Casting Crowns pile new dates on top of 'Altar'

December 7, 2007 11:12 AM

LiveDaily Contributor

Christian pop-rockers Casting Crowns [ tickets ] have added a huge haul of dates to their 2008 travel plans as they continue to support their recent release "The Altar and The Door."

The group retains the Jan. 31 launch date in Oklahoma City, OK, that it had announced weeks ago, with the greatly expanded trek now stretching to three months with visits to almost 30 cities, mainly in the South and near the East Coast. The full schedule is included below.

Aside from the headlining run, the band is also set to sail on the Music Boat 2008 Cruise with a host of Christian artists including TobyMac and Matthew West. The four-day cruise leaves from Miami May 19 and visits Key West and Calica, Mexico.

The band is currently riding high on the success of its third album, "The Altar and The Door," which debuted at No. 2 on The Billboard 200 in August, setting a new record for a Christian artist without crossover promotion in the mainstream market. The set was certified gold in November by the Recording Industry Association of America.

"The Altar and The Door" spent 12 weeks in the No. 1 slot on the Top Christian Albums chart before sliding to No. 3 in the current tabulations, with the single "East to West" continuing to hold the top spot at Christian AC radio 23 weeks after its release. A couple of tunes from the record are streaming at Casting Crowns' MySpace page.

The band also took home a win at November's fan-voted American Music Awards, picking up the trophy for Favorite Artist in the Contemporary Inspirational category.

[Note: The following tour dates have been provided by artist and/or tour sources, who verify its accuracy as of the publication time of this story. Changes may occur before tickets go on sale. Check with official artist websites, ticketing sources and venues for late updates.]

January 2008
31 - Oklahoma City, OK - Ford Center

February 2008
1 - Abilene, TX - Taylor County Coliseum
2 - Ft. Worth, TX - Ft. Worth Convention Center Arena
5 - Colorado Springs, CO - Colorado Springs World Arena
9 - Kansas City, MO - Kemper Arena
14 - Grand Rapid, MI - Van Andel Arena
15 - Ypsilanti, MI - Convocation Center at Eastern Michigan University
16 - Cleveland, OH - Wolstein Center at Cleveland State University
22 - Estero, FL - Germain Arena
23 - West Palm Beach, FL - Sound Advice Amphitheater
29 - Amherst, MA - Mullins Center

March 2008
6 - Columbus, OH - Nationwide Arena
7 - Madison, WI - Alliant Energy Center
13 - State College, PA - Bryce Jordan Center @ Penn State University
14 - Salisbury, MD - Wicomico Youth and Civic Center
15 - Rochester, NY - Main Street Armory
20 - Johnson City, TN - Freedom Hall Civic Center
21 - Greenville, SC - Bi-Lo Center
28 - Hershey, PA - Hershey Arena
29 - Charlotte, NC - Cricket Arena
30 - Raleigh, NC - RBC Center

April 2008
4 - Austin, TX - Frank Erwin Center
5 - Bossier City, LA - Century Tel Center
12 - Lynchburg, KY - Liberty University
17 - Murray, KY - Regional Special Events Center at Murray State University
24 - Ames, IA - Hilton Coliseum
25 - Bloomington, IL - US Cellular Coliseum
26 - St. Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center
27 - Council Bluffs, IA - Mid-America Center

May 2008
2 - Indianapolis, IN - Pepsi Coliseum
19 - Miami, FL - The Music Boat 2008 Cruise