Jars of Clay, Third Day to perform at Iowa Speedway

Popular Christian rock groups Jars of Clay, Third Day and Superchic[k], along with Star Light Platoon and local band Searching for North, will perform at the Iowa Speedway this summer. Iowa Speedway officials have announced that the five groups are scheduled to appear in concert on June 10. Ticket prices range from $40 for the golden circle, the standing area near the stage, to $30 and $20 seats. Tickets are scheduled to go on sale May 14. The concert will begin June 10 in the afternoon and run through the evening. “We’re expecting thousands of people,” said Mike Beecher, director of media relations for the Iowa Speedway. “A lot of central Iowa churches are inviting their members, and we’ve been getting a lot of calls. There’s high interest in this concert already.” Jars of Clay and Third Day are veterans of the Christian music industry, both formed in the early 90s. Jars of Clay began with four students at Greenville College, in Greenville, Ill., including vocalist Dan Haseltine, pianist Charlie Lowell and guitarists Stephen Mason and Matthew Odmark. Their first album, released in 1994, went triple platinum, and their most recent album, “Good Monsters,” was released last September. The group has been awarded several Grammys and Gospel Music Awards. Also recipients of multiple Grammy and Dove awards, Third Day was founded by lead singer Mac Powell and guitarist Mark Lee in Marietta, Ga. Other current band members include guitarist Brad Avery, bass player Tai Anderson and drummer David Carr. Third Day’s self-titled album, released in 1996, sold over half a million copies, and the band followed it with half a dozen other releases, including their platinum album “Offerings” that received seven Dove Awards. The group also won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Gospel Album in 2003, 2005 and 2007 for “Come Together,” “Wire” and “Wherever You Are,” respectively. Beecher said more information about the concert and other summer shows at the speedway will be released in the next couple of weeks.