a national search for an up-and-coming band to open for Third Day, a Grammy winning Christian rock band.

Ultimately, the Matt Bartlett Band, based in Goldsboro, N.C., got the nod after Internet voting picked them among three finalists.

As the video below shows, Bartlett even got the chance to step on stage and sing with the headliners at the theme park on June 24.

Turns out, it wasn't a one-shot deal.

Next month, the contest's three finalists will get to play together at Busch Gardens in an event being called "Glory at the Gardens: Encore!"

The Aug. 12 concert will feature contest winners The Matt Bartlett Band along with the Cincinnati Christian rock group Mosteller, and Zach Hardison, who is from Virginia Beach.

"I am a son of a pastor," Hardison says on his Facebook profile. "So, I grew up with the eye of the church always on me, or at least so it felt. I always felt the pressure to be good. You know, don't screw it up for your dad or your family. I am learning, however, to live an exposed life the way God desires. Not to hide. There's no one to impress. Be real. My music speaks to these revelations."

Hardison describes himself as newly signed artist with Tate Music Group. An album is to be released later in 2012.

"Glory at the Gardens: Encore!" will take place at the park's Royal Palace Theatre. Showtime is 7 p.m. All concerts are free with park admission.

Find out more about the show here.

Copyright © 2013, Newport News, Va., Daily Press - Daily Press

By Cathy Carter
Virginian-Pilot correspondent
© August 10, 2012
As the worship pastor at Virginia Beach Community Chapel, Zach Hardison is familiar with the notion of serving others. It's when he could use some support of his own that things get tricky.

"I've always been completely willing to get involved when someone else is doing something, but I have a difficult time promoting myself," he said.

Hardison's reticence wouldn't be such a big deal if the pastor weren't also an aspiring musician.

Fortunately, a couple of longtime fans gave him just the push he needed to take a leap of faith and put his music out there.

"A few months ago a couple of ladies I know from Norfolk Christian elementary school contacted me to let me know about this big music contest that Busch Gardens was having," Hardison said. "They were very insistent that I enter."

That competition, a national search to find an up-and-coming artist or band to open up for the Grammy-winning Christian rock band Third Day, was part of the Williamsburg amusement park's annual "Glory in the Garden" Christian music concert series. Contestants were asked to submit a music video, and fans across America would vote for their favorite.

"At the time I didn't have a video, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to try, so I got a video camera and I set it up on a tripod in the back room of my church and I just recorded myself singing one of my songs," Hardison said.

The heartfelt lyrics of Hardison's acoustic rock song "Hope, I'm Yours," struck a chord. After all the votes were counted, the performing pastor had scored more than 3,500 votes, enough to take second place.

But that wasn't the end of it.

"A couple of weeks later Busch Gardens invited me to do a different concert with the top three finalists of the contest," Hardison said.

That show takes place in Williamsburg on Sunday.

"I'm more worried about filling all those seats than the actual performance," laughed Hardison. "It's very exciting though, and a lot of people from my church are planning to come up in a big caravan."

As it turns out, Hardison may need to get used to all the attention. Just a few months before he got the news of the Busch Gardens show, the musician received another career-boosting message.

"Last summer I went to Nashville to work with an artist development company," he explained. "I spent about 10 days there, and at the end of the program, you get to go into a studio and cut a demo."

The Music City-based team sends those demos to various record labels. The 33-year-old father of three didn't expect any recording offers. But they came his way.

Just days after playing his big local gig, Hardison will travel to Oklahoma to record his debut album.

"It will certainly reflect my faith journey," he says of the project. "I think people will be encouraged by my lyrics. My music is not meant to be simply an escape. It's an examination of this life with all of its struggles and triumphs."

Cathy Carter, cathycarter@verizon.net - Virginian Pilot