Tenth Avenue North.

The first time I had ever heard of Tenth Avenue North was at the summer camp that I go to called Delanco. We were sitting outside of our cabins having devotionals, and our counselors passed around slips of paper that had the lyrics for their song "Captivate" on them. It was the first song by Tenth Ave that I had ever heard, and it has been my favorite by them ever since.


Before Tenth Avenue North was signed by Provident Label Group, they played small shows around the South Jersey area all the time. I've seen them a total of four times, three of which being before they were signed. Here's a little bit about the band:


Tenth Avenue North: The name come from the street where Mike and Jason lived during college.


Originated in: West Palm Beach, Florida, at Palm Beach Atlantic College. 


Genre: Christian/gospel.


Albums: Don't Look Back (independent), Speaking of Silence (independent), God With Us EP (independent), Over and Underneath (Reunion Records), The Light Meets the Dark (Reunion Records).


Mission: To see people encounter truth. Tenth Avenue North wants to be more than just entertainers. All of the band members came from church backgrounds and saw plenty of emotion in people but they found that, if emotion doesn't come from truth, it just doesn't last (Mike Donehey). Their mission as a band is to bring the truth of God to their fans and listeners.


Tour: Tenth Avenue North now tours all over the country. They are currently on the road touring for their latest CD, "The Light Meets the Dark". The closest venue to Eastern on their tour is at Grace Fellowship Church in Timonium, MD, on November 5th. Opening will be Addison Road and Matt Maher. Tickets are on sale now. 


Website: http://www.tenthavenuenorth.com/. Log on to find more details on tour dates, and view photos and videos.


The Christian Aspect?: The one song that I'm going to focus on by Tenth Ave is Captivate, as I've mentioned earlier. I won't lie, every time I hear this song, it still rocks me to the core. It's so deep and honest, you can't help but feel connected with the words; it feels as if it's you that the song is about. The song is all about surrendering to God and giving Him your all; everything that you have in you. As human beings, we all mess up; it's in our nature. We all have secrets and we all have things to hide, and we all have things that take us fall farther and farther away from God. But if we surrender to God, He will make our slate clean. His grace and love for us are overflowing; if we come to Him with an open heart, He will make all things new. Here are the lyrics to Captivate:


From the surface of my skin
To the depths of my soul within
I give you all of me
All the secrets of my heart
Every word and every thought
I give you all of me

Oh my heart's in need of holding
And my soul's in need of truth
Come be near me
Come surrond me, yeah

I lift my hands in sweet surrender
I'm falling humbly on my knees
I fix my gaze upon your splendor
How I love your majesty
You captivate me

Come into my darkest place
Step inside, invade this space
I give you all of me
All the secrets of my heart
Every word and every thought
I give you all of me 


Oh my heart's in need of holding
And my soul's in need of truth
Come be near me
Come surrond me, yeah

I lift my hands in sweet surrender
I'm falling humbly on my knees
I fix my gaze upon your splendor
How I love your majesty
You captivate me
Yeah, You captivate me


I think the thing about the lyrics that gets to me the most is one line in the chorus: "I lift my hands in sweet surrender". It's so simple, but I find that so many people have trouble lifting their hands to God. Mike always says at his concerts, "What do babies do when they see their daddy? They lift up their hands, and they want to be picked up." God is our Father, and He does the same thing for us. He lifts us up when we need Him; He holds us high above the flood. Lifting our hands to God is a sign of surrender, and when we surrender to Him, He'll pick us up and hold us, just like our daddy's would. 


If you're going through a rough time in your life, I encourage you to listen to this song. And even if you're not, I'm positive that you can relate to it in some way. 


A video of the song is posted below. Listen to it; leave a comment, tell me what you think.


Thanks for reading :). God Bless.