Parachute Band

About the Artist

Unlike most their age, the Parachute Band boys spend most of their year living out of a suitcase, trekking to churches and events around the globe.

Musically, their sound mirrors their youth – with pulsing drums, angular guitars and the odd synth-breakdown – but spiritually the five of them move beyond their years, ushering in the presence of God wherever they go.

Omega Levine (frontman) and Sam de Jong (drummer/producer) formed New Zealand’s ‘next gen’ Parachute Band in 2007, picking up from where the original Parachute Band (1997-2006) had left off. They built a team of like-hearted musicians for one purpose: to translate an ancient message into sounds that could be understood on city streets. Three years on, they have toured relentlessly to places like America, Canada, South Africa, Rwanda, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, England, Italy, Scotland, Bulgaria, and Romania.

To date, the ‘next gen’ Parachute Band have released three albums: ROADMAPS & REVELATONS which is focussed heavily on Psalm 119, and TECHNICOLOUR which is based on the idea that God’s living water equals life in all its colour and there most recent album LOVE WITHOUT MEASURE.

With an international Integrity Music distribution deal, Parachute Band take New Zealand written worship songs that have been crafted in local communities and churches, and present them to the world. The response to these unique Kiwi songs has been strong. Casting Crowns re-recorded Parachute Band’s song ‘Mercy’ for their album UNTIL THE WHOLE WORLD HEARS, and former Delirious? Frontman Martin Smith sung guest vocals on the band’s new song ‘It’s You’ taken from their new album LOVE WITHOUT MEASURE.

But theirs is not only a sound that resonates within the global Christian music industry; Parachute Band speak straight to their generation, weaving together their own blend of indie-rock that somehow incorporates the diverse stylings of Sigur Ros, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Passion Pit. This became apparent when they won the coveted People’s Choice Award at the mainstream NZ Music Awards in 2008, proving just how far their influence spans.

Passionate about responding to the heartbeat of God, the band also work closely with international aid agency World Vision. After visiting poverty-stricken communities in Africa they have partnered with World Vision’s Area Development Programme in ‘Tubehoneza’; a community of 45,000 in Rwanda. Parachute Band have already helped raise over 1,000 child sponsors for the area, and promote the initiative wherever they can.

Lead singer Omega Levine sums it all up nicely. He says worship and justice dovetail into one simple road, adding: “We’re just five guys on a journey to know God better”.


HISTORY
Parachute Band are an integral part of Parachute Music; a globally reaching Christian music organisation in New Zealand. Parachute Music runs training events for musicians, artist management and bookings, a recording studio, and the high-profile Parachute Festival which annually attracts over 25,000 people.

The original Parachute Band formed to lead worship at Parachute Festival in 1996, and from there they began releasing worship albums that found an international audience. The first band released seven studio albums, won the Gospel Music Association’s International Achievement Award in 2006, received three NZ Music Awards (for Best Christian/Gospel Album), and toured extensively throughout the U.S. and Canada before disbanding in 2007.