Jars of Clay Touring Support for S. Africa's HIV Crisis

By John Ma

Jars of Clay, the multi-platinum and multi-award winning band, gathers support for their sixth studio release Who We Are Instead with international appearances scheduled for South Africa, Sweden and Holland. Their sixth project is a significant work that is different from others in that, this is also the project which supports the philanthropic movement V Aritsts United for Africa.

Jars of Clay (vocalist Dan Haseltine, guitarists Stephen Mason and Matt Odmark, and keyboardist Charlie Lowell) will play concerts in three of South Africa’s largest cities -- Cape Town (Aug. 7), Pretoria (Aug. 8) and Durban (Aug. 9).

The band will also be involved in several high-profile media appearances, both for entertainment purposes and to highlight the band's humanitarian efforts to fight against HIV/AIDS, which is ravaging throughout the country.

While in South Africa, band members will appear on the screen of reality TV, the episode of Project Fame on Tuesday, August 3. The show is a mixture between Big Brother and also American Idol. Jars of Clay will be jamming with ardent fan Jonathan Ross and other members of the cast.

The South African eTV channel will follow Jars of Clay's movements in their tour with the Living Hope Community projects, a non-profit organization dedicated to confronting the effect the HIV/AIDS pandemic is having on Cape Town.

"We in South Africa are so excited that a band of the stature of Jars of Clay are willing to contribute their time and skills to the huge humanitarian crisis of AIDS in Africa," says the manager of Sarepta Music, the South African distribution partner of Provident Music Group. "The tour is an historic first for international Christian music artists and will go a long way towards raising the profile of their music and message."

Jars of Clay International Tour dates:

Fri., Aug. 6 -- His People, Cape Town, South Africa

Sat., Aug. 7 -- Heartfelt Arena, Pretoria, South Africa

Sun., Aug. 8 -- Durban Christian Centre, Durban, South Africa

Fri., Aug. 13 -- Frizon Festival, Kumla, Sweden

Sun., Aug. 15 -- Flevo Festival, Boxtel, The Netherlands

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